Gift

Mom and I were on our way to #1 Chinese grocery store on Saturday when her 1989 wagon stalled on I-95. It was scary at first to be stranded on the side of a major interstate highway. I quickly called AAA to request a tow truck. In God's providence, we pulled over to the side underneath a ramp to be able to wait in the shade, even though it wasn't really hot. The tow truck finally came after a good 45-minute wait. But the best part of this story was really the story of the truck driver he shared when he towed the car and us home. He had a friend who won a medical law suit for 14 million dollars. Out of the blue, this friend decided to use the money, pay off his house, and sell it to this tow truck driver friend for $1. What a nice friend! We could all use a little break every now and then. But it seems like our tow truck driver was desparate for one and seemed to deserve it more than anyone.

As for the wagon, Mom is finally letting it go. We'll probably donate it. It was having the same problem a couple of weeks ago. Mechanics thought they had fixed it. Apparently not...

Summer!

It's been just lovely weather-wise the past few days. I'm savoring every moment of these breezy, lazy summer days. The weathermen have promised hot, hazy, and humid days this week. Doggie loves to look outside to watch the neighborhood kids play and other neighborhood dogs walk by. She secretly wishes that a squirrel might come by for a visit, maybe even a chipmunk or two (she smells a family of them living underneath the deck). This is one of her favorite shady trees. The squirrels know better to scamper up this tree at the sight of Miss Doggie. Doggie would love to get her paws at one of these stinky squirrels, preferrably one that is height-challenged. What would she do if she actually catches one? Last summer, she managed to catch and kill 4 or 5 mice that got into the house. Doggie's definitely got the prey-predator instinct in her. Maybe she just likes the challenge of catching something small and furry.

Thunder and lightening

Doggie is scared to death of loud noises and sudden flashes of light. She runs away from clanging pots and pans and gets startled when dishes are being washed. She is terrified of thunder and lightening. It's kind of cute and all, except when she disturbs my slumber and jumps on my bed in the middle of the night. That's when it's not so cute. If she's by herself during the day when everyone's at work, at the sound of thunder, she'll clear a 4-foot gate and scampers around for help that she will not find. With her keen sense of hearing, she'll hear thunder coming from Pittsburgh (OK... maybe Harrisburg). Fourth of July and New Year's Eve are not on her list of favorite holidays. Firecrakers sound too much like thunder.

Chestnuts

This is our chestnut tree in the back yard (left). These are pictures from last year. Soon, we will see these funny pipe-cleaner-looking blossoms that smell horrible (middle). But, after that, little pods of chestnut fruits will begin to develop (right). Around late September-early October, these pods will have gotten to be about the size of a tennis ball. Inside each of them contains 2-3 big fat chestnuts. When the nuts fully ripen, the pods will crack and fall to the ground. If we beat the squirrels to them, it's delicious chestnut and chicken for dinner! Doggie's hair has detered the stupid squirrels from coming near the bottom of the tree. But, these pesty rodents are smart enough to jump from other trees nearby. If I had my wish, I'd wish for squirrels who are afraid of heights and who hate chestnuts! Can you tell that squirrels and I are not on friendly terms?

Hip replacement

Last Friday, I took a day off and went for a hike through a park. It was just lovely! I was so sore afterwards, felt like I needed a hip replacement. It was nice and relaxing nonetheless, and I love that woodsy smell. These pictures are not of the park I went to last Friday. These were pictures taken almost 2 years ago in Colorado, notice the aspen trees with the white trunks. There are no such aspen trees like these in Pennsylvania, nor huge tall mountains like the Rockies of Colorado.

DONE!

I have graded all my exams and lab reports and submitted all my grades for the semester. I am D-O-N-E!!! I am suprised to be this happy. It has been a long, hard academic year. I am glad it is finished and have already learned SO much, perhaps even more than my students, even more than what they have all learned combined! I look forward to making improvements and build up on the little bit of foundation I had laid.

Summer vacation... yes and no

I have no classes to teach this summer. I can't stay home all summer either. However, I call laboratory research work my play time, which is what this summer will be for me. So, it really will be summer vacation for me!

I am looking forward to taking a couple of days off here and there and spend at least one of them on a personal retreat. It'll just be me and Jesus!

Exhausted!

This is about how I feel this week! It is the last week of the semester. Next week is final exams. I feel like I've been caught in a whirl-wind. It wasn't this bad last semester, nearing Christmas break. To add insult to injury, I now have to deal with an incident of academic dishonesty.

Sigh...

Almost there!

On a much happier note, our manuscript is in the final stages of publication... editor's proofs, etc. This encompasses FIVE years of work!

Innocence

Have you ever wondered if animals are capable to lying? Are they capable of being devious and manipulative just for the sake of pride and selfishness? Right before bed time, I let Doggie out to pee. She always runs right back home because she knows she will be given a doggie treat. I know she checks back to see if I see her. She would squat and empty her little bladder. But, I wonder if she is devious enough to "pretend squat", making me think that she has done what is expected of her so she can get her treat.

Flashback...

Every now and then, my mind draws me back to a place, a time where I had been. For a flash of a few seconds, I'm back in Taiwan, an island on which I was born or on the Rockie Mountains of Colorado or the red beaches of Prince Edward Island or the bike trails of Cape Cod... They are all pleasant memories, times of pure contentment. I'm looking forward to collecting more of them!

Easter!

This weekend is the celebration of Jesus Christ and the power of the Cross. It has always been my favorite time of the year, even more so than Christmas. It reminds me of what Christ had done for me, redeeming me from my sins, myself. He has set me free! I am reminded this particular year of something He said to the Roman guards on the night He was arrested.

"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." (John 18:8)

The same way that God told the Pharaoh to, "Let My people go," He has said the same thing to my captives, the sins that have bound me.

"Let her go, she's Mine." I can imagine Jesus say.