Spencer on Ages…

“How old is grandma?” she asked. “How old do you think I am?”

“78,” replied Spencer.

“78,” echoed Gracie.

“Lower,” coached grandma, “lower.”

“60,” Spencer guessed, and then up by one year until he reached 65 and grandma stopped him. “Now, grandpa is one year older, so how old is he?”

“66,” Spencer answered correctly.

“And how old is daddy,” grandma queried.

“Daddy is 40 years old,” Spencer announced proudly.

“And how old is mommy?” grandma asked next.

“Mommy is this many years old but she tells people she is younger!!” Spencer said, matter of factually.

So there you have it.

Taiwan Diaries - VIII

Our weeks fly by so I keep telling myself we will be home for a visit in less than 4 months!  Of course, I know that will go to fast.  We are doing well.  Our teaching keeps both of us busy.  Since our school is not a buxiban – (pronounced ‘boo-she-ban’ - a night ‘cram’ school) where kids just fly in and out to pick up English, we are required to do a whole lot more.  Now the sad part of the story is we all get paid the same!  I’m at school most mornings a little after 8AM and make myself leave by 6PM.  Many nights I have some work to finish up at home, like Speak to Me.  The Tigers have a piece to speak each week on a tape so I usually bring it home to listen which takes me about one hour.  I’ve made a few new bulletin boards and then with lesson plans and having to ready every word of the Harcourt books cause I’m not quite experienced to know what I’m doing it just all takes a lot of time.  I do know I have to put it all in my brain cause if I don’t and leave out something it always comes back to bite me.  I do know that is called experience or wisdom or something.  Both of the boys called this week, which is nice.  I enjoy chatting with them.  Emma and Cole have to call about once a week for a Grammy and Grandpa fix.  I love to listen to Spencer chatter away in the background also.  He is now an official walker.  I’m always amazed how I see both Chris and Julie in him.  I think he is a bigger baby than Chris was, but seems to have the real Jones laid-back personality. 

We traveled to Taipei last weekend as we had a holiday.  We were tourists, stayed at a nice hotel and used Taxis, MRT and tour buses to get us about. 

We went to the mountains and visited an aborigine village and a hokey show.  It was good. 

Saturday we toured the National Palace Museum.  It houses the 700,000 items that were once in the Forbidden City.  They can only display 15,000 items at any one time so you can return every three months and see different artifacts.  It was awesome.  One room was a comparison of Chinese and Western culture back before 3,000 BC, an amazing civilization.  I’m swimming twice a week at a local pool usually with one or two other teachers.  I drive the scooter and turn corners quite well, if I do say so myself.  I almost did a wheelie the other night, which I didn’t want to bring up in front of Bruce.  Now since Bruce usually drives with me on the back he is really getting good and can drive in downtown traffic on a Friday night.  Last Thursday we did KTV to say goodbye to two teachers.  The Taiwanese love KTV.  It is like they go into another persona.  Friday morning we drove to the bus station with our little suitcase between Bruce’s legs and I with the backpack on my back.  We parked the scooter next to the bus station and loaded for the 4-hour trip to Taipei.  You’d love the buses.  They are the same size as the Greyhounds and only hold 22 people.  One sits in these giant leather lazyboy type chairs.  Bruce and I couldn’t even sit together.  Then there are pinch pleat drapes with ruffles swagged in all the windows and each person has a TV.  You can watch a Taiwanese movie, a cartoon, a violent American movie (they don’t have to translate much) or nearly naked Asian girls dancing in the mountains or in a waterfall.  There is a stewardess that brings you water, almond cookies, a blanket and makes sure you know how to use all the equipment.  This plus most everything is either turquoise or lime green.  The country just makes you smile sometimes.  B & I scootered to day market the weekend before Taipei and I found a bedcover and shams for the Japanese room at such a deal prices ($500NT).  I new it had some writing on it but all I saw was dream.  Well, when we got it home it says, “I Used to Dream.”    Now I was planning on leaving it behind but how can you?  It is so Taiwanese!  Most every T-shirt and package has some such misuse of the Queen’s English and just makes you smile.  Thanks again for the pictures.  I want to smell my grandchildren and feel their skin.  Take good care of yourself and Sandy, your birthday would be just about the perfect time to visit Taiwan.  It is now going into the hot season and I’m not sure how I will stand it.  I’m considering no bras and muumuus.  One lives inside their dwelling as it is to hot and rainy to go out during the wet.  Love JBJ 

Life Coach…

The morning newspaper brought this information. A lady that just moved to this area recently is a personal ‘life coach.’ I don’t know exactly what that means but I assume it is someone who urges you on to greatness - doing push-ups or work of some kind. It would be more than high school football and probably less than 8 gold medals at the Olympics.

