Tradition Tuesday

(I had to flip the wording order in the title, because "Tuesday Tradition" sounds like a tradition performed on Tuesdays. Which this isn't.)

Monday we were invited to a Death-iversary dinner. Our landlord stopped by in the morning to say that the guy a few doors down - a friend, talented wood-worker, we've bought custom furniture from him - was having a Death-iversary dinner at 11 and we were invited. This is a Vietnamese tradition to honor their dead family members. 

We got there a little early, because we are punctual Americans and still after almost five years unaccustomed to the fact that a given time is actually a roundabout number and not precise. The people hosting it own a... villa? homestay? hotel-ish set of bungalows? During Covid the property slipped into disarray but we wandered the property and saw the signs of new work beginning as they get it back up to proper shape. They have some guests now, but I don't know how many rooms are even really ready for guests. 

I know there are guests because by the time people started sitting at the newly set up tables full of catering, two more foreign couples showed up. One couple for sure is staying there, but they'll be leaving soon. They had questions about this event:  

Is there a presentation or speech? 

Are we supposed to do something or bring something? 

The answers: No, and no. The tradition is to share food with as many living family members and friends as possible. The greater the number of people enjoying themselves and eating well, the greater the honor for the deceased person. (As I understand it)

So our table had Brett and myself, the French couple staying there, another foreign couple (I think she might be a guest there) a Japanese visitor, an Australian guy who's lived here for years, and three Vietnamese people. We were the English speaking table.

When the food slowed down, we were ready to go. (It's truly just about lunch. Even people who are working just come in when they can from work, eat out of respect to the family, and then return to work.) Brett teaches Monday night, and after the beers served with lunch, he wanted to have a nap before tackling students. 

But we got home and he said, "I kind of feeling like going for a ride!" So we did. It didn't take long to realize that it was getting too cold for a motorbike ride. It was supposed to rain all day, but the rain had so far held off. By now I wanted something sweet, and I had only had one cup of coffee before lunch, so I had him drop me at my favorite coffee shop for a coconut coffee. He drove off and I sat there and wrote this.

After my delicious coffee I walked home. 

It started to rain.

I think it will be a cold week.

Fiction Friday - Big Cat, Little Cat

The Cat sat on the deck, looking below. He watched the Tiger roam around earth, pouncing here, causing trouble there, making the unexpected happen. Tiger had been inexhaustible from the start of his reign, wasting no time in getting that one guy to invade his neighbor. Mere weeks into Tiger's rule, that invasion happened. What a mess.

The Cat licked a paw and smoothed it over his ear. Tiger would come back to the palace in a few days, smug at all the chaos he'd created. Cat had watched it all unfold. That one country made up of islands had ruined a new leader in a matter of weeks. Their figurehead royalty died, too. Of course, that death probably had nothing to do with Tiger, but he'd take the credit.

He'd really outdone himself this year. In the Cat's opinion, the Tiger was one big cat who needed to take a nap.

The pandemic had been calming down but the Tiger managed to make some effective chaos as countries loosened restrictions. Especially in that big kidney-shaped country. They'd tried to shut the pandemic down, but too hard. Tiger had a ball over there, finally getting things to open up, resulting in a sudden upsurge of disease. Now everyone was scared to leave their houses even though they could. Like Pandora's box, Cat feared even he might not be able to put the lid back on that mess.

The Cat looked out from the deck of Buddha's heavenly palace, gauging the sun. He moved to a better position to lie in a puddle of sunlight, soaking up the last rays of Tiger's reign. He was on the deck, and "on deck". Soon it would be his year.

In his year, the Cat would be sure to have plenty of fun - parties with all the people, high tea, coffee meetings. He couldn't wait to see what the intelligentsia would get up to in his year. There was a lot for them to learn, and he could help. 

Political upheaval created by that annoying Tiger would have to settle down. The Cat was on it. 

The Cat was a stickler for justice. He'd get the wheels rolling on resolving issues left ambiguous by the Tiger.

The Cat sighed. He didn't like taking charge after Tiger. There was always a mess. That's just the way it was. But Buddha had determined their ruling order and there was nothing to do to change it. 

It was too bad he couldn't bring back the dead. That Japanese prime minister didn't need to die. Cat was just sure Tiger was behind that one.

It's FICTION FRIDAY!

Every Almost every Friday I write a new flash fiction piece. Today's fiction was inspired by the coming Lunar New Year. NOTE: Chinese folklore says the coming year (Jan 22, 2023) is year of the rabbit. But Vietnam calls it Year of the Cat. I don't know why, but I live in Vietnam, so will espouse this tradition.

If you have a writing prompt you'd like to see turned into a story, just leave it in a comment.

It's a good life.

When I told Brett I was ready to start celebrating my birthday - because life is hard, and every year is an accomplishment - all I wanted was one gift, and a meal out. 

The gift came early, because I thought I would use it going to and from Drama Camp, but the camp location was moved, and I've only used it locally so far.

It's a Segway-mini! I'm told they were banned in the US.

Just one small part of the hike.

Drama Camp just ended days ago, and in the meantime, Monster Jam has been setting up in Beijing. Brett happens to be facebook friends with someone on the crew, so he's been running around finding things to show them and going out at night. Two days ago, there was a problem at the stadium, so his new friends were given the afternoon off, and they wanted to visit the Great Wall. My workday finished at before 1pm, so we joined them. The Day Before My Birthday! I immediately decided that, since lunch was the big celebratory meal ON my birthday, it was valid to count the 24 hours prior - which included this day. I finally got to the Great Wall - FOR MY BIRTHDAY! 

This particular section - within an hour of Beijing - is mostly stairs, so not everyone climbed. I'm proud to say that, although I was huffing and puffing like the 3pigs' wolf, I led the pack in the hike. BOOYAH! We climbed 58 flights before having to turn back due to time.

That flower? Duck meat. It's an art.

After that, the group wanted an authentic Beijing Duck dinner, so I had that - FOR MY BIRTHDAY! It's my 3rd time eating true Beijing Duck, but it never gets old. Even Brett, not a duck fan in the US, enjoys it here. 

Pretty cool birthday! No singing, no "birthday cake", but at the end, someone mentioned it, and the whole group did wish me happy birthday. God bless Brett, he prevented them from singing.

Next day, my actual birthday. I knew where I wanted to go for birthday lunch - to a genuine German restaurant we discovered, with quality food and truly German bier. Really, I think Germany doesn't export to the US because the primary American exported beer is Bud. Seriously. Not an impressive export.

Bier, Bavarian pretzel, spