Facebook is my excuse

I was just thinking how this year in Kaohsiung compared to last year.

I have taught 4 days compared to 8 weeks. I haven't actually missed the schedule or the beetle nut stands!

We haven't had the some of the angst of 2009 but there are still concerns with the various dimensions of our Canadian lives.

We have stayed on island instead of 2 major trips which I think Colleen REALLY misses. We don't have FULL University salary this year like last so we aren't spending money quite as cavalierly. We certainly can more easily count our Taiwan expenses this year

Colleen had done a lot of reading, maybe similar to last year but I've been around to observe while I've played computer games or did small tasks here at Melissa's place.

I have become a bit restless with the amount of leisure time I have so hopefully I can translate that into time doing contracting work once we get back to Saskatoon. Maybe Jay and I will do some together, we'll see.

Curiously I think we have had as many friends or friends parent pass away this year as last........I guess it comes with the age................

OH NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GETTING A TAIWANESE WEDDING BOOK so we will need to assemble a few historical photos to go with the GLAMOUR shots they do here. Sorry I am NOT funding your travel to our celebration tea!

Well that does it for today. Love to all. Enjoy your Spring weather in North America. Enjoy your time with loved ones wherever you are.

10 days since the last blog post

we lived more life!

Jay's 33 on Tuesday! Wow!

We went to an outdoor Symphony presentation of the BBC Blue Planet. The Fine Arts Museum has a hillside that provides near perfect seating for such an event. And it only rained enough to cause them to pass out free raincoats (flimsy but effective), not to get soaked.......

A friend Ken Elder passed away...one more farewell gathering missed while in Taiwan.

We drove, well Melissa did, we rode, to Taichung to support a fundraiser and visit some friends that teach at Morrison Academy who Melissa went to Russia with in 1994. Yep THAT long ago!

About 2/3 of the way there Melissa's car overheated. We stopped at a rest stop. Store, gas station and restrooms. (90 urinals)! Once we added 2 liters of water and the engine cooled some off we went. WELL about 20 minutes later we pulled over and (short version) rode in the car on the back of a flat bed tow truck into the next city to get a new thermostat and radiator. Sunday morning no less! AND back on the road in 2 hours!

We had dinner at Ponderosa, there are 2 in Taichung, with the Robarts then went back to their apartment for a short visit before driving home. It sure was nice to NOT have the extra servicing stops! This time the rest stop only had about 60 urinals..........

It was like driving to Regina and back for the day. WE'D NEVER DO THAT! Well ALMOST, never!! Dogs and Monday morning hair appointments pressed the return decision.

This afternoon I was out walking and noticed one clinic 'UROLOGY AND DERMATOLOGY' A curious combination in my limited experience! My mind wondered........I'll let you do yours and keep mine to myself, thank you very much.........

Well that's about it!

Another Day more adventure

We went to the harbour to watch the Lantern Festival fireworks again! We were on the opposite side ot the river from last week and much closer so the video is different than my Facebook video. WE could feel the impact of the exploding!!!! and the kaboom was much more immediate.

On the way home I remarked how the variety of noises and odours make it pretty easy to FART walking along the sidewalk. Colleen said " I know" hmmmmm. enjoy the laugh!

Tomorrow we are going to the Fine Arts Musem to see the Pixar exhibit........confirming the bus connections for going to an outdoor concert of Blue Planet on Tuesday evening.

Wiggly Jiggly Waking

Hey the bed's shaking, REALLY SHAIKING Earthquake, get outta bed, near the wall, door frame. MELISSA are you up? Yeah, that's the biggest one I've had while here!!! Wow this is long............///////////:;;;""""""""""""!!!~~~~~~~~.

No real damage here, although the dog's water slopped out of the bowl! Heart rates are settling. Most on Facebook already know, but 6.4 about 40 km from here. The biggest in Kaohsiung County on 100 years! LUCKY US!!!!

More later Melissa back from teaching off to Carrefour.

Why am I writing at 4 AM?

mind wandering, mind processing, feet twitching, hey where'd that mosquito come from! thinking of family, contrasting this year and last year. WHY UNTIL 4 AM

Two days ago Melissa and I attended the memorial service for one of the high school kids here who lost his battle with cancer. But he has his eternal home! Prayer for his healing appears to be unanswered to the human mind. Ian's mother died when he was 4, his father when he was 7 was , four years in an orphanage and 11 years with his new family. During the recessional the adoptive father brought Ian's house mother over to help escort his ashes out. BIG EMOTION, BIG RECOGNITION. God's ways are so far beyond ours that it leaves me in awe. maybe a little puzzled............

Life continues for us at an easy pace. Plenty warm, plenty of food, good friends here and THERE!

Ah, I guess I needed to get my words about Ian down. sleeping........................