I am back at the company that I did temp work for last winter. There are four of us this time, collating material and putting said material into an envelope for mailing. I explained to each of the much younger men that I could be their ‘personal life coach’ as obviously they needed one or they would not be ’stuffing’ envelopes to make money.

They politely laughed. One of the men is leaving us today, as he starts back to college tomorrow. He is taking education classes so he can start teaching this coming January. His passion is government and he has demonstrated his knowledge of the history of the U. S. government more than once in our short work stint together. One of the other men is embarking on a career law enforcement and has a couple down weeks to fill, so he is working temp and the other young man is fancy free, dabbling in music (as is half of Nashville) and computer graphics. I have him interested in going to Taiwan to teach English! His father was in Iraq at the same time as Craig. He helped build the ’service’ club where Craig was stationed.

So, except for the one, no life coach needed. But the career possibility still intrigues me.

Miscellany…

On the deck - boat party - just before being closed down - too many people on the dock!!! (and there were!)

 At the Preston’s - Jay, Adam, Martha, Bruce, Gillian, Janice, Becky, Mark, Lindsay.

Bruce and Gillian - When, in Southern California for a vacation, Gillian and family went with us to a Welsh Presbyterian Church, downtown Los Angeles. When they came to Gillian’s name, the church members had no problem with the spelling or the pronunciation. Gillian was impressed. It is used more England than America, a medival form of Julian, possible meaning youth. So the Welsh people knew it.

Janice, Becky, Nancy, Gillian, Janice, Mary.

Breakfast on ‘bon voyage’ day - Lindsay, Allison, Adam, Ashley, Bruce and Becky. The restaurant people are ‘retiring’ this fall so don’t know if the name will carry on or not. Good place!!

(Photos from Becky)

Taiwan Diaries - VII

While in Chiayi, Taiwan, teaching school at Noble American Children’s School, we were privileged to be invited to the wedding of our Chinese mentor at the school, Chloe. There was no marriage ceremony as we know it in the states but there was a wedding dinner which we all attended. Our gift was money to help cover the cost of the dinner (the cost was determined and then the numbers of guests shared equally).

   Chloe, Janice, Bruce

The bride had three dresses which she wore the night of the dinner. Wedding pictures are taken before the wedding, usually at a park or cityscape scene. We saw many such picture sessions while we were in Taiwan.

The pictures were a feature of the dinner and we received small business size picture cards. They were very well done. The dinner features many different dishes and courses. Black chicken is a favorite of brides and considered very good for them.

 Seafood was, of course, a main dish of the island and we had many delicious dinners during our two years.

 It was a wonderful evening. They had speeches from the family members and the bride and groom. all of which we understood nothing. But they certainly did celebrate. We felt very honored to be included.

Seen at the scene…

  

Jaqui, Bruce, Janice, Martin, Louise, Mary.

Gracie’s Story…

Yesterday, when Spencer told his story,  he related it as it happened, as he created it and he did it without help.

Gracie, on the other hand, will use a cast of characters and whoever may be present at the time, usually Ellie!

Then, of course, if she has to change something, she just changes it.

And, if she needs another character for her story, she recruits from the audience.

So the cameraman became part of the show!!

Spencer’s Day and Story…

Sunday was Spencer’s day to spend with Grandma. Julie took the girls for an outing because Spencer wanted to be with his grandmother and make some cookies.

He played for awhile here and then found a recipe on the computer for cookies. It was what he wanted to make. So Janice tried and adapted the recipe and proceeded to help Spencer make the cookies.

Ready for the oven.

They pass the taste test with Spencer and grandpa as judges. Well done!!

Now Spencer loves to create stories. They get quite involved.

 

And so it goes. We do notice that boys and girls play differently and with different toys, without any help for parents or grandparents, as far as we are concerned.

Pick Your Assistant Carefully!!

Janice wanted to replace this lighting fixture in the kitchen eating area.

