Author Archives: Christine

Last night was the first time I was having trouble falling asleep since L left.  Actually, I was very tired when I turned off the TV and the light and put my glasses on the night stand and settling myself down to sleep.   I suddenly noticed that looking out the bedroom door, the living room was totally dark.  In my memory since we moved in, there is always some kind of dim light out there from the outside and I can see a clear path to the kitchen door.  But not last night  And for some odd reason, it suddenly woke me up and I was trying really hard to look out to the living room to make things out.  Nothing.  That woke me up even more.  So I spent 10 or 15 minutes thinking if I should get up and check things out and see why there is no light out there.  Yeah, when it’s late at night, what you are thinking doesn’t really make sense.  I didn’t want to fall asleep in case there is something or someone out there that I can’t see. But I was tired and really needed to go to sleep.  Odd.  Finally I guess I did and it was late when I finally climbed out of bed to feed Manfred and Benny and took Benny for his walk. 

Today I went to S and her friends to Sakura in Fairlawn for lunch.  Wow!  I had a feast.  When we walked in, the place was full.  We found out that they have $3 sushi on Mondays.  We saw a plate full of fantastic looking sushi at a table and asked the owner’s wife who knows S very well, it turned out to be the Magic Stone and Twin Sister.  We ordered Magic Stone and lunch sashimi and her two freinds ordered boxed lunch or lunch in a box, and we added teriyaki tofu and yo yo maki.   We shared all our food and everything tasted great.  Three and a half saki later, we left the restaurant full and satisfied.  It was the best sushi I had for a while.

I moved the iMac in L’s office to the corner of the L desk so I can get a good view out of the window.  But I found out that it’s not very comfortable for me to reach the keyboard and I can’t slide the chair in to support my back because of the arm rest.  So I didn’t go in there to use the computer as often as I thought I would.  And I don’t like to haul my heavy Vaio around the house or when I sit in bed either even though I wanted to get on the net and do some browsing or read my email.  I am very picky about the computer desk and its setup.  It has to have ample leg room so I can stretch out my legs, it has to have good support for my elbow when I type, it has to allow the chair to slide in so my back is supported or I get a backache after working on the computer for a while, which I tend to do when I sit down at the computer.  So several ideas started to come up.  I want a small netbook to carry around the house for web browsing and email /blog writing.  I want to setup my own work station with all the ergonomic configuration so I can work at my pc for a long period of time.  I want room for reference materials and something to write on right by the keyboard too.   And I need to get to the ports easily for camera and camcorder and VHS player and easy access to the players too.  After seeing Esther’s den, I want to have a loveseat or a comfortable chair to sit by the desk too so i can read and check the DVD I made on a regular player.

got to get up early to take Benny to the vet tomorrow for his teech cleaning or gum cleaning.  He’s in the first stage of gum disease I was told last time i took him for his shots.  Actually, the vet told me last year that he needed it and I just never scheduled an appointment to get this done.  I did last week and tomorrow is the day.  Poor thing would be out for the procedure and I will pick him up after work.  So he won’t be eating all day till he gets home tomorrow.  Poor thing, but it’s good for him just like colonoscopy is supposed to be good for me. 

L is not having the greatest time over there or his group is going through some adjustment with the culture and people and the living conditions are primitive.  Those poor guys have to put up with a lot over there.  I’m sure they all can’t wait to get back here to their own beds and showers and food.

Finally, E succeeded in dragging me to the doctor’s office to get scripts for screenings.  L and she has been after me for months to get Mammogram, colonoscopy, and she just added dexsa and blood work for colesterole.  Uh-hum.  My health philosophy is to stay away from the docotr’s office as much as possible unless you’re really, really sick.  Now even Connie has joined the group and started bugging me for a mammogram.  I finally gave in to the group power just to shut them up!!!

Did the blood work today and other screenings are being scheduled.  Yuck, yuck, yuck.  But I guess I’ll get a few year’s silence from the nagging once all these are done.

