A Weekend of Expansive Baby-Sitting

Not sure how I ended up baby-sitting a high-schooler for the weekend. Jack, my cousin, is visiting me during his school break.

Here is how happy and goofy he looked like when I took him out for dim sum. Guess there is no real Chinese food in where he goes to school. :)

The glamorous baby-sitter. Over the weekend, I found out that I simply could not handle sweet-talks, and have no principle with kids like Jack. Within two days, we have acquired a PS3 station, a shooting gun for the game, a few games, a gym membership, a new basket ball....And, he is trying to talk me into buying a new TV for him to play the newest games. I guess thank God, I finally drew a line above the TV idea.

Now he looked miserable and sad going shopping with me and carrying my shopping bags.

Growing up as a single kid, I have always dreamed about opportunities like this to boss around my little brother. Especially, when I was a kid, his parents used to play with me like a toy. Now, my dream came true today. And it's the pay-back time. Ha, Ha, ... Sooooo cool! In his word, I am bossing him around at home as if I were the queen. Nice!

But, honestly, I do enjoy spending time with this little kid and trying my best to tolerate him practicing his womanlizing skills with me. I am thinking about calling his dad soon with some detailed reports.

Snack at 2:00 in the Morning

Uncle and auntie were treating the "kids" that day and took us out for a day of endless fun, starting from shopping, playing MaJang, spa, dinner at my most favorite restaurant specializing mushrooms...

Mind me adding a side note? I would still very much want to debate with them whether I still belong to the "kid" category. :)

2:00am in the morning, my cousin complained about being hungry again. Then, immediately, we headed over to KFC.

Uncle is our waitor and free-of-charge. :)

Mom and auntie were enjoying the very much Chinseslized American fast food - Chinese fried donuts with soy milk!

I looked so puffed up because I was tireeeed!!! It's 2:00 in the morning. Damn it! This is why I said I no longer belong to the "kid" category. Only those real "kids" are so energetic at those ungodly hour. Look at my cousin!

Dad Always Has the Great Sense of Humor and A Loving Heart

Dad left us on 05/19, and I miss him.

I miss him, especially during the weekend when we usually talk to each other over the phone, especially at night when I realized that Dad is no longer there for mom and me, especially when I dialed the old home number but only realizing that the number could never reach him again.

I miss him, missing the moment when we poking fun with each other, when we competing with each other on who takes better shots, missing touching his arm and feeling the warmth, missing him telling me all those silly stories about my mom over the phone,...

I wish I had hugged him longer at the GuiYang airport on my way back to the US; I wish I did not have a little fight with him; I wish I could see him one more time, just one more time even in my dream; I wish God could let me know he is doing just fine in heaven....

A little fun story about him. I know he will always live in the heart of my mom and me.

Of all the years, mom and I have always been very close, so close that sometimes my dad displayed his obvious jealous. His usual complain is that "why you always ask for you mom over the phone?!" So, his secrete strategy was to quietly pick up another receiver to overhear the "private" conversation between mom and me. The funny thing is that he could hardly keep quiet on the other side. Nine out of ten times, his "undercover identity" was disclosed by his inability to withhold from interrupting the private conversation.

I know Dad loves mom and me deeply, so deeply that I have no doubt that he could give up anything, include his life, for us without a single hred of hesitation. But, I also know that in his heart that he probably always thought my mom and me are a bit too silly. He often was amazed by how much gossip mom and I could ever do over the phone everyday. My dad has a great sense of humor and always thought "outside of the box" when it comes to creative ideas for mom and me. His unexpected comment can cover a huge horizon of anywhere from being funny, goofy, to being suede, deep. So deep, sometimes, I need my mom's help to truly appreciate his goofy thoughts.

This picture was taken when three of us visiting JiuZhaiGou, SiChun together the last month.

Grandpa's 90th Bithday DInner

这次回中国主要是为了我外公90岁的大寿。外公艰辛一辈子，到今天，儿女满堂，身体健康，不容易。

这是我最亲亲的外婆。临走的那晚上，在门口拉着我外婆的手依依惜别。总忍不下心，撇下两位老人，就一个人飞回美国。但心中想到“天下没有不散的宴席”，于是咬咬牙恨恨心，下了几阶楼梯。但看到外公外婆还在门口守望着，又忍不住倒转回去。想再抱抱外公外婆。外婆一句“我的小乖乖”，让我的眼泪止不住的流下来。哎，从小同外公外婆长大，这份感情怎能割舍？

在同外婆相拥摸泪的时候，发现外公一语不发地向屋里走进去了。没有说再见，也没有再抱抱我。我心里清楚。外公这是心里难过，又不愿意表露出来。如果他再老泪纵横，外婆和我又怎能收得住我们的眼泪？我这一回到美国又会怎样地心上心下？外公总是这样处处为别人着想。

