Lives in the Lotus Blossom, Chapter 31: Hen Hao Kan, What the?--Musical Garbage Trucks?, The Pineapple Guy, Three on a Match.

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Annie (from Agape House) gave us a chit to get our portraits professionally done. The photographer couldn't speak English, but got us well positioned for nice pictures.

I've been known to have told a few stretchers in my life--but only for amusement purposes. Nevertheless, sometimes I fear that my reports may not always be considered credible. Let's face it (when I claim to have heard musical garbage trucks) some readers might conclude my medication should be adjusted. So, here's proof! The sound of a musical garbage truck is something that foreigners (upon returning home) will always associate with Taiwan. Many people over here are shy, but some really enjoy being in a foreigner's film. That's why the fellow pulled up on his motorbike to say hello.

The next video clip is Lao-puo buying pineapple. Her Chinese is halting but understandable. Nevertheless, she doesn't like to be filmed when she's talking. Blasted paparazzi!

Some superstitions, including "three on a match" are based on historical fact. “Three on a match” comes from the Boer War, when British soldiers learned the hard way that the time it took to light three smokes was plenty of time for a Boer sniper to draw a bead on them. Three is an old-fashioned Christian good luck number based on the Trinity. Well, three was an unlucky number for us Friday night. We came upon three little pups—no more than six weeks old, sopping wet and famished. Now, we have five dogs in our house. It will be a bear of a job for find homes for the little tackers, because they appear to be “Formosan Lu gou Hounds”. We’ll nurse them along a bit—they have been de-wormed already—and see what we can do. I have named them May, Yo, and Banfa, because “mei yo ban fa” is Mandarin for “there’s nothing I can do”. At least we can move them from no chance for a good life to a slim chance. I’m grateful for concrete tiles and a floor drain in the meantime.

It’s now Monday, and I spent the morning with my colleagues recording the Hualien County Grade 5 and 6 Oral Proficiency exams. This afternoon we solved the “mei yo ban fa” dilemma—we took them to a kind lady with a couple of hectares in Hualien’s answer to Richmond (mixed agriculture and light industry and ‘burbs). A kind Chinese lady has collected over a hundred unwanted dogs who now live there. May Yo and Banfa will have a good life with mostly canine companionship.

There you have it. Lao-puo has now rescued eight dogs--plus the one she found bleeding and took to the vet for a shave and stitch, as well as two cats. 9.99x10 4th to go.

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Photos

Hen Hao Kan
(very nice-looking) Annie gave us a chit to get our portraits professionally done.

Xiao Bai and Toby...
...waiting for us to return from shopping. They must think we are great foragers--we leave them for 30 minutes and come back with enough food for a week.

Foundlings
Notice that we have to buy our water. For the dogs, we save the water from our two dehumidifiers.

Free to a Good Home...
...Lao-puo set up shop on Jong Jeng Lu--where the crowds are.

Comments

[Jill]

You're the best
What a good thing you are doing to rescue those animals. Keep up the good work.

[Sharon]

Garbage Trucks
I never thought I'd miss those darn musical garbage trucks. Watching your video makes me miss home more than ever!

[Deb]

hahaha
It was so funny listening to the garbage truck again. Man! Good thing the kids weren't home or they'd be telling everyone i'm laughing at the laptop again.

[Mike]

Garbo social
I quite miss garbo collection every night and the social scene; meeting neighbors and friends, exchanging the latest bits of news, etc. Now I hurriedly dump a bag in the garbage container on my way out to work - and hope I don't get ambushed by an escaping cat! Just spent a great week in Oman, had a mid-semester break. Was fabulous, well worth visiting.