School and Home

Hi Everybody,

As God would have it, immediately after I sat down to write that letter exuberating about being so free with nothing to do, I have been swamped.

Have been busy and on the go. First there was Paul's submission for a coming competition - of course we hope that there is a possibility of his work to gain some exposure in his time here. Except that as we tried to print the photos out in the computer lab - the colours came out very differently from the colours at home. So I bue pai seh and went to Technical Support and had help to reconfigure our PC image for Mac. Wah - print four pieces practically took the whole day!

Then came the museum visits and changing the car battery (before it decides to die in the middle of the road!) and answering a series of important emails and preparing to go back.

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Regards being away from home, it really dawned on us three weeks ago - one Saturday when Paul was studying late - as usual ... I had a nightmare about family and woke up in a sweat. Scolded him that the light was still on - 12:30am and nagged him to go to bed. All his fault - it was so bright and that's why I had that horrible nightmare! So reluctantly, he switched off the lights and got ready for bed, and within five minutes, my phone rang. Groggily I jumped out of bed to answer the call - it was a wrong number from Singapore. Now I really couldn't sleep and decided to call home.

"Janet, something has happened. We are all at the restaurant celebrating Ngou Tzek's birthday today - and Dzee Gou just fainted. She may be choking on something - we can't revive her." Thoughts just raced through the mind - praying ... numb.

I think that is the type of thing we fear most when we travel - that something bad may be happening at home when we are so far away. Praying and worrying - fearing that you may need to change your ticket home because of sad matters ... both of us so helpless because we are miles away.

Called back half an hour later and heard that Aunty managed to get a doctor from nearby in time. And Dzee Gou has been sent to the hospital - suspected stroke. She is now recovering in hospital.

We are very thankful to God that our family is spared this. Especially when Dzee Gou's grand-daughter has just left for Canada to study. In a big extended family, where some are old, it is a concern to the ones travelling as well as to the one at home. Thank you Lord.

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Paul has 'handed in' his first assignment - a presentation for a piece of artwork to his classmates at the NSW Art Gallery - he said he 'preached' it in a didactic style and thinks it was quite well received. Thanks to the BGST course on public speaking that church sent him for in 2003 - Seng Chuan's training has really come in handy and we are very grateful. Paul pressures himself quite a bit - partly it's his make-up, and partly we sometimes do feel our age. All things considered, we are doing well.

Gotta go ... thanks for enduring my ramblings ... again.
See you soon.


Blessings,
Janet Tanchio