After the doctor’s visit, E and I went to lunch at Applebee’s.  and we were reminiscing about times when she grew up.  Conversation continues when we got home for a while.  It was funny talking about those things that happened when they were little kids.  It’s also surprising how little I remembered. 

L got news to leave on Friday if the visa situation can be dealt with tomorrow.  So he is all excited and nervous about leaving.  It’ll be really interesting to be single for a few months.  Lots of dancing, knitting, spinning, cleaning, etc. And winter by myself.  I’ll probably be hiding under the warm blanket most of the time.   Oh those dog walks!  Oh that’s something I’m not looking forward to….

After two weeks, I am finally back to a semi-routine life.  The first sign is the sleeping pattern that went back to late night and late morning get-ups.  Still in an eating frenzy since L is leaving for Saudi in a week or two, we are hitting all the favorite restaurants and enjoying our meals and friends as much as possible.

We went to our first Clam Bake at Pickle Bill’s last Sunday.  I had a lobster bake and L chickened out and ordered a strip steak.  Sandy and chen drove their convertable with the top down over.  I am not used to the wind blowing at you with such a force when the car reaches 60-70 mph.  But Sandy enjoyed it so much she was half kneeling on the seat to get the full effect.  Man, I was lucky I didn’t get a headache afterwards.  But the food was good (and messy).  Learned how to crack the lobster from her too.

L cooked one of his comfort food meat loaf last night and we had C came over.  I stuffed myself again and we watched the this season’s first episode of “Dancing with the Stars”.  There are a couple of potentials but we will see how they progress.  Donnie Osmand has the showmanship down!  I love him even though his technique isn’t there yet.  I wish I have a portion of his showmanship in my competitions.

Speaking of which, Cleveland’s Dancesport Challenge is this Friday.  I will be doing singles and a closed scholarship with Minas.  Not fully prepared since we haven’t had many lessons together just dancing, but I want to let go of the nerves and simply do my best and try to bring out my personality (if I can find one somewhere).  I’ve always been super nervous in competition.  I want to do well and I stress myself out and does just the opposite.  Since I know I am not fully prepared this time, I may be able to relax a bit and see how I do just being myself.

Making a list of things to do after L leaves.  It’s filling up and will take up a lot of my time.  The next 5 months would be an interesting time back to live a single’s life.  hmmmm.

Serena called and told me that she has made a reservation at the Hito BBQ 田季发爺 on 健康路.  So after I left Mom’s nursing home tonight, I went to meet her at her shop.  She also invited Diana Yang, another customer of hers.  She also brought her cat and drove for about half an hour or so to this BBQ restaurant.  She hid her cat Ban Ban in her purse and we sat down at the table with a coal burning stove in the middle.  It only costs $399NT for each person and we had beef, pork, fish, shrimp, octopus, and more. 

From Taiwan 2009

 

I was hungry, but about half way through, I was so full I couldn’t move.  Serena was still going strong till the end.  Can’t believe her! 

I have heard about this kind of BBQ but never been to one.  It’s so nice to have the chance to try it.  It’s raining pretty hard.  A typhoon may be coming this weekend.  Hopefully, it won’t affect the departure on Monday.  I have to do some serious dieting after I get back!!!  I must have put on at least 5 lbs already!!!!

After 30 years, I finally went to 東區 last night.  Took Bus 285 from 蘭雅囯中 to 敦化仁愛路口 .  I passed 士林夜市.  This route is the closest to the hotel, I will have to remember it. 

I passed lots of restaurants that look enticing.  Wish I can go to one of those seafood restaurants.  Wish I can go to one of those Karaoke places.  I think these are the two places I have wanted to go and never been to.  Well, I have been to a smaller karaoke place, but I’d like to experience one of those bigger ones that serve snacks and drinks in your private room.  Since I don’t like to sing in the public. 

I learned that the latest Karaoke machine has a hard drive that’s loaded with all the songs old and new and you could upload updates when they come out.  I would love to get one of those too!  I wonder if I can use my laptop as a karaoke machine?  Hmmm, something to search for in chinese Google.

