爱买花的男人

Ralph bought a bunch of fresh flowers today. Actually he likes flowers and enjoys buying them. Flowers not only make the house colorful but also create a beautiful mood.

厨房的一角

Ralph说这花束还附带一个灯笼，一定是Chinese new year的花

Ralph's article on newspaper

One week ago Ralph read some editorials debating a proposed Wal-Mart distribution center. He didn't agree with some of the opinions. Then he decided to send a letter to criticize those views. Today it's published without revising one word. ...... Candy

Today is Happy Birthday

Today is my first day at appraiser school. After school and a nice sushi dinner, Ralph gave me a big surprise to celebrate my birthday when I walked in the door. He set up a sweet booth including candles, cake, balloon, flowers, cards and gifts with love. I haven't had such wonderful birthday for a long time. I will never ever forget all of this. ..... Candy

Birthday woman

Ralph ... my dear,
Thank you so much!

Gifts

得到这些生日礼物，我除了happy还是happy。

Cake

现在大家知道我很老了吧！我都不知道Ralph什么时候偷偷去订了这个蛋糕，他说这蜡烛要留着等我73岁生日时，反过来再用一次，应该是他先用吧，哈，这是冰淇淋蛋糕哦！

Cards

Ralph很用心写了2张窝心的卡片给我，我问他为什么写2张，他说：为要求完美。哈，让我很开心，内容暂不公开...

Hockey

我们几乎每周都有不同的活动，上周六去了Ralph同事的新家派对，上周日则是邀请日本朋友Ayami和她的美国老公来家里聚餐。今晚的节目是和另一对夫妻朋友去看冰上曲棍球，当然在看球赛之前，照Ralph的习惯一定要上高级餐厅来顿美食。这是我第一次看曲棍球赛，现场体会球场上的激烈及球迷喧哗的热闹气氛，还挺有趣的。

We went to our first hockey game with our new friends Joe and Heidi from Colorado Springs. We're not experts on hockey but we enjoyed the game and understood the basics. Candy had more fun just screaming and jumping up and down. It was a nice new experience. ...... Ralph

Sideways

一个多月前去看了部独立制片的电影，片名Sideways，非常有意思的轻松小品，谈一个离婚的中学老师也是失意的小说家，在好友结束单身前一周，陪同一趟加州品酒之旅，并在这次旅行中寻找自己人生的方向，电影中的对话非常贴近真实生活，大部分的情节令人莞尔，因为以酒庄、餐厅、旅馆为背景，整部片子接近大自然，显得格外生活化。

最近这部片子愈来愈红，在这里简短分享，建议各位有机会去看，Ralph说：找时间咱们沿着拍摄路线也来个road trip吧。顺便一提，我们去的那家戏院（在Colorado Springs downtown）有酒吧和咖啡吧，是可以买杯葡萄酒或啤酒进去边看边喝，我很喜欢那种老戏院的气氛，里面装璜古典但不老旧。
http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/sideways/

Mug

I prefer to buy new mugs instead of washing the old ones! Actually, I collect mugs from each state I visit. I have nine more states to visit for all 50, plus I have to get a few for the states I visited before I started collecting. ..... Ralph

话说我们家有很多的茶包，其实杯子也不少，Ralph收集各州的杯子，还缺的州有AK, AR, DE, HI, IA, KS, MI, NE, NV, NJ, NY, ND, SD, OH, OR, VT, WI

Family Reunion

Ralph & Derek

Family reunion and wedding in Lake Worth, Florida. June 2004. Cole's, Ruscianno's, Beerniks and Ciccarelli's in abundance...plus a few people I'm not sure were related. .... Ralph

Dumpling

One reason I like California better than Colorado is for Chinese food. There are many huge Chinese supermarkets like Ranch 99 or Marin Food. You can shop for the same things as in Taipei. Now I have to make it by myself when feel like eating dumplings or other traditional Chinese food. ..... Candy

When Candy was young .......