(这是外公同他的两个兄弟)

在外公的寿宴上有心人都提议人分享一个关于外公的故事。外婆是外公的妹妹的同学。从小没钱读书但人有聪明好强。 从十几岁起就由外公照顾。现在85岁了，还是如此。 这样的福气和缘分，外婆当然是有一箩筐的故事。

老爸曾告诉我十几年前也是外公的生日。我妈一发言，就惹得全部家人纷纷陪着掉眼泪。一来我家“憨”妈，是做老师的，口才当然有点，情理相间。再加上外公在整个家里是没有一个人不爱待，尊敬他的。如果全家上上下下有一个人从来没有被埋怨过，没有被说过一句 责怪的话，那便是外公了。

我是好说话的，但那晚我没有自告奋勇的同大家分享我同外公的感情。不是我没有故事，不是我忙着为大家留影。我是没有勇气在所有家人的面前掉泪。我知道我要是一讲起心里对外公的爱，对外公的尊敬，我就会掉泪的。省了吧，在那晚，不要惹得大家都感触，破坏了寿宴的氛围。

(看我的活宝舅舅，就是在外公的寿宴上也是忍不住要搞怪。一副同美女在一起就左右逢源的德行。)

Why Don't You Skip Shower Since You Are So Busy?

我家马老者纯粹一搞笑人物。按照他的话说，我那么一点点的幽默感，全是从他那里遗传来的。就怪我妈挫笨，要不然我可能更好玩。话说真的，我家马老者经常冒出经典语言，先让我妈和我丈二和尚摸不着头脑，然后让我们恍然大悟。

这天，我同他俩打电话，说我最近忙得要命，又是工作，又是别的乱七八糟的事情。

我妈说:“是呀，要注意身体，吃多点，睡好点。”

我爸在旁边插嘴(一般我和老妈聊天，外人不予介入。哈哈。。):“就是嘛，你每天还要洗澡。”

我听了简直不知道他在说什么。说真的，这洗澡和我忙怎么能扯上边？

还是我妈最懂我爸的心:“你爸是说，你每天洗完澡，瓶瓶罐罐的搞半天，很浪费时间。”

我爸一看有我妈的撑腰，马上积极发言:“你每天又是搞头发，又是弄你的脸。那么多瓶瓶罐罐的擦到脸上，也不怕它们打架。”

原来如此，我明白了。。。

Touring the Bond ( ShangHai) with Mom and Dad

今年回家，不知道为什么，在机场临别去桂林的时候，抱着我妈哭得一塌糊涂。这下老妈马上受不了了。立刻派我爸买了机票要到上海来配我。我计划在游完桂林，就从上海回旧金山。会在上海停两个晚上。哪怕仅仅是两个晚上，我妈也一定要来配着我她才能放心。这种心态我不能理解。不过这正是老一代常常说的，不养儿不知父母心了。

那就顺便带老爸老妈去外滩，城隍庙转一圈。下面是外滩的夜景。

说点我家三人的家常。老妈嘛，按照我家马老者(我对我爸的昵称)，95%的时候可以用三个词语概括 - 嘻嘻哈哈， 马马虎虎， 糊里糊涂。但是我家老妈偶尔冒出一两句颇具哲理的批语，常常把我惊得一呆一呆的。

今天我同她打电话。我妈:“看你做的那些西点，好看是好看，好不好吃了？”
我(也不脸红):“那当然是好吃了。这叫色香味俱全。”
我妈:“看来你也是勤劳的人啊。“
我(看我妈这么夸奖我，我也来劲了):“就是，就是。昨天烤的蛋糕，今天做个煲仔饭。一会儿回到家，我还想把厨房的柜子清理一下。”
我妈:“我看你， 又要忙工作，又要做好吃的，还要把你的房子打扫干净，辛苦啊。”
难得我妈今天这么理解我， 我感动呀。马上说:"妈，你也很勤劳嘛。”
我妈说:“我的勤劳没有你的复杂。你那种和咖啡的杯子不能用来喝茶的习惯让你有点累。”
还没等我张口向我妈倾诉倾诉, 我妈继续:“不过呢，你这样身体上虽累一点，但心不累呀。身体累点没关系，不劳心就行。“
我无语。天啊，至理名言啊！马上对我妈肃然起敬。

敬仰的心情还没有正式出门，就给我妈接下来稀里糊涂的发言给打道回府了。
我:"妈，我这个勤劳，爱收拾的个性，都是爸的遗传。”话一出口，我就知道讲错了。
我妈马上反驳:" 怎么是你爸的功劳？我才是家里勤劳的那一位。再说了，女儿是我生的，能让你爸沾个光就不错了。“
我赶紧弥补错误，争取把损失降低到最低点:"对， 对。。我爸没有功劳，功劳都是你的。”
我爸对我妈这种把所有功劳画归己有的言行也是见怪不怪了。

