牛年大吉

Spring Festival was my favorite holiday when I was a kid. My mom would make a new clothes for me and my brother. We would have an abundant dinner at the new year eve. New clothes and a big feast dinner was not easily come by then. It made that time of year so looked forward as a kid. Played with fire crack with friends and stayed over midnight to embrace the very moment of new year coming.

After many years aboard, this Spring Festival is becoming more and more like symbol. We might never know where life brings us to but we always know where we come from. It makes me feel grateful and lucky as a Chinese as well as an American.

We will go with our friends Laiyiee and Bob this afternoon to the New Year's party of Ohio University Chinese Student and faculty association. It was wonderful last year and the party was so packed with Chinese students and professors as well as all wonderful Athenians from our community.

As the title says, Good Luck Bull Year! It is so coincident that our Chinese have Bull year but not Bear year. I wish that all our families, friends and everyone have a better and happier year to come.

MakeOver

I tried to think what I have done for the past long weekend. Really not much. Oh yeah one achievement, maybe half needs be mentioned. I started to repaint our bathroom. Well after three layers, the standard was still not met. Wonder whose standard that is ?!? Another two layers were applied by the standard setter last night. The project was finally complete. I have to say it looks good.

A natural element(Chinese wrap leaves) is added to the new light shade. They feel organic. By the way, Here it is

Go Local

It appears that every once a while, we have another food recall from salad green, tomato to peanut butter happening right now. Every time it takes a quite while if not ever to figure out the source. A lot of food has to be destroyed and wasted because of how the food is processed and distributed. Despite Federal advice to put off eating foods that contain peanut butter, we are very comfortable to make peanut butter & Jelly sandwich since we have been using our local produced organic peanut butter. After the jar is empty, we take it to our favorite Village Bakery and get 50c for the recycle.

So coincidentally Sammy was making this very interesting pasta dish tonight. I suddenly realize that Go Local is becoming a part of our life without realization. We have our favorite Wild Mushroom Rossi Pasta made in Marietta, OH (used to make in Athens), chicken sausage of King Family Farm from our Athens Farmers' Market and yogurt from Village Bakery made from our local dairy Snowville Creamery's whole milk. They are organically grown or naturally raised.

We produce our own vegetable in summer and fall in our own garden or buy some from our Farmers Market. And jar some for the winter. After all, wonderful food and be satisfied to support our local farmers.

I have to show Sammy's cute presentation with Chinese Zodiac figures. Hope that Ox year brings good health and happiness for everyone.

My New Oakley

I went to my eye exams after two years. Last time I picked this Gucci frame. Did I mention that sometimes Sammy just has strong opinions on what I wear. Yeah, He hated my old one and has been bitching since. He insist that he should be present when I pick the next time. Well, I picked again myself this time. It is Oakly Dictate 2.0 Metal frame. Somehow he likes it.

When I took some pictures, I was accused of becoming a Narcissus. Well he just had to squeeze into the scene. I guess that he was just so innocent^^

We Are Invited!

When I got home from work this past Monday, Sammy was excited and eager to show me something. I was ......wondering if another his eBaying or .... Well he run upstairs and had this invitation from the Presidential Inaugural Committee in front of me. It reminds me of Sammy's step mom's can-not-wait showing us her Bush's white house Christmas card every year. I guess that poor Norma might miss her White House greetings for a long while.

I know that hundreds of thousand of Obama's donors might receive invites. We are just so glad that all insignificant contributions together have made significant difference. Look forward to a better tomorrow of this country and world at large.

We might be better to stay at home to witness this history making. Otherwise we might only can afford to sleep on the street in the cold DC winter night.

Wait, is White House For Sale?

I just read Chinese news. One news came across about our old hood in Atlanta. On my way to work every day then, I had to see this eye sore just 5 minutes from our house. It is called Atlanta White House - A replica. It surely mimics in some way of what has happened in WH of Washington. It is like what Bush has done to our country is what this house owner did to our old hood. Now he is facing foreclosure of his own house. He is a house developer by destroying old 50's or 60's houses and building many mc-mansions. They were all asked a million and up. It destroyed the charm and its natural surrounding of our 50s to 60s neighborhood without any consideration. He is a religious freak as well next to Bush. "God Hearts You" is in front of his White House all year around. We were told that "West Wing" is his in-house church. I do not mind that you switched your god from Mohammad to Jesus. Just keep for your own. I feel that everyone is forced to be preached no matter you like or not every time we drive by(it is right on the main road into all neighborhoods). Yeah its size is so out of portion in the neighborhood.

Sorry I can not feel sorry for you dude! At least he has to carry the consequence of the mess. But Bush just flees his one and someone has to clean up the mess. Something is so wrong that if you are moron, be a big one.

Click the title for New York Time Story for this. And Click here for checking out the house for sale.

My Facial Play

Sammy sometimes has strong opinions how my look should be. My hair is cut too short, or I should let my beard grow, blah, blah ... At the end of day, I do whatever I like and he is allowed to complain if he does not. Well, recently he asked to let my beard grow. I finally give a try after resisting for a while. I am posting PWP (product in working process) and let me know what you think.