So yesterday was the day to accomplish this task. I set to work. Janice recorded the event.

The old light came down easily enough.  But then I decided I needed an assistant to hold the light steady as I wired it up to the ceiling. Son Chris was my first choice. He is a good electrician and a capable helper but he was unavailable so Janice had to do.

I got everything ready. All she had to do was hold the light steady on top of the box which was on the chair and I would wire and attach. She did great!

We have light. So what could possible been wrong with having Janice as a helper??

Well, while she was up on the table holding the light, she happened to glance over at the fan which is attached to the ceiling of the living room. What do you think she saw there?? Yes, dust!!

So I move the ladder and dust all the blades and the fixture.

Then, of course, it’s necessary to vacuum the rug and area under the fixture, including the furniture!!

So, Chris, would have been a better choice. If he had seen the dust, which is doubtful, he would never say, “Hey, Dad, look at the fan. It needs dusting!”

Janice, on the other hand, who we have already noted is very observant, spotted this immediately and thus another stressful task in my mostly stress free life.

Luckily for me, the temp agency called and has a two week job for me.

Taiwan Diaries - VI

In the classroom.

 

Happy Sunday Noon to My Family,

 

Dad and I were out carousing until 1AM last night so we got a late start on the day.  We have a large pot of beef stew simmering in our slow cooker, have finished three loads of wash and are now ready to begin on organizing our school work for the week.  Louise, a 52-year-old teacher from Ontario is coming up this afternoon to use the computer.  She has 8 children, is a divorcee and will finish her contract in September so she is ready to find her next position.  She teaches in elementary with Dad.  Two of her children have been teaching in Chiayi.  The son will go to Mainland China soon and the daughter will stay.  She will have stew with us also.  She doesn’t eat any fish.  It is a challenge to eat in Taiwan if you do not eat seafood!

 

Had a nice telephone visit with Don and Jan last night.  They will probably travel through Taipei on their way to the states in June.  We will travel to Taipei and spend the weekend with them.  They can save almost $1,000 by coming this way and taking Northwest.  We are still working on our arrangements.  We will probably land in LA and then fly to Denver.  We would save $800 by doing that.  Must get on the computer and keep checking airfares. 

 

After housework, we scootered to Blair’s for a massage yesterday afternoon.  I attempted another foot massage and found it not to be quite as painful as the first.  I think I was put on the foot map with the first massage but it was like childbirth.  I had to put a little space between the next one!  I have not had any trouble with my Achilles tendon since the first massage.  Amazing! Dad wouldn’t let him near his feet again so had a back massage.  I had asked for a full body but I think he is afraid of Dad’s big body.  It felt wonderful and after that we found the Bake shop which had been eluding us for quite some time.  I purchased raisins, Betty Crocker one step pancake mix, (which we had this morning, they tasted wonderful), strawberry jam, pepper, gelatin, and corn soup.  The Taiwanese are big into corn soup and I love it.  I will make it for the rest of my life.  One cooks a little pork with the bone in for the base, and then you add onion and cilantro.  I will probably put in a little celery or celery leaf also.  Take ears of corn and cut into 3 inch pieces and cook.  It is a

 wonderful light soup and I love it!

 

Dad in front of the school - he is in the advertising picture! (click to enlarge)

 

We hurried home to make it in time for the musical garbage truck.  Wednesdays and Saturdays a recycling truck follows the musical garbage truck.  We had a bag full of stuff to recycle. 

 

Then we ventured downtown again to see two movies at the $80NT theatre.  I always smile as the theatre is on the third floor of a very old building and you have to climb 6 flights of stairs to get to it.  Not exactly disabled friendly!  People can bring their own food into the theatre so it always takes me awhile for my nose to adjust to the smell.  Last night we saw the Eddie Murphy, I Spy, which made us laugh a lot, then Enigma, which was about the WWII code breakers.  We very much enjoyed the story.  I think it is an English movie.  Good flick if you ever get a chance to see it or rent it.  Afterwards, we scootered all over trying to find the Calgary, a local expat hangout- finally did.  It was cold (67) and sprinkly.  That’s about as cold as it get.  Dad had a forgettable double burger and I had a large hunk of Calzone, which I brought half home and can now have it for dinner some night.  The Calgary had about half Caucasians and Chinese.  The young teachers claim it is where the white geek engineers hang to pick up Asian women.  Then they laugh and say they deserve them once they get into a relationship with one as they are usually very demanding and hard to live with, according to the young teachers!  There was not a band playing, the jukebox was loud and the smoke intense.  We were not impressed but spoke to a few of the young people we know from church or teaching.  Probably won’t be on our favorite places to visit.   We were amazed it was 1AM when we arrived home.

