Hanging out with Bert

My real biological grandmother is in Taiwan and I don't get to see her as often as I wish so I adopted myself a spiritual grandmother, Bert, here in the East Bay.

Bert is about 78 years old, about 5 foot tall and very sweet to me. I first met her at church, perhaps the 2nd or the 3rd time I was there. She would always sit by herself and so I just decided to talk to her one day after church. We got to talk more and we started having lunches after church. We talk a lot, share a lot, pray together, and laugh at each other sometimes. It's all fun. Then one day, I told her that since my biological grandmother is in Taiwan and I don't get to see her as often as I wish, I will adopt her as my grandmother here in the US and at church.

At the beginning of this year, Bert got sick and surgery was needed. Her surgery went well but her recovery time took a lot longer than she had hoped for. After months of treatments and staying at home for a long time, Bert and I finally ventured out with the help of her walker.

So, I spent a few hours hanging out with my adopted grandmother today. We had lunch together and we even chatted for a while after lunch at her home. I even met her son, daughter-in-law, grandsons and even her great-grandsons. Hers is a very nice and loving family and I thank God for allowing me to have an adopted grandmother here in the US.

It's been so hot lately that I haven't been sleeping well. Because I am not getting enough sleep, I am bossy and feeling a bit cranky. I think I might have chewed someone's head off today. Hey, you who got your head chewed off today, sorry. I didn't mean to be cranky on you today. Thank you for trying to calm me down.

Thank the Lord for caring and loving friends.

你呢？

有個朋友生病，進了醫院，她身傍的一位異性好友為她十分緊張。
另一好友有病，卻不想看病，令她身傍的好友們都為她十分緊張。
有些人，怕看醫生。 有些人，不怕看醫生。 你呢？

有一些人對身傍朋友的近况十分清楚，瞭如指掌。
又有人對身傍的朋友滿不在乎，對他人若無其事。
有些人重視朋友。 有些人卻自私自利。 你呢？

今天下午收到了一通妹妹打來的電話。 在電話裡，她跟我分享了一些令她很煩擾、又心痛的事情。 她有一位非常要好的朋友快要結婚了。 新娘不但沒有請她去當伴娘，卻請了她的世仇去當伴娘。 這件事情令她非常生氣，也令她對她的非常好友十分失望。

最近心情比較勁。 心情差是因為我開始感受到從四面八方來的壓力。
求主帶領我，讓我的心與眼睛都集中於耶穌。 不要允許四面八方來的攻擊，使我分心，煩亂我的焦點。

Antique Keys

I love antique keys. There’s something romantic, mysterious, and unique about antique keys. Most antique keys are of European and very seldom an Asian antique key would surface. Frankly, I have never seen an Asian antique key.

My first encounter with an European antique key was at one of my many visits to Italy. At one of the overnight stay, we checked into a very nice yet small hotel at Assisi. Most European hotels are small with small sleeping rooms san bathrooms. If a room comes with a bathroom then the bathroom is the tiniest.

At the Guest Check-In, a very handsome older Italian gentleman handed me one of the most beautiful antique key to open the door to my sleeping room. This key was probably made of iron because it was heavy. The key was about two inches wide at the top handle. The body was about four inches long and its end was about ¾ of an inch wide, like a tiny flag. The top handle was shaped like a tiny beautifully made crown and the key end looked like a gorgeous Gucci stiletto.

There I was, holding this beautiful antique key and ready to open my tiny hotel sleeping room. I knew my room was going to be small because most European hotel sleeping rooms were small. I also knew that it was going to be hot because Italians turned off their A/C system in October even when the outside average temperature was still in the 80’s.

After a few quick turns, I opened a heavy wooden door to my sleeping room. Yes, the room was small but it was beautifully decorated and it was long and narrow, about 10’x5’. The room was dark because everything in it was espresso mahogany wood. There were the basics, a small twin bed sat against the left long wall, a small antique desk with an art deco style desk lamp, and a small armoire, all sat on top of this cool, smooth, and beautiful black & white marble floor. Yes, there was even the tiniest bathroom to the left of my room, next to the end of my bed. What surprised me most about my room was the giant floor to ceiling window with crisp white linen curtains and espresso mahogany shutters.

I took off my shoes, sat my bags on the floor, pulled aside the curtains, adjusted the shutters, and pushed open the window. What a surprise! I was the luckiest girl in Italy that evening. Yes, I was also the happiest girl living in Italy that evening because nothing can make a girl happier than to have a room with a balcony overlooking the piazza.

Yes, I had a room with a view.

La Dolce Vita!

Back To Normal

Things are finally back to normal after Wilson has left for Taiwan and I have returned from my short trip down to LA.

Wilson went back to Taiwan on the 9th of August. It was sad to see him go because I enjoyed his company very much. Yeah, he had to go home. Yeah, he cried when he said goodbye to me. He also cried when he said goodbye to Mom and Dad. He's such a sweetheart.

Right after Wilson left for Taiwan, I went down to LA to meet with Alfred, visited San Diego SeaWorld with his family and hung out with Charlotte, Catherine and Omelia down in LA. It was fun hanging out with the Chans and cooking dinners with the ladies.

