pleasedAfter the traditional admiration of Sam's clothes and jewelry was done, they went out into the backyard to examine our fruit trees. While Popo (Chinese for grandmother) checked our persimmion tree to make sure everything was growing properly, Goonggoong (Chinese for grandfather) checked our cherry tree for disease. Uncle Tom, tired from the drive down, was asleep on the couch. Tom's an odd one - 40-something bachalor living with his parents. He's been with his girlfriend, Francine, for over 15 years. I wonder why they don't just get married. I think it's because both of them have to look over their aging parents.
We came back inside after all the trees had been approved, and Popo asked me about my computers. Goonggoon, who is an artist, wanted to know why I had all these drawings scattered around my desk instead of in a portfolio somewhere. So I gave them both a lesson on scanners, webpages, and image galleries.
It's so hard to explain this stuff to the older generation. They don't know the language, so you have to dumb it down even more than usual. Still, though, it was fun. If nothing else, I got to hear how proud they were of my drawings. I like praise. It was good.
Then we ate. Eyeball salad, salmon, strawberry cake. There was rice, of course. We are Chinese, that half, after all. Sarah and Tanya, adopted relatives, were there as well. It was all a big family event.
It was fun. I liked it.
Goonggoong said he wished we lived closer together, because then he would've taught me how to sculpture stone. Popo promised that next time I was in the City she would finish teaching me about Jade.
It was good.