Anyway, the dinner was so so, it’s one of those obligatory dinners.  I was told that if I don’t buy this dinner for my relatives, I would be judged unfriendly and prideful.  I really really strongly dislike this kind of dinner.  I am glad it’s over.  The food is OK.  It suits the older generation’s taste.  I like spicy food, seafood, and the street vendor’s food a lot better.  Just have to put up with one of these every time I come back though.

One of the favorite harvest this time is to turn on the Chinese input mode and started typing Chinese.  I love it.  I know once I get back to the US, I won’t have as strong a desire to type in Chinese.  But it’s so nice to discover that it’s always there and I could use it right away.  Got a Chinese input keyboard too so I don’t have to look for the cheat sheet all the time.  I’m also learning the Pingying input method which is a lot easier to learn with some kind of logic to follow.

I found a great coffee shop this time not far from mom’s nursing home by the open market.  One night, I was on my way back to the hotel after venturing to the bubble tea stand, I noticed this little coffee shop called ‘Antibu’. (I will have to ask Serena about the name).  A lady was inside and it looked like a shop that sells coffee making equipments.   Then I saw a sign “roasting”.  Then I though she probably sells coffee beans and knows about Taiwan beans.  So I turned around and went in.

The lady looked about 30ish and was friendly.  She was not very enthusiastic about Taiwan’s coffee beans.  But she sounded very knowledgeable about coffee and very confident about the coffee she roasted.   She even poured a small cup of ice coffee for me, it actually doesn’t taste too sour without cream and sugar.  She was about to close the shop and I didn’t want to drink coffee so late at night.

I went back the next day when mom was taking a nap after lunch.  I think I spent 3 hours there talking to her.  She is a very friendly person and very proud of her coffee.  I watched her roast a couple of batches too.  She examines the green beans first in a tray and picks out the bad ones.  After checking almost every bean, she then put into the roaster.  After roasting, she uses a round pan with wired bottom to get all the shaff out and uses a knife to pick open the beans that has some imperfection in the middle and scrape that off.  Then she bags the beans.

She roasts her beans to about city or city-.  The most can be city+ and she considers those slightly burned anyway.  So when she saw my beans, she was obviously holding back her disapproval.  Later she told me she was even a bit reluctant to put them into her grinder cause the burned taste will be left in it and ruin her coffee.  Yeah, she is a coffee snob.  🙂  And she told me that the water should be about 90 degree C.  Not boiling to retain the flavour of the coffee.  And ther coffee is very flavourful.  I haven’t been able to make one like hers yet in my room.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I went back the next day and another customer came in.  This lady just came to have a cup of coffee on her way to pick up her daughter from school.  She sat and talked with us for a couple of hours.   She did most of the talking.  Serena and I just listened.  But when she asked why I was there and knew that I lived in Ohio, she got very interested and wanted to know how she can send her college bound daughter to the US to learn english and be prepared for graduate school.  That topic went on for about half an hour.  Finally she left and it was time for me to leave too.  But she talked Serena into taking me to the night market that night.  Yes, after knowing me for less than a day, she offered to take me to the night market.  I think she was also feeling sorry for me to have such a boring time.

That night, she took me and another customer to 通化夜市。 She said 士林夜市 is too popular and easy for me to get to anyway.  She is a very thoughtful person.  Wow, lots of shops and lots of food stands.  It was great.  Although she meant for me to shop for some gifts, I didn’t like to slow everyone down and didn’t buy anything.  But we did eat smelly tofu and shaved ice.  She knows exactly which ones have the best to offer.  It was great to have a guide like that.  She drives like a taxi driver too, but again calmly and confidently.  I would be nervous but not her.   She dropped me off at the hotel after 11pm.  It was a great time.

Sunday I got a set of coffee making equiptment to make coffee in the room cause Monday is her off day.  I made some Monday morning and this morning, I still haven’t got it down yet.  The first cup was too strong, the second cup was ok but not as flavourful, I made a huge mug this morning and it was too weak.  Ha, takes time to get it still.  I will go over this afternoon to have some different coffee.  She gave me Etheopia’s stanmore (sp?).  Before I go home, I will get more coffee from her so L can taste it too.

