Caution

I thoroughly enjoy good wine. Good wine is not always expensive wine. I know very good wines that cost little.

A thing of wine that must be remembered is it will surprise you at the worst of times.

As I sat home Sunday night I played a short time. Between pieces I sipped a very good wine called Allee Bleu Isabeau. It has a wonderful taste of citrus, butterscotch, and peaches. It is easy to drink. After some time I became unsatisfied with my play and put away my violin. I decided to play a Michael Buble cd. I am known to be absent from myself when I play this music and there are tendancies to dancing with a phantom partner.

It would seem my phantom partner this night found it necessary to keep my glass full as we danced. The end of the dance came abruptly when I stumbled to the wall and found it difficult to remain standing. So I sat, reserving another dance for a different day.

I awoke with the sun in my eyes and 1 hour to arrive at my work. It is a 20 minute drive. One hour is difficult to accomplish. One hour with muscles and bones resisting my commands to move make it no easier. Before I began the agony of driving, I looked to the bottle I left on the counter the night before. It was empty.

I tell you this for a warning. A good wine is a pleasure to be sought often. As with all pleasures, one must be careful to mind their indulgence of it for it will extract a price from those who disregard its subdued power.

I must go brush my tongue now. I seemed to have missed some fur from this morning.

A Good Day

I went to a wedding. It was pleasant. The bride was beautiful. Now they begin their adventure. It is my hope she has chosen well.

Father has written and informed me Jiao may return. They have begun acquiring her visas. Her visit will ultimately depend upon her. She must keep her scores high at school and work completed at home. Her 3 month visit will show what my father's words could not say, I am thought capable and worthy of his trust. Father says if she comes I will have ultimate authority of her. He will prepare necessary papers to make it so. With them I will be able to seek medical attention if it is required, among other things. I will be as her parent during her visit.

I am sure this visit will benefit Jiao more than the last since it will be for a considerable time longer. She will be able to see more than her teachers can tell her. Reading a book of America is not equal to living here, even if only a short time. There are lessons that may only be learned through experience.

I have settled into my usual tasks having undone all that was done in my absence. I sometimes see myself as thinking of the engineers as my children who require my constant presence. A silly notion to be sure. I am sure it comes from a fondness for them and my desire to provide them what is needed to complete their tasks (I think the last part may be due to selfish reasons. If they do not complete work, the company earns no money, resulting in me not earning money).

There have been more bright days lately. I have made sure to enjoy them as much as possible. I eagerly look forward to more of these spring days that are sunny and warm.

A Wedding

I will attend a wedding Saturday.

Cherry's niece has decided to marry. She has not finished school and has no work. Everyone says she is marrying too soon.

I agree. What does she know of this man outside of the e-mails, phone conversations, and infrequent visits? She claims to love him. I must wonder if it is more infatuation. That is natural early in a relationship. When I have seen him, if he gets angry he leaves the house. He becomes angry easily. I must wonder what if he will continue to leave or if he will remain and be worse. I know that when there is a disagreement it is not good to leave. It will not be solved in that way. I know too that sometimes one leaves to prevent exceeding propriety. But will he always know when it is best to leave?

This man she marries works at an Arby's restaurant. I do not condemn him for it. It is honest labor. However, I must wonder how it is he is to provide for his bride on such an income? Will he aquire a second job? If he does this, how will he devote necessary attention to his wife?

I believe this to be improper. They should wait for a time. If it is love it will wait. If it is not it is better to know before.

Though I do not approve, I will smile and wish them good fortunes. It is not my place to express my disapproval. Each must live their own life.

Father and Coastie

I would suppose I should tell you of Mother's thoughts first.

Mother is concerned. Coastie is not Chinese. Her question is how is a man that is not Chinese to know what is a Chinese woman and see to her needs. It is a reasonable question. If I were a second generation in America I would be more what he is accustomed to in the manner I think. Since I am not, there is little to guide his choices. I have assured Mother, Coastie is a very intelligent man and will adapt to me as I will to him.

While she was not mean or insulting of him, there was a tenseness when they were together. Mother will love him in time. She only wishes for me good things.

Father was my surprise. He greeted Coastie warmly as he would a friend. In my presence Father asked only of his work and his desires of the future in it. Here I discovered my coastie will be a "lifer." This term was explained to Father and I since the empty stares on our faces indicated we did not know the meaning of lifer. It is to say he will retire from the Coast Guard.

