Merry Christmas! xīnnián kuàilè

"By popular demand" we are back with our blog. Well, I should qualify that I am using that term very loosely. In fact, most people gave up on asking months ago - but Ange - you're persistent, so you can credit yourself with having changed a part of the world.

Today we will be travelling back to Aus for Christmas. Our darling, Emma returned to Taiwan a week ago after 5 months in San Diego. Soo good to have you back, Em.

Taiwan is not exactly Christmas crazy! Our landlord saw the tree and Christmas lights and decorations and wondered what they were for. He celebrated Christmas once, in Australia, so thought it was celebrated in summer! Well, there is Christmas music playing in stores and some decorations up ... but compared to Chinese New year, it pales into insignificance.

OK, Ange ... it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil ... so here's a pic of Ange and Em at a special Christmas meal we had together.

I'll end this post with a few Christmas thoughts --- Happy Christmas all!!

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
—Oren Arnold

Peace on Earth will come to stay,
When we live Christmas every day.
—Helen Steiner Rice

Chicco hires Billy the Kid

On the day before Teri and Jolie and Jimmy went back to Sydney, Jim was told his talents were required. Under his "norman de plume" or was it his "alias" since he hasn't been discovered as a writer yet, Billy braved the elements. He made his way downtown - hanging on triumphantly on the rough ride on the Cobb and Co coach - for the big shoot out. He would have been on the Runway - but not being able to walk yet they thought they had him pegged as sitter. "Don't come crawling to me" they taunted - but our Billy was not deterred - he was off like a shot. While Jolie busied herself at the makeup table, wild Bill took on the other contenders and made a great fist of it.
They all agreed he was a legend.

Taiwan mountain experience

It's summer here and we stayed at this homestay type place. We slept in a tatami room - mats on the floor. The place had been built by an older couple (older than us - but still young - ha!). The food was really something. The lady of the house did all the cooking. She made lunch and dinner for us and each meal which was for 9 of us had 8 or 9 different dishes. They had a trout farm and a chicken run - so each morning you'd see the maid go down and bring back a couple of chickens and just before lunch the man of the house would scoop up a couple of trout. Of course mum and I avoided the chicken but that's how fresh the food was. The tofu was also picked off the tree just before meal prep. OK, I am going a bit too far - but really you would have loved the food, this woman was amazing - and she had such a glory in what she did. She took such good care of us. On the last night, she'd had enough of cooking so the photo is of us having dinner at a restaurant - she took her family and us there and paid for the meal. Pretty good - but not nearly as good as hers.

A Peach of a Day

Mum and I had the opportunity to go out of town for a few days (not that we actually live in town anyway) but this was up in the mountains of North West Taiwan. Here I am up at a peach orchard where the owners had built a deck and served drinks and plates of peaches. I have never tasted such peaches - they were heavenly!! As sweet and juicy as you could want. They served iced green tea with pieces of fruit and that was refreshing too. Sam and I commented that it was the sort of drink you'd probably never find in Australia and made us thankful that we have the opportunity to experience so many different things.

A happy "Welcome to the woeful California"

A few excellent shots of mum visiting San Diego and catching up with Dave in his environment - complete with Activated cravat and shirt. Bruce and Honey are living with Ang now so that was an extra treat to see our old friends too.
Too bad about California guys - you can check out anytime you like - but you can never leave!! So sorry.

A Bevy of Beauties "Wishing" a Beautiful Bevy

A flash back to birthday celebrations for mum.
We had a great meal out - more of a western style meal - and how good was it that Leigh, Em, Krix and Rika could be there to add their flavours of humour and blend of fun conversation?
"It's great to be blessed with a family that loves you, who'll stick with you through and through,
just thank our great Maker who gave you these blessings and gave you the strength to give all there is of you." We sure love you!!

On the nose!

This might seem like an innocent unobtrusive nose but there's a hole lot gone into "that little jewel there". This sparkly thing represents the cry of youth to be free - the determination of youth to buck the old - and I might humbly add - the magnanimity of the older generation to yield lovingly when there was no alternative. Ha! Em - I think it looks cute - but don't any of the other 9 of you get the same idea!