 

I took my first Chinese lesson on Tuesday and will continue for a month to begin with.  A lovely middle age lady who teaches Chinese literature in the high school has a nice place downtown where she holds her classes.  My class has two South Africans, Jacqui, from Scotland and myself.  One of the SA wants to learn the Chinese characters and speak fluently.  She may be in for a longer haul than I am.  The Chinese language has over 100,000 characters.  I asked Olivia, our teacher, how many characters one need to know to get through college and she said probably 6,000.  We are learning the ba-pa-ma-fa method.  We first learn a phonetic language of 37 characters which when written beside a Chinese character tells you how to pronounce it.  I thoroughly enjoyed my class and feel it helped me understand how the children pattern their English responses. 

 

We observe the progress of the motel being built off our top balcony.  Yesterday there must have been 50 people that looked like ants tying steel rebar on the roof.  The women steel workers are interesting to watch.  I am amazed at how much human labor goes into the process of a steel and motor building.  Every steel piece of rebar is hand tied.  Every cement form is hammered into place without any hydraulic hammers or equipment.  It is very interesting. 

 

I have little gardens going on two balconies now.  The upstairs one only has aloe vera plants which are quite uninteresting.  The balconies were full of crap when we arrived so in clearing them off we rescued a couple of plants.  The doorman in our building told me I could use a few of the left over plants from the main courtyard.  Then I scrubbed, replanted, dumped, made B go with me to a construction site to acquire some soil and purchased a few other plants and now we have a little zen garden off our living room balcony which I am quite pleased.  I have coral impatiens, large Schfelara, a beautiful coleus plus another green thing I now want to plant impatiens around the bottom of.  Fortunately, Dad is a patient man!  I like looking at the green and am in hopes they will survive the heat of the summer. 

 

No plant is every dumped as far as I can tell in Taiwan.  It is a major container plant island.  Every house, driveway, walkway has container plants on it.  Container plants are also used to mark off your space in front of your house if you have a little space in front.  Most apartment buildings have what are considered houses or town houses on at least three sides of the ground floor of the building.  Then you walk into the middle of the buildings and there are courtyards to elevator you to the upper floor apartments.  Our building has two elevators and five floors of apartments over the town houses on the bottom floor.  It is fairly ingenious and many people learn to live in a small space.  Taiwan has like 670 people per sq kilometer. 

 

Best I get on with life.  I love the pictures of Spencer.  I am always amazed at how much he has changed.  His eyes and eyebrows are like looking at Chris as a baby. 

 

We do not get much war news except what we gleam from the Internet which is fine.  I have very mixed feelings about what we are doing but pray that it will all be over quickly.  I can’t help thinking if we could only take $1B a day and spend it on education and civic projects how that would benefit our grandchildren instead of burdening them with paying off a war debt.  Oh well, such is the world. 

 

I am still considering attempting to go off the grid in my lifestyle when we return to live.  The Foof and I have looked at the tire houses and I think we could actually pull that one off somewhere.  We are scooter ready to do our errands now.  It costs us $21 a year for insurance and about $4.00 a month for gas.  One can purchase a Vespa here for around $1,000 so why do they cost $5,000 in America. 

 

Miss you all to the moon and back.  Keep the e-mails coming.  They keep me balanced.  Love, Mom

First Day of School!

Gracie and Ellie enter the door to Grandma’s pre-school, ready to learn, play and sing. While there are some other pre-schools in the area, we couldn’t think of a better one than here on Cavalcade! And the girls loved it and wondered why they couldn’t come everyday of the week.

Gracie gets her materials from her backpack and is ready to start.

Elle is bright eyed and in the mood for singing and learning. Gracie is always ready to dance. Who knows what is to come.

All eyes on the teacher as she gives the lesson. There is a lot of music available for young children. The girls already know several songs and have good voices.

 After music, the lesson centered on the letter S - sounds and words. The word snake was the featured word so we have snakes.