This thought both excited me and caused me worry. I am excited because I enjoy visiting the ocean very much. It causes me worry that if I live at the ocean, will it not lose some of the magic it holds for me? Will I see it as the forest, the beauty there still but the special thoughts of it gone since it is what I see every day? Will it become common for me?

Father withheld other "more important" questions until I was not present. I had to threaten to push my Coastie off of a dock at my earliest convenience if he did not tell me of them. I am sure there are some still that he withholds.

Father asked the usual questions a father will ask the potential husband of his daughter. How will he support me, will he care for me, is it serious thoughts or only a game to be played, when does he intend to marry.

An interesting question was asked of my Coastie. Father asked him, "Why?" He wondered why Coastie has considered me as a bride. His answer I intently awaited and closely listened to. "So far," he said, "she is what will complete my life. She makes me happy. I can see growing old with her very easily." It was a good answer for Father and a mostly acceptable answer for me but I must investigate the "So far" portion more closely.

Father did not care for the idea of leaving my house. He questioned if this was a serious consideration and said it would be best to let it until we returned to it in full time. Father was discussing that with the incorrect party. It is my house and will remain so. Perhaps that is the Chinese in father that he assumes my husband will decide of my house and the emerging American from me reminding him it will not be my husband's to dispose of.

If one were to conjecture of the outcome of their meeting, I would say it was successful. The idea of an American husband for me seems acceptable for Father. Mother? I can not see it as otherwise for it is her nature to be accepting though it may require a small amount of time to pass for her to become accustomed to it.

Of course, the "So far" comment may give her some small hope I may yet have a Chinese husband.

The Results

I have done well and Father is proud. This does not mean I have no places for improvement according to him.

It seems my fences are not of the proper type. He feels I should have rail fences rather than wire. No suggestions of where I am to find the funds to replace over 5000 feet of wire fence with rails.

I have not even a single red door. Aesthetics are not a consideration for him only there isn't one.

I should change my roof to tile since it lasts much longer. The roof is new. I will not be replacing it soon.

I should put a feed trough for the cows (though I have none of my own). I explained they are not mine so there is no reason to provide one. If I should buy cows I will do so but not until then.

The visit was good. I do not wish to imply it was not. Father was being himself. Much of his time was spent speaking with me as we followed Mother about. That is not to say he was timid of leading us to a place he wished to visit it means only Mother desired to see more than he.

It caused me surprise when he did not immediately say no for Jiao's return in summer. She was prepared to plead very much for it to be allowed. Perhaps Father understood that was her intent and did not say no only to avoid the pleading. We will see.

Mother was eager to see as much as possibl. She was pleased with my house. She says she will tell my brother of it when she returns home. I confess there is a small amount of evil glee at the thought of her doing so. I was beginning to believe she would crawl into my walls! Her exploring of the house left no place undiscovered. She found a niche that I was unaware of. It was under a pantry shelf. I thought the thickness was only the support board and did not investigate it. It contained only old linings and dust.

Mother's shopping trips resulted in many packages to mail to China. Some have been sent already and will greet them. Others I will send shortly. I am forbidden to send them before Father sends the money necessary for postage. She will have clothes and shoes that are unavailable to her friends. It will cause her to be envied by them. She also purchased gifts for many so she is not thinking only of her status.

Mother and I spent long hours speaking of my house and what could be done. There were many ideas discssed that will be done in time. We went shopping at furniture stores and I was given her opinions of what I will need. She has a refined sense of decorating and more money than me. Some of her ideas will take many years of saving money to accomplish. :\

Jiao was seen very little. It was often heard of Father and Mother of their desire she spend more time with us. She spent most of her time with the nieces seeing those things teenagers wish to see and do. We had her only when the nieces were in school. At 3pm, she was gone with them. During the week end I wondered if I had a sister still.

I fear there is little left for them to see during another visit. The travel was often enough and far enough for me to begin to resist the idea of getting into my car again. I had thought my bottom would become one with the seat and I would vibrate forever.

Now, I am returned to eating my own cooking. It seems odd that I am not going somewhere. And I find myself remaining awake to hear Jiao return from her time with the nieces until I remember she has gone home.

As father said goodbye and embraced me he said, "You have done well. I am proud of you." I found it difficult to release him.

The meeting of Coastie and Father is for another time. ;)

The End

Father, Mother, and Jiao are gone.

I will tell you of their visit but I must let my brain cease its jangling. As with many visits with parents it started well and got worse from then.