More Chinese Lanterns

Here's a group of us at the festival - right in front of Taipei 101.

Chinese Lanterns - not what you'd expect

Em Krik and I went to the Chinese Lantern Festival a while back. Here are a couple of photos. I was expecting traditional Chinese lanterns - and they do have them - but these are the modern ones. One quite intricate display was done by a primary school.

Happy Birthday Hon

After a looooonnnng absence we are back with a couple of pix Dave sent me today. One that Bruce (Gabe) took of a cruise off San Diego and the other of a Honda Valkyrie - which he is in the process of selling - and Dave perched on top, of course.
Love you all
and happy birthday to Steve as well - for the 14th

News and Travels in Taiwan

I was able to take a little vacation time with the girls. Leigh arrived from Mexico in time to come with us. She'd been over in San Diego for a couple of weeks before coming. Em and Krikki came too but Dad stayed back to unpack the container. We went with Libby's parents and sisters down the east coast to a place called Hua-lien. It is a beautiful drive and the weather stayed dry which was a blessing. There is a lovely Ocean theme park there in Hua-lien and we were given free entrance in exchange for pictures of the kids with the dolphins for advertising. So, actually the free admission also meant free 'date with a dolphin' and the kids were able to stroke the dolphin, be kissed by him and conduct while he sang to them. They all loved it but for Em especially it was a dream come true as she has loved dolphins every since she was a very little girl.
There were also some pretty hair-raising rides – see the pics of Em's hair really raising! I went on this ride, the Viking Ship and so did Krikki – who sat alone and was terrified. I sat with others and was also terrified and prayed the whole time for it to stop – Leigh and Emma who were sitting at the opposite end of the boat could see me going through it and they couldn't enjoy it for fear I'd either fall out or have a heart attack...so they had to go on it again and again and again after I got off! Ha! The day was exhausting and we ended seeing a show by some very talented Uzbekistan actors, singers and gymnasts.
On the way home we went through Toroko Gorge and it was also very beautiful – we had just finished reading some history of a missionary called GL Mackay who was the first missionary to north Formosa (now Taiwan) and it was so neat visualising what I had read, the mountains coming down to the ocean in places, in other places, beautiful plains and it made our coming here so exciting. When we started reading the book, called “Black Bearded Barbarian” we had only been here about a week – and it started when he arrived in Formosa – just around Christmas time as well. He left an amazing legacy and it is a very inspiring book if you get a chance to read it.
Well, it is Chinese New Year now (Xin Nian Kuai Le) and so we are staying in as there are lots of fireworks, firecrackers and not much else as everything has closed for the festivities. Being on the mountain we are able to see some of the displays, but thankfully we are far enough away that it isn't too loud.

Toroko Gorge is one of Taiwan's premiere tourist attractions and is a spectacular marble canyon. The few human constructions actually add to the place. There are red suspension bridges, temples set in mountains and, most famously, the Eternal Spring Shrine. The Shrine is built over a waterfall and dedicated to the 450 people who died making the Cross-Island Highway that runs along the gorge. The Highway certainly gives a feeling of how hard it was to build here. The amazing route is precariously cut right into the side of the gorge.

Those long awaited pix of Kathryn's baby Charlotte

So cute, Kathryn and Steven. You'll be wonderful parents and have a beautiful little darling to care for. God bless you!!

Fantastic pics of Ang and David at Christmas

"A Sure Way to a Happy Day" by Helen Steiner Rice

Here's a really good poem that Ang has in her Bible - a good reminder for us all!

A Sure Way to a Happy Day

Happiness is something we create in our mind,
It's not something you search for and so seldom find,

It's just waking up and beginning the day
By counting our blessings and kneeling to pray.

It's giving up thoughts that breed discontent
And accepting what comes as a gift heaven-sent.

It's giving up wishing for things we have not
And making the best of whatever we've got.

It's knowing that life is determined for us,
And pursuing our tasks without fret, fume or fuss-

For it's by completing what God gives us to do
That we find real contentment and happiness, too.

Helen Steiner Rice