Tonight, it’s dinner with the relatives.  uuuuuuugh.  Never enjoyed that but my cousin hinted that I would be sneered on if I don’t give a dinner banquet for those that visited my mom.  I don’t know why Chinese like these fake dinners.  He invited some one who I havne’t met for over 30 years and has never been friend with just because he came and visited mom once.  He maybe my cousin’s friend, but not mine.  And the only people that I am thankful for, I have bought presents for already.   Why should we do this meaningless and fake dinners.  sigh.  This is one of the reasons I hate coming back if not for mom.

Sunday.  6 days after I landed in Taiwan.  It’s September now and still hot and humid as ever.  None of the clothes I brought is well suited for this weather.  Actually, even after I looked around, I don’t think any clothes is suited for hot and humid weather, period.  If I leave the air conditioned room, I feel uncomfortable and sticky.  There are lots of half-hearted AC around, one in mom’s nursing home room is like that.  But then none of the older ladies like AC anyway, one of them demanded for the sliding door to be open for a crack all the time.  So there you go. 

I was wondering what would the life be like if I live here for longer periods of time.  Say, a month.  What kind of life would I have?  In this neighborhood, I can find almost everything I need actually.  There is outdoor market to shop for food to cook in the morning, there are all kinds of stands that you can get food all the way till 12:30ish in the morning.  There are shoe store, clothing store, restaurants, department store, movie theaters, yeah, everything you need.  I can even stop at Serena’s for a perfect cup of coffee and talk to anyone that stops by for the latest neighborhood news.  But then again, the transportation is horrific if I want to venture out of the neighborhood.  Driving is impossible.  Bus stops are blocks away from your home.  TV has very little good shows to offer.  hmmm.  I don’t know if I can stand the life here very long. 

I miss the simplicity and the quality of life  at home .   Although my favorite food is hundrends of miles away, there is a relaxed way of living.  I can get in the car and go anywhere without worrying about parking and traffic.  I don’t have to jump back when a mortorcycle decides to cut in front of me to make a left turn.  I don’t have to stop in my track when a bicycle suddenly cuts in to park in front of the shop I passes by.  Yes, in general, the way things are have improved a lot but then in other ways, they really haven’t.

There are still reports of the August 8th typhoon aftermass (sp?) every day.  Lots of mess and lots of protest to the government officials of their sluggish help and the footage of the disaster.  Houses fell to the floor of the river bed.  Unbelievable sights.  Very sad.  The soldiers are out helping to move the tons and tons of mud out of streets in the worst areas. 

h1n1 is also in the news every day.  It’s a big scare here right now.  I noticed the medical station at the custom ready to check people with a fever when I arrived.  There are cases of young people that died of it.  The vaccines are being produced.  People are wearing masks too.

Probably not the best time to visit as far as Taiwan is concerned.  

The portal DVD player turned out to be a bad choice.  I should have known but was hoping for the impossible.  Mom is as stubborn as ever.  Actually, I think this is the symptom of all old people.  A friend said his mom was hospitalized and wouldn’t eat or take anything from the helper they tried to hire for her and would only eat food given from her children.  This placed a big burden on the children who has to be there 24/7 to take care of her every need.  Don’t know when and if I get there, would I be like that?  I strongly hope not!!!

The first full day in Taiwan.  After breakfast at the hotel, I went to mom’s nursing home.  I surprised her.  She didn’t know that I was arriving and she just sat there stunned, I think.  I was joking with her too trying imitate those confused dog head turning and she did the same.  This made the grandma in the next bed laugh.  The nurse came up and asked mom if she recognized me.  She said, ‘no, I don’t know her”.  Then the nurse said you don’t recognize your daughter coming from the US to see you.  She said, of course I do, it’s stamped on her head.  Everybody laughed too.  Sometimes, she can be humerous.  Like she told me in secrecy that the grandma in the next bed is pregnant.  The care taker told me that she said that about that lady before because the lady has a little pertruding belly.  And my mom also said that she is dating an old man in the nursing home.  The drama in the nursing home I guess.