According to my dad, at least 95% of the time mom is funny, happy, a great-companion but a little bit clueless. Occasionally, my mom does pull some suede comments out from no where, which often surprises both my dad and me a great deal.
Here is our conversation over the phone today.
Mom:” Hey, all those cakes and western food you made these days look pretty nice. Do they actually taste good?”
Me (always ready to brag):” Of course, they do. They are both tasty and highly presentable.”
Mom (with a sigh):” You are a pretty hard-working girl.”
Me (surprised. wow, how come my mom appreciates me this much today?!):”Yeah, I made cake yesterday. Today, I am going to make some traditional Chinese food for Chris to try. When I get home, I am also going to tidy up the panty.”
Mom:” Hmm…you must feel pretty busy everyday. You need to work, cook and clean the house.”
Me (continue to feel surprised…):” Mom, you are very busy everyday too.”
Mom:” But, I don’t have the wacky habits you do. I don’t think I can deal with your rules of flat sheets, no mix-matching tea-cups and coffee-mugs. Don’t you think your habits may tire you out unnecessarily?”
Me (about to explain to her my thoughts):”….”
Mom:” You know what, if you don’t stick with your wacky stuff, you might feel more tired. It’s OK to feel tied physically, better than feeling tired mentally.”
Me (deal God, my mom can be wise sometimes!)

Tasty ShangHai Food Chinese Local Food ShangHai Local Food Travel ShangHai
Net KnowledgePr5 Free Directory

GuiYang QingShang Waterfall (2)

李姐是我妈多年前的学生。我妈常常说，李姐这个干女儿比我这个亲生姑娘听话孝顺。逢年过节过节带两个老的吃饭，平时还经常包包饺子。哎，让我惭愧呀。

下面是湍急的水流，索桥看似晃晃悠悠。老爸大踏步的冲在前面。
我看老妈好象有点害怕地样子，就冲我老爸叫到:“嘿！马老者(我对我爸的昵称)，你不等等老妈？！”
老爸说:“刚才谁叫她在一边发牢骚对组织上不满意，现在组织上得给她点教训。”
听了这话，老妈不仅不生气，反而觉得我爸幽默好玩，在一边笑不拢嘴。还是贵阳土话说得好“歪锅配歪灶”。的确是对他俩的真实写照。

摆个POSE吧。CHRIS又要说我的脑袋大了。按他的歪理。上帝在造我的时候开一会儿小差，犯了小小的一个错误。把我的头弄大了。这是为什么他叫我椰子头的缘故。

走了好一会，老妈说脚痛，走不动了。她让我妈三人照旧游玩，她坐在凉亭里等我们。老爸二话不说，朝我妈旁边一坐，也不动了。
我说:“爸，老妈老老太婆一个，你还怕她被抢不成？”
老爸面不改色心不跳地说:“我们是婆不离公，公不离婆。你妈不走了，我在这里配她。”
我说；"你刚才不是还要给她一点组织上的教训吗？现在有在这里花言巧语。玩不过你们的花样多。”

李姐于是同我继续向前。李姐说:“你妈你爸真挺好玩的。” 我说:“我是见多了，见怪不怪。

Tastes of GuiYangChinese Doll Travel China GuiYang Local Food

Net Knowledge Pr5 Free Directory

GuiYang QingShang Waterfall (1) - Pasents' Food

李姐带我家三个去贵州青山瀑布游玩。到地方了，先吃点农家饭。 腊肉炒折二根，最地道不过的贵阳土菜，确确实实是我的最爱。还是老爸说得好，土人吃土菜，土到一堆。另一盘是泡椒小鱼。

农家饭嘛，没有什么排场。淳朴归真，可口下饭为原则。辣炒土豆丝和肉末鲜嫩玉米粒。

咱们也背回背兜，当回农民。

然后坐观光车进入景区。还没有到呢，就对美景惊叹不已了。还是老爸镇定自若，叫我和老妈不要大惊小怪。见过世面的人阿，同我和老妈这类就是不可同日而语

咱也同大人物和个影风光风光。
老妈在一旁发牢骚。“还是大人物。大什么大，肚子大。。。”
笑死我们。没看出来，老妈暗地里挺幽默。
老爸连忙拍我妈马屁。“好，好，好，你们三个美女来张合影。”
我心里暗笑:“敢情这三十年的婚姻都是你拍我马屁，我敷衍应承出来的。长学问了。”

Tastes of GuiYangChinese Doll Travel China GuiYang Local Food

Net Knowledge Pr5 Free Directory