我喜欢旅行，跟大多数人一样， 从小有个环游世界的梦想，为了能够经常旅行所以从事旅游业，在短短6年中跑了30多个国家地区，享受各种美丽的事物，可惜的是，大多时候我忙着享乐，忘了留下那些值得回忆的镜头，加上搬家数回，现在仅存的照片并不多，很难与人分享我全部的经历，不过， 你们可以从片面去想像我那些多彩多姿的过去.....哈！

我最爱的国家是意大利（去过4次），西班牙，埃及和尼泊尔（去过2次）。点一下link可以看到我哦！

Ice Cream

我们都爱吃冰淇淋（几乎每晚都吃），平常冰箱里维持的库存是3盒，这次遇上超市打折，Ralph买了一堆不同口味的回来，你一定会想：冰库的容量够大吗？是的，我们除了室内有个大冰箱，在车库还有个超大冷冻库（我刚搬来时曾吓一跳，因为里面存放的肉类可以吃上一整年），现在你看到的这个牌子就是他最喜欢的牌子，那么猜猜我们最喜欢那种口味呢？ .... Candy

One of my essential food groups. I hope there's ice cream in heaven.
.... Ralph

The PHANTOM of the OPERA

今天下午我们去看了这部电影。

说起这个音乐剧，第一次接触这个戏是在18年前，那时候没有CD只有录音带，是一个清大中文系男生送我的礼物，那位男生是他们学校戏剧社社长，能演能唱，天生有付好嗓子，当时算是追求吧，每从新竹打电话到台北给我，总会在热线那头应我的央求唱上几曲，The music of the night、All I ask of you 这两首总少不了，当然爱好音乐的我也就迷上这部戏，18年来从录音带听到CD，无数个夜晚在Michael Crawford和Sarah Brightman的天籁歌声中度过。

一直到前年才有机会在旧金山 Orpheum Theatre 欣赏到这部著名音乐剧 （Ralph早我几年也在这个剧院看过这个戏），个人而言，看现场演出跟电影，感受略有不同，现场欣赏音乐剧时投入较深，看电影就没有那么入戏，但电影的细节安排较为细致，服装、布景、角色、画面等等设计都很丰富，绝对也比早先拍摄的影片更豪华。音乐和演唱部分，精彩的无话可说，真的很动人。看完电影后，Ralph说他决定在下个月的化妆舞会上打扮成Phantom。 .... Candy

The movie had wonderful visuals with terrific sets. The music was first class of course, at least if you are familiar with the theatrical soundtrack. The acting is passable and the whole story translates pretty well into in movie. The only disconnect in my mind was when the Phantom was poling the boat to his hiding place and they used a modern score rather than one with classical instruments. All in all, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys good music and theater type drama. .... Ralph

Mask

Ralph昨天告诉我，下个月我们要参加这里健康中心办的
一个party，叫Mardi Gras Casino Night，除了重头戏---
赌博，还有晚餐和化妆舞会，舞会后的压轴是mask contest，
得知这个有趣的活动后，我连忙上ebay寻找理想的面具，
希望可以得标。

这两个面具是挂在房间墙上的装饰品。

We love 茶 tea

我们每天早晨起床第一件事就是烧开水泡热茶，通常这两杯热茶放在浴室的梳妆台上，一边整理着仪容一边啜饮着热茶，已是平日必要的晨课。遇到周末假日时，便会端着热茶半躺在床褥中，享受晚起的闲聊时光。Ralph特别喜欢Earl Grey，不管喝什么茶，一定要在他的茶里加上2匙蜂蜜，这是他的特殊嗜好。

Tea is the all-around favorite drink in the house. Breakfast, midday or just before bed, it's a staple drink. Variety is fun, too. However, Ralph drinks his favorite, Earl Grey with honey most of the time. Candy drinks more types, eastern or western teas but most of the time uses the same tea bag from Ralph. She hates to waste anything.

New Year's Eve Party

新年年夜舞会剪影 --- 这个晚餐派对的节目主题是“纽约”，所以有人扮成自由女神雕像。

在等待进场的鸡尾酒时间，有魔术表演，有小丑表演，有人装雕像，还有人说笑逗唱娱乐大家。

我们选错桌，同桌是一群吃素的保守派人士，除了我们俩，竟没有人喝酒.....

这位老兄很....自己弄了个造型，叫我拍照。

喝了不少酒啦，继续到舞池去散发热量吧。

哈，每人发个新年快乐帽子、小喇叭，来，看我耍宝。

拿着香槟酒在舞池里边跳舞边准备倒数，我的右手还要拿着相机一边拍照呐！

这位老兄迎接新年很兴奋，拖着我一直跳舞，跳到快2点，其实我们两个都快不行了。