I had seafood hot pot for lunch and meet gumbo soup for dinner.  And a bubble tea to finish the day.  Trying different food this time.  S is asking for pictures.  So I’ll have to remember to start taking pictures from now on.

Getting ready to start the next day now.  Will have to call the relatives too to let them know I’m here.  And they will have to do the getting together dinner again.  sigh.  a burden for all of us.

It’s been over a year since I last came back to Taiwan to visit mom.   The long flight is finally behind me.

Went from Cleveland to Los Angeles and then to Taipei.  Decided to try the shuttle bus in LAX from domestic to the international terminals.  What an experience!  I got on bus “A” and wanted to make sure that I was on the right one.   The driver is an older african american gentleman.   So I asked if he stops at China Airlines.  No answer.  I asked again.  Then I detected a very slight nod still no vocal confirmation.  It seemed a bit odd but I sat down.  He stopped at a couple more domestic terminals, lots of people got on and almost everyone asked if the bus stops at their destination.  He never gave a good Yes or No answer.  Just a vague nod or a vage disapproving shake.  Finally, he got irritated from all the people asking, he told everyone, this is bus “A”, A menas all the terminals.  We looked at each other thinking this is really odd.  After the domestic terminals, he turned around and asked where do we want to go.  We all answered.  He stopped at China Air.  I was a bit confused and asked if China Airlines is at the same place.  He said, it’s china Air, China airlines is china airlines.  I said correct, so is this where I should get off?  He said, you said China Air.  That’s why I stopped at China Air.  (That would be a very incorrect assumption.  I know the difference of these two airlines cause I actually went to china Air last year in Korea and felt really embarrassed when I was told that I went to the wrong one.  So I know I didn’t make another mistake this time for sure.)  Oh well.   The next stop he yelled “International Terminal”.  I waited.  Then he said, “China Airlines, ..”   Okay, now I know this is the stop I get off.  Well, it turned out that it’s at the beginning of the building for a lot of airlines.  And China airlines is at the other end of the building.  I think he intentionally stopped there to make sure I walked the whole way.

No more shuttle bus in LA!!  I could have walked with a lot less irritations and frustrations.  I walked all the previous times and just wanted to have an adventure this time.  An adventure I got for sure.  🙂

The rest of the trip was thankfully uneventful.  I knitted and listend to an old audible book that I forgot most of the details.  Didn’t sleep much on the plane, not comfortable and my chair couldn’t recline either.  Showed the little girl sitting next to me how to go to the video games and she played the zuma-like game for a while.  Her mother or grandmother was not that friendly.  I almost missed tray pick up a few times because she just quietly handed over her tray and the little girl blocked my view to the aisle to notice any commotions.  The flight attendant had to call for mine to let me know they were there. 

The custom and the luggage pick up were both smooth and painless.  The security brought a little dog to sniff the luggages.  It’s so cute we almost forgot about the seriousness of his mission.  Took a cab from the line and the driver was a typical taxi driver that went 120 in the 90 zone and zig zag from lane to lane.  He was very proud of his skills though and told me so.  Ended up he got to the hotel in record time and the fare was less than what I am used to pay for the taxi ride.  He felt bombed.  But after I gave him the $100 difference any way, he happily took my luggage into the lobby for me.  $$$ helps in a lot of situaions.

After a shower and settling down in the room, I went out to search for some food and to stretch my legs.  Found all kinds of food stores and stands still going strong at 11:30pm.  Got some yen-su calamari and egg yolk filled taro balls and a Taiwan beer from the corner 7/11.  It was very delicous.  I don’t normally like yen-su anything but this was very, very tasty.  I was thoroughly satisfied.  If anything, food is fantastic to this old chinese taste bud.

That night, before I went to sleep, my feet kept cramping up.  Probably protesting the long flight and the fact that I only got up and went to the restroom once in the whole flight.  But it didn’t take long for me to fall asleep.