Fudge today...

Good morning:

This picture is from Black Dragon park, in Kunming China.  I went there about a month before I left China.  It is a gorgeous park, with many blooming flowers and trees even in late January.

Today I am making fudge.  I had most of the stuff with me in China but I could not get evaporated milk in China. So today I make a Christmas treat for me.

Yet another bifurcated night.  Ever since returning I get up between 2:30 and 3:00 am every night. I am wide awake at that time. I go back to bed after about 2 hours and sleep again.  I refuse to take a nap during the day as that will only affect it more.

Every time I turn the wireless on my Kindle it downloads books from my archives that I don't want on my Kindle. It happened again today. 

I get a free ebook every month on my Kindle Fire. So I got the first book of The Hunger Games.  I think I am entitled to another free ebook on my Fire so I will get the second book in the series.

It is great to watch TV again. I did not watch much TV in China.  I did watch the first season of Nikita and The King's Speech on DVD in China.  I brought back with me over 50 DVDs from China.  But I have not watched any of those yet. 

It is also great to hear English spoken again.  If I were a believer in the power of Her, I would say the foreign languages are what we get from the Tower of Babel.  But since I don't believe that or much else, I don't subscribe to that line of thought. 

The battery in my watch died during the night.  I will have to replace it today, very soon. 

Leave a note here if you agree or disagree with me.

Steven 

Winter wonderland outside now...

Hello again:

I got up at 3:00 am this morning. 

We have about an inch of snow outside now. I will take my camera outside later this morning to take some pictures of the snow here.

This picture is from the lake. Apparently people live in boats there.  I think they fish the lake, although I don't believe one cannot fish in that lake.

I am now reading a new Sherlock Holmes novel, called The House of Silk.  I have Micro here to read later. It is the last book by Michael Crichton.

I can watch movies and older TV shows on my Kindle Fire.  I have not watched any yet.  My Fire comes with one month free of Amazon Prime.  I am signing up for Prime once the month ends.

I do not know why I still get up so early in the morning.  I guess I am still on China time, so it better end pretty soon. 

Steven

Tuesday today

Hi again:

This picture is from a lake west of Kunming China.  This shows the back water of the lake. I will add more pictures in future posts of this lake.

I am working on my Kindle Fire, which I got a few days ago.  Strange to see color on a Kindle.  It is not an e-ink screen so I don't know if I will be reading any books on it, a totally back-lit screen.

I am not sleeping through the night here. I get up in the middle of the night still, around 3:00 am.  I watch some TV programs I recorded then I go back to bed for a few hours.  I guess I am not over my jet lag yet.

Tomorrow is Leap Day. A late uncle of mine has his birthday on Feb 29.  Stayton Ace is having a sale tomorrow with anything less than $30.00 is 29% off.  We need some lights here so I will go there tomorrow to get them.

I am finishing Rin Tin Tin, a book on the dogs that appeared in silent movies, in talking movies and finally on TV. I watched the TV show as youngster so this is an interesting book.  When the first Rin Tin Tin died it made national news and was quite the thing.  By the time the TV show we are on Rin Tin Tin IV.  It was the most popular TV show on TV in the late 1950's. 

The book's author is Susan Orlean, the writer of the Orchid Thief earlier.  I like the way she writes so I read every book and magazine articles she writes.

I am getting physical books from my local library again.  Waiting for me there are two more books, The House of Silk and Micro. 

I made lists at the Stayton library while I was in China. Because it is a regional library I cannot request all of my books at once, for they come in too fast. 

I am not getting used the cold weather here yet.  It was warm during the winter in Kunming.  It is called the City of Eternal Spring.  It does get a little humid in the summer but not like Beijing or Shanghai. 

I lost over 35 pounds in China. Now we shall see if I can keep the weight off during my long stay here.

Still looking for an Irish Setter dog. 

Steven

Seeking new dog...

Hi again:

My second post today.

I seek a new dog, an Irish Setter.

If any reader knows of a local breeder of Irish Setters, you can write me at schwindt68@hotmail.com to tell me of what you know. I want to find a local breeder of Irish Setters around Stayton or Salem. 

I have no plans to travel again. So this new dog will be with me for a long time.

The picture shows you what an Irish Setter looks like.

Steven

Back in Oregon

Hi again:

I went to China where I had no access to my blog, Facebook or Twitter. 

I am back here now.

The picture here is from Black Dragon Park in Kunming.  The flowering trees are plum trees, already in bloom in Kunming China.

I don't know if anyone reads this blog now as I have been away for more than six months with no posts.

This is my my first entry but I will post every day for the next few weeks.

Steven