A Tribute to Bing Pon

San Francisco, April 15, 2007: Bing Pon passed away at age 94.

Born in Canton, China in 1913, he immigrated to San Francisco at age 11, attending St. Mary's School in Chinatown, and in 1932 he returned to China where he married a young woman named Thoat Lon.

In 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and during World War II he served on the Destroyer USS Kirkland. He and his crewmates survived many battles at sea, and at the end of the war he returned to San Francisco to begin the long process of bringing his family to America.

It took years.

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Apple Blossoms. I'm 63.

Mount Shasta, April 7, 2007: Winter just last week, and yesterday spring came hand in hand with summer, like old friends returning to the tavern after a long talk through the woods. Pals now, content, no feuds today. Across the street, George Brown's apple trees in blossom. Lilacs obscure the front window. In our back yard, our apple tree awaits, but the pear tree is raucous.

My birthday today, so a special 'Thank you!' to my mama! Long gone from this planet, but maybe you'll hear my gratitude through the walls of time.

I'm being transformed, is what it is.

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Going to the Dogs No More

Mount Shasta, CA, September 2, 2003: Adrienne has done it right. The best time to leave a job or profession is when you're at the top. She is, and she has.

For the last ten years she's operated Adrienne's All-Weather DogWalking Service in Marin County. A month ago, she sent a letter to her clients, to let them know she was closing her business, because we were moving away.

Oh, the tears! She's become part of the lives of these families, including the Mayor of Ross and one of Arnold Schwartzenegger's current advisory panel. The lovely letters she's received are quite touching. She says all the dogs could tell. She told each one. The last day, she saw Izzy and Coley.

She and Coley Mulroy, a large black lab, like to dance to country music. He puts his paws on her shoulders, and she says, "Shake it, Coley" and he does the shimmy, to the strains of Shania Twain. She had her last dance with Coley. She said good bye.

When I picked Adrienne up on Sunday, she and I and Tulip and Percy got into the new Ford.

And we drove away.

The Terror of Voicemail

San Anselmo, California, June 6, 2003:Adrienne will be dropping by the Department of Motor Vehicles, to renew her license, to take her pretty picture and provide a thumbprint.

She has an appointment for next week, but she cannot go to her appointment, due to the convenient DMV voicemail-appointment system.

It sounded like a good idea.

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Dead Man Boots

January 3, 2004, Mount Shasta: We've had storms of snow, swirling thickly, white-out visibility, and heaps on the ground up to my waist.

I've never seen such snow before. Growing up in Texas, some winters we'd see snow. A really heavy snow might be four or five inches. It would linger a few days, growing muddy and fading away.

A new year's resolution is to exercise more. I've really been in luck on that one.

I've never shoveled snow before. Driving a trail from the back door to the office, to the gate, to the car, and then clearing the five-foot berm thrown up by the town's snow plow.

Let's just say I'm off to a good start on my exercise.

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