Inevitability is that we can only get older. We either try to deny it by some artificial enhancement or accept it by aging gracefully. I try to accept with anxiety. I do a few things and hope to delay that process, such as masquerading, moistening or sun blocking besides my regular excises and eating healthy. I am not sure how much they help. The minimum effect is that makes you feel a bit more smooth or tender without much proof. We only have one earth to save. So does my face. I will keep trying hard as well^^

Sammy's Symmetric Setting

We got some fresh monk fish today. Sammy found a Chinese recipe on line for frying Monk fish with Chinese crystal noodle. It is simply yummie. His presentation is equally simple and pleasant.

ByeBye Our Gormie Girl

We know this day comes and still feel sadden. Two summers ago, we found that she had enlarged abdomen. Amazingly, she survived last year and half.

We sent her to the vet this noon to see if any hope. We were told that her system was totally clogged up. Her kidney function was failing. We had to make the decision to put her to sleep today. We brought her favorite - ice cream this afternoon. She did lose her used-to zeal for the cream and still licked bits from my finger. That was our favorite thing to do - let her lick ice cream from our fingers and feel her cat-saw tongue. Sammy and I held her for a long time before letting her go. She was such affectionate cat. She was still cooking while we held her the very last time. I hope that dads' arms gave her familiar comfort before she was finally relieved from pain.

We buried her in the side garden. She is back to the Nature. She will accompany me as usual when I go for gardening. But I have missed her mew dearly already.

Am I ?

During the trip to Adirondack, we drove around besides Lake Placid where we stayed. Saranac Lake is a close town. We walked around and antiqued a bit. It is a charm town with a bit of hippieness. We had a great breakfast in Blue Moon Cafe where is a local hangout. Incidentally we found a local wholefood store across the street called Nori's. It is a very cute shop similar to Athens' Farmacy. Well Sammy found a car sticks and asked me to buy them since it tells very much of me. I did realize that I must have it after we were in the car and about to leave.

Well I run into the store and got it. I am glad that I have it now and stick on my car now. Here it is

Trip To Cincinnati

Last weekend, we drove to Cincinnati to send my mom back to China. It was very early flight from Cinci to Atl before boarding for Shanghai. We stayed in very nice downtown Hilton Netherland Hotel. We went to a bit shopping with my mom since our friend Ronald gave her a Marcy's gift card to thank for her making sofa cover. The store is fortunately right next to the hotel and we can go through connected skyline. She bought a couple of nice coats with great bargain.

After the flight took off at 6:30AM, we got a chance to cruise the city more this time. Cinci is known for being very conservative. That certainly does not start well with me. But I did appreciate a bit more of the history and its architecture. Besides we went to its upcoming urban hood New Port and visited this nice antique store named Sin City. Especially we got a chance to visit one of our favorite shop Ikea as well. We took some great pictures from the top of our hotel and interior inside.

Love has No Limits

I was working from home yesterday while having TV on in the background. I overheard this story. I googled this morning and found a blog with this amazing story and video. Click Christian The Lion Cub.

When Time Rolls Back

I do not even know how I start this story. It seems already too far away since it unfolded right after I was born. That was back to 43 years ago when Great Culture Revolution was just around the corner. My father had been away for his work several months a time. My mom had to take care of me and my brother alone after the heavy duty as a high school principal. She had to find a nanny to take care of me. However my parents could not afford a full time nanny alone. It happened to have another baby boy less than a month older than me. His family lived right in an apartment building next to ours. His father worked with my dad in the same department. During that time, each company provided housing for its employees. Living condition was very basic. One apartment unit with 3 to 4 rooms was often shared by two or even three families with only one kitchen and one bathroom.

That boy was Tang Man. My parents and his came up with an idea to share a full time live-in nanny to take care of both. I think that we were about 4-5 month old when our nanny came to our life. Her family name was Yang. Our parents called her Yang Ma(Nanny Yang in Chinese). She was in her sixties and came from another part of the city. Until this day, I think of her often. When I was little, I always told my mom that I missed her when my mom gave me a warm bath in the winter. I do not remember much when she stayed with us since I was so little. But her love and affection instilled my little mind and becomes inerasable memory. For me, she was my grandma since my own grandma was not able to come since she was classified as "Landlord" and sent back to her countryside hometown. She had never a chance to see me grow up. I only saw her briefly but was not allowed to know she is my grandma when I was around 6.

After many years, our old neighbors still told the story of Man and me growing up from the same cradle. When we were old enough(I am not sure we were 2 or 3), we attended the same kindergarten of our dads' company. Every morning our parents sent us to the kindergarten on the bicycle and sometimes took term. When we were old enough again(maybe 5), we were allowed to go home on our own after the dinner in the kindergarten. It was 6-7 minutes walk. That freedom really excited us. We shared everything and halved our snacks every morning. I can not think that we ever fought.

We went on to go to the same class in the elementary school. I still remember the name of school - Red Flag Elementary School until his family moved to the another apartment area. He transferred to another school and so did I. We went to each other's home once a while after school or in weekend and sometimes stayed over night. We were always best friends because of that natural bond.

Now he settled in Singapore with beautiful wife Sarah and lovely son James. When he sent the last picture of us taken together, I realized that was the last time we saw each other in Wuhan. Unbelievably, it was 27 years ago right before his family moved to HongKong. I hope that we will see each other some day again.

Narcissis

I am not sure how paperwhite flower is also called Narcissus. Apparently people like them. I guess that we all have that side no matter how much we claim we are so down to earth or blah blah. Well if you have experience to grow paperwhite, you know that plants may not stand tall on its own. It does need help to hold them up and straight. After a little frustration, I did find a "messy" way to do it. It is called Wire-it-Up. Here they are: