next 2020/12 – The waitress at Carben provided a meal of 8 courses, each with its side order of descriptions. There was the squash, the duck, the bok choy, the scallops, the wood ear mushrooms, the squid, the amaranth, and on and on. In truth, we were far more interested in eating these yummy dishes […]
Winner!
next 2020/11 – I (Raymond) never believed in lottery tickets. Since 46% of the ticket sales goes to the prizes, the expectation is to lose 54% of the money spent. Any luck I might possess is countered by the law of large numbers. Admittedly, millionaires are made because of the large standard deviation but the […]
Crazy Hair
next 2020/11 – Raymond is NOT wearing a wig here. Mayra cut off her very long hair. Before donating it for cancer, the hair was strategically placed on Raymond’s head to give him a hair day so exceptional that he could blend in with the likes of the Beetles and the Monkees.
Fall and Leaves
next 2020/10 – Rake the leaves. Disconnect the garden hose. Slap on winter tires. Such are the outdoor chores that come with the fall. None are done, yet I rest. If there is one thing I have learned over the years is not to stress. There is evidence that the Chinese have understood this concept […]
The Second Wave of COVID-19
next 2020/09 – Raymond braces himself for the second wave of COVID-19. Here he is in front of a closed business. These pandemic times afford few reasons to smile — not that one would need to, when being photographed while wearing a mask. Even the stylish mannequins of this clothes business wear masks.
Flower Power
next 2020/08 – Travel has been greatly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This patch of sunflowers is on the Experimental Farm, just 2 blocks from Raymond’s house. He respects social distancing protocols, but these sunflowers clearly do not.
Air Conditioning Issues
next 2020/07 – Last year, my air conditioner stopped working. The huge propeller in the big metal box outside the house became jammed when carpenter ants built a giant nest. This year, the air conditioning stopped working once again. Could the carpenter ants be at it once again? An inspection around the propeller showed no […]
Time for a Hair Cut
next 2020/06 – All hair salons have been closed for months due to COVID-19. However, Raymond’s hair never stopped growing. The time came for Raymond to take measures in his own hands. Scissors. Check. Bowl. Check. Snip! Snip! Snip! Voilà! The home-made haircut looks like hell but who is going to see him during a […]
Is Raymond … DEAD !!! ???
next 2020/04 – It sure looks like he has been decomposing for a while. Granted, he may be old but he is not dead yet! Look! he’s smiling. He just applied some rejuvenating Dead Sea mud, that he purchased when he was in Jordan, … and if you still don’t believe it, here is another […]
Chinese Characters
next 2020/03 – Ray is self-isolating because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he has plenty of time to revisit old hobbies and develop some new ones. For instance, he started reviewing his Chinese characters and he is brushing up on his Chinese calligraphy.