It's all good. I had a good time. Just need to get better and get over this cold thingee now.

Oh, Korean food is good...

Three Years Later

I finally saw him tonight and it has been exactly 3 years since I last saw him.

Yesterday was his wedding and today I ran into him in front of the church bookstore.

I was on my way to the church bookstore when I saw him. He was standing next to his new wife right by a post talking with friends. He saw me as I was walking towards the bookstore and he smiled at me. He looked very surprised to see me. He continued to smile at me and I smiled back. But I continued to walk, I walked right by him with a smile on my face and with my head up.

Yes, I walked right by him and straight into the bookstore as if I didn't see him and as if I was smiling at some other people.

It does not hurt anymore. The pain is finally gone. I walked right by him as if I have never met him before.

Yes, it is finally over. I am over him now.

Yes, he got married yesterday and I was not his bride......

Annoyed or pissed

A friend told me earlier this evening that I sounded like I was annoyed or pissed over the phone to him.

I was not annoyed nor was I pissed. I was just sharing with him that certain things were finally settled. Perhaps I was sounding a bit tired because I had spent a long time with the boys and I was getting very tired. I don't know. But I was not annoyed nor pissed.

I really appreciate this brother taking time out to share with me how he felt, how he saw things, and that he was concerned about me and didn't want me to worry too much.

Thanks bro! I wish I could give you a hug coz I really appreciate your caring.

Thank you Lord for giving me caring brothers & sisters.

Napa

This morning started out with a “Bang” because I was awoken by Dad’s screaming voice. Well, it turned out that he got stung about 5 times by some yellow jackets while he was working in the backyard earlier. After taken some medication and applied some honey on his legs and head, he felt better, fell asleep and so Wilson, Ke and I went out.

Originally, I had planned on taking them to have some Cantonese breakfast. Since I needed to stay home and take care of Dad, Joseph took them out go Taco Bell, again! These boys love Taco Bell.

We arrived at Napa at around 12PM and we toured 3 different wineries. It was a very nice day today and it wasn’t hot at all. It was fun hanging out with them coz they are so young and so fresh. After visiting the 3 different wineries, we went to V. Sattui for a picnic lunch. It was nice and they boys ate a lot of food. Actually, there weren’t enough bread for them….

Before coming back home, we stopped by the Napa Outlet and Wilson went crazy at Timberland. He’s crazy about Timberland so he purchased 2 pairs of boots. Ke also got a pair of boots for his father.

It was fun. I am going to miss them boys when they head home tomorrow night.

Pot Stickers Making Dinner Party

Last night we made pot stickers. Maria and Mark went grocery shopping and everyone got home at around 6pm to start our pot sticker making dinner party. It was really fun because everyone worked together to make this pot sticker party fun.

Phillip was the baby-sitter.
Ruth helped pan fry the pot stickers.
Isaac helped wrap up pot stickers.
Mom boiled dumplings.
Dad helped himself by eating both pot stickers and dumplings.
Aunt Man-Lian helped by playing with Isaac when he wasn’t making pot stickers. Mark helped cut up veggies, tofu and wrapped pot stickers.
Cindy did the dishes, wrapped pot stickers, chopped up veggies and did everything else in between.
Ke baked cake and helped wrap pot stickers.
Wilson marinated pork, wrapped pot stickers and played with Jeremiah.
Joseph played with Isaac and Jeremiah when Philip had to do something.
Maria was the chef.
I was the assistant chef.
Finally, Max came by to play with Jeremiah and Isaac.

It was a really fun night and we all enjoyed ourselves very much. Oh, Isaac made about 10 pot stickers and he ate about 18 of them.

Hanging out with Wilson

Touring the Bay Area

For the past week, I have been touring around town with my Cousin Wilson and his classmate, Jack, from Taiwan. We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay’s on Tuesday. We visited the Palace of Fine Art, the Exploratorium, had a picnic by Fort Mason, walked around the Marina, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and walked back a bit on it on Wednesday. We took BART out to SF, got off at the Powell Street station and walked from downtown to Chinatown, down Columbus Street, hiked up to Lombard Street, down Leavenworth Street to Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, back to the Mason & Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround, hopped onto a Cable Car back down to the SF Centre, shopped at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s and finally hopped backed onto BART at Powell Street station and headed home. Japan Town and the Golden Gate Park were our destinations today. We visited Japan Town, shopped around, had lunch, ran into Rita, Louise and Jacky and then headed toward Golden Gate Park. We visited the Rose Garden, walked around the grounds of the deYoung Museum, the Temple of Music, the Japanese Tea Garden, stopped by the Conservatory of Flowers, walked around the Stow Lake, drove down J. F. Kennedy Drive, listened to Jazz music at the North Windmill and then drove back home down Geary Blvd.

I am having a great time because I have walked, drove, ate and enjoyed myself very much. Tomorrow, I will meet up with LA’s Lawrence and Roxanna and Lawrence’s family from New Zealand for dinner at Tra Vigne at Napa. Busy week....