Reminiscences

About the author Privacy policies, terms, and conditions   Years ago, I published an essay in a Chinese newspaper entitled "Snow in March." I had trouble finding it online--a hard copy of it is likely lying in a small cabinet in my HK home. Because I deem it one of my best works ever published, I try to recall what I wrote and recreate it in English. *** My favorite subject in high school had always been Geography (and in senior high: both Geography and English Literature). The primary reason was that the geography textbook contained many scenic pictures which satisfied the needs of a little girl who did not get the chance to travel to many places. Well, it should have satisfied the wanderlust of those who travelled rather frequently, as the less-travelled places rather than tourist hotspots were featured the most. Think: the rocky deserts in the interiors of North America, the sand dunes in the Sahara, and the tropical rain forests in the ...

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About the author Privacy policies, terms, and conditions   For a long time I have missed the smell of books, new and old, as well as that of newspapers. As I am completing a big project I treated myself to some book-scented fragrance that I recently found while Internet-shopping. While this might seem like a new thing, there are already several brands to choose from. I settled on one that is made in Germany, that looks elegant and that I thought would compliment my night table.  Here you go ~  Durfkerze: Aromantische Bibliothek : This lit candle added a warm glow to my room as I was writing away on a cozy evening.  As the scent of burnt wood weaved in and out of my nostrils, I felt like I was in my school days, huddled in a corner of an old library on a wintry day. *** In recent years, many Hong Kong youngsters have been keen on portraying themselves as literati (the "learned class" or intellectual circle consisting of well-educat...

About the author Privacy policies, terms, and conditions I have always been a cat lover. I have not centered my blog around cats because I have been the cat mom of very few cats.  I therefore lack the experience and expertise to offer much valuable advice to fellow cat moms out there. I decided to write about a peculiar cat behavior-- "hop-greeting" --which has intrigued many cat owners, but which, as my internet research has indicated, very few extensive posts have discussed. *** I first noticed this cat behavior during my numerous interactions with a male cat called Lester while living in a Cambridge neighborhood in year 2005, well before I had ever owned a cat before.  That happened well before I became Jade's cat mom. Lester was a very friendly cat, which I mistook as a stray in the beginning. Having noticed him a few times near where I lived, I went out to look for him and feed him every day. He ran to me every time he spotted me...

About the author Privacy policies, terms, and conditions   I have always wanted to write about little stores in Zehlendorf, a little suburb in Berlin where I reside. Some months ago, I thought of sending mom a birthday gift. Since she seldom goes shopping these days, I decided not to buy her a handbag.  There is a yarn store called "Cotton Fields"  in my lovely neighborhood ("Handarbeiten und Geschenartikel" mean handicrafts and gift items), There I bought two balls of yarn of the Italian  brand  Ninfa von Katia of Concept Collection , and knitted her a long, warm scarf, which I mailed to our Hong Kong address. It took two units to knit a long scarf. The  mohair content  makes the single thread yarn and the scarf feel so warm and soft. While it was not cheap to make the scarf, the mailing fee was even higher. It was still worth sending it across the globe because a handknitted scarf made by a loved one is priceless....