鼻手術

側睡時，鼻子總會塞，左側睡就會左邊鼻孔塞，要讓左邊鼻孔不塞就轉右側睡，過一會，左鼻孔不塞，可是右鼻孔却塞了，除非平躺睡，但是我不能總是平躺不翻的睡覺，所以每晚鼻塞的現象，不能舒暢的呼吸真是干擾！

不知什麽能耐，我竟能忍了十幾年。

在檳城工作時，我没有去詢問公司醫保的鼻專科福利情況。

拖到我搬來美國，我也才三年前才去看這裡醫保的鼻專科，每次專科看診付US$30。那鼻耳喉醫生是我的前内科醫生介紹，我解釋我的鼻塞情況，那醫生叫我試用噴鼻藥，或試換洗床单枕套的清潔劑，看是否敏感問題，再來看診。我覺得那醫生的馬虎及不是很友善的態度，却步，没再去看診。

又拖至到两個月前換靠近我家醫院的中國人内科醫生（内科門診US$20），很滿意她及驗血、X光醫務人員的友善態度，檢驗費都是醫保。第二次去找她做婦檢後，我要她介紹鼻專科。

第一次去找這Dr. Kest，我解釋完，他穿鏡檢視我的鼻内情況，就很清楚的講解原因給我們知道可以手術切掉一點鼻内的tissue，但先試噴鼻藥三晚，然後停用，如真還是鼻塞，就約做手術。

就這樣安排了做手術，不須付一分錢，手術費是醫保。做好手術我還麻醉沒醒，醫生與Steve説，我的鼻可讓卡車通行了（can drive a truck through now）。

真的很滿意醫生認真以及這家醫院的醫務人員非常友善的態度。還給謝卡，很感恩。

十幾年，終於睡覺呼吸通暢了，真好。

No longer network service for 2G

不怕你笑話，  我的手機是'老爺'的。

我2007來美國前，Steve單身一人，他沒社交，没有手機。基本上，買這手機是給我出去時可以用。而且是預付 $25 限期90天，每90天加額時都有剩遺額加上，所以用不完。

 我的朋友和同學說用Whatapps 和Wechat。不了，我沒有smart手機。：)

Seemed everyone already has a smart phone, but I still use this old type 2G cell phone. 

Steve didn't care about a cell phone when he was single, before I moved here in 2007. Basically, this cell is for me when I was out alone or with a friend. It's prepaid $25 for 90 days and we always have balance added in when we refilled. 

My friends told me we can chat in whatsapp and wechat. Sorry I don't use a smart phone. 

最近被通知該網絡已升級，2G 設備服務將於 2016 年尾終止，須盡速更換 3G 或 4G LTE 設備以免影嚮服務。

Recently, we were informed: Due to planned network upgrades your device will no longer work on the AT&T network after December 2016. To avoid service disruption, upgrade to a 3G or 4G LTE device as soon as possible.    

噢噢，看來非得換不可了。

Oh o, we need to say goodbye to it soon.

Can anyone out there recommend a plan network?  

莓得吃

那天在屋内望向後窗，一隻松鼠在紅莓（覆盆子）籠内，我的自然反應就是冲出去嚇走牠！

因為來得太突然，牠急冲不出黑色的鳥網，團團轉两、三圈，冷靜三、五秒，很快就攢出，逃得很快。

另一棵的紅莓已被吃光了。

看了，心是很不爽。

長出新葉的藍莓，也不見葉子。

還亡羊補牢。

Steve 再加蓋上雞網。

機關重重的，我想要摘莓，都要費勁！

第一年我看到松鼠，覺得牠們很 cute。Steve 說，I told you，they are evil！

我只說一次 cute，但他每次看到松鼠都說，they are evil。

松鼠却是牙尖嘴利的，细鐵網都破洞！

種菜、瓜、果...花幾十元買鐵網圍着、鳥網蓋上。

紅、藍、黑莓都種，但我最終才吃不到幾粒，甚至'莓'得吃。

各種瓜菜也没收成。

喂，松鼠呀，你真讓我很灰心於耕種。

倒不如我花錢去店買吧！

前年種才去年開始結果的黑莓，我當時看到它們變紅但還沒黑熟，就全部清光。我連一粒都没嚐到。

種了幾年的葡萄，去年蓋上鳥網的葡萄，也被吃光光，一粒没剩。

今年又結滿果了，應該只能看爽而已。

松鼠的家族越來越多，牠們沒錢去買食物又不要去公園找吃，就來我家園佔便宜，噢不，是佔免費！

2016 Life Outside festival

We were watching TV news Friday afternoon, and they had a segment about the "Life Outside" festival in nearby Creve Coeur Park. This was the first time we heard about it, so we went to see what they had.  To encourage people to become more active outdoors and inform people about outdoor activities in the region, all the activities at this event were free!

 

Rock climbing, I never tried it before, but sure I want to experience it.

I took the easy level, but didn't think it was that easy.  My hand grip strength and leg support were not enough to make it to the top to ring the bell. I just made it half way. 

Kayaking, I have experienced several times, and we didn't want to stand in the long line without shade.  The temperature was almost 100F.  They also had canoeing and standing paddle boards for people to try.

The Astronomical Society had an eclipse simulation & telescope demos.  They told us part of St Louis will see the full solar eclipse on Aug 21, 2017.  They also told us many of the libraries in St. Louis have telescopes that can be checked out, free of charge, for a week at a time.

We walked by the yoga demos, mountain bike demos, conservation displays, etc.

When we came back to the rock climbing, there were no people in line. So I asked them if I could try the medium level.

I couldn't even climb half way, but it was a good try.

That next attraction was tree climbing. We lined up to wear the saddle, helmet and gloves.

The instructor told us how to climb, it sounds difficult. 

Steve tried it, he didn't get more than about 3 feet high, and gave up.

It really takes a lot of hand strength, and I thought I also couldn't make it.

I asked my instructor, how to get down then. She said they will instruct later. 

However, I wouldn't give up at it, and kept trying.

After I know the skill, it's not as difficult as I thought. 

In fact, it is rope climbing. 

Moving up with a support loop on the foot and pulling up on the rope to stand up, movement is only about 1 foot each time to climb up. 

 

I was up there and looked at Steve down below with the camera.  I pointed him to other places. He got some photos at good angles.

I enjoyed taking it slowly, having a break several times, hanging up there, chatting with my neighbor - a young lady.

 

I made it up about 60 feet, near the branch on which the rope hanging. The instructor said that was as far as I should go, and instructed me to come down. 

 

Back safely on the ground!  Total time, from being hooked onto the rope to feet back on the ground - 1 hour 20 minutes. 

That was good experience and very fun.

We hope they do this event every year.

Carrots of many colors

我們每星期都會到這店 TRADER JOE'S，有賣有機蔬菜菓，價錢不貴。

我喜歡吃蘿蔔糕，一般都是用白蘿蔔，這次突發其想，用這多色的有機蘿蔔來做做看。

紫色的蘿蔔内層是黄的，很特别。

要剁细薑、蒜，要刨絲蘿蔔，最快的是用機器。

真的很快。

蒸好的蘿蔔糕，淺紫色，味道很好！

第二天，就吃煎炒的蘿蔔糕。

先爆香蒜。

然後煎一煎切塊的糕，放辣椒醬，加自己園種的韮菜，又加蛋。

好香！

那天看到店裡有賣青、紫、橙、白的菜花，我買了紫色的。

煮菜花水餃湯，湯色變紫。看起來就覺得很健康，超喜歡。

A tool 吊籃

我看到 Soo 的貼照上臉書，想起我在檳城時也有拍這張照片。找到了，這是2013年6月時拍的壁畫，竹籃是真的。

（跟現在 Soo 的貼照似乎已有稍改一點）

看到這圖象，我小時的景象就會浮現出來... 

我從0至7或8歲的家是租在樓上，我們就是有這樣有趣的生活情景，不想下樓買東西時，就通過吊繩籃子做交易。常見的是三輪車的小販，麵包、麵食、糕、小食等，大多都是流通式的經過各街小巷，有些用叮鈴、喇叭、敲板、叫賣，各有特音。聽到他們來了，想買就喊住他停，我們將錢放在籃子，吊繩放下去 turun，東西就會放進籃子，然後我們就拉繩上來 angkat！真的很有趣的，我最喜歡玩..放..拉..turun..angkat.. 那時很小，但印象深刻。

過後搬租一整間家，已沒玩這玩意了。

這個年代在檳城連看到這情景也沒了！

是人進化還是社會進化了？

The first picture was taken in June 2013 in Penang. It is a street wall painting, but the basket is real. The second picture was taken by a friend recently, it seems the painting has changed a little bit. 

When I saw this painting, the scenes of my childhood period flashed up..

We stayed in the upper floor of a rented house from before I was born until I was 7 or 8 year old. We had this fun tool - a basket with rope to buy things. Normally, those hawkers went around in their trishaws, going around the streets, selling breads, noodles, cakes, snacks, etc. Each had their own specific sound like a ringing a bell, honking a horn, wood, or voice to signal they were coming. When we heard them and wanted to buy something, we would just yell for them to stop. We put money in the basket, lowering the basket down with a rope. The hawker would put the things in the basket, and we would pull it up. That was really interesting, I liked to play with the tool.. down... up... I was young but the image still impressed.

I couldn't play with it anymore after we rented a whole house. 

Nowadays, I don't think Penang has this scene anymore.

Is this the evolution of the individual's mindset or the evolution of society?

  

Vesak Day 2016

Vesak Day - Commemorating the Birth, Enlightenment and Death of the Buddha.

Every year, temples in St. Louis have Vesak celebrations for their congregations, but there is also a large gathering, sponsored by the Greater St. Louis Buddhist Council, that brings devotees from all Buddhist traditions together to celebrate.

Only two of the local temples are large enough to accommodate the crowd, so each year the location alternates between them.  This year, it was held at Fo Guang Shan's St. Louis Buddhist Center, and included monastics from Thai, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese temples.

The morning started with "Bathing the Buddha", a Vesak ritual meant to purify the mind.

The first talk was given by Don "shu-shu", one of the teachers at the Mid-America Buddhist Association (Chan tradition), about the Chan story "Finger Pointing at the Moon."

After the first talk was a 15 mins break, so people could walk around & chat.

The second speaker, Ven. Daigaku Rumme, is a priest from the new Confluence Zen Community (Soto Zen tradition) in St. Louis, and gave a talk about the Three Dharma Seals.  He joked that, in previous years, they would have 3 or 4 Dharma talks by different teachers; one or two before lunch, and one or two after lunch.  But 2/3 of the people would leave after lunch.  This year, they only had two talks in the morning, so people could listen to the talks BEFORE they had lunch!

After the Dharma talks and dedicating the merit, FOOD! A vegetarian buffet.

Steve's sister was in town, and decided to join us when "vegetarian lunch" was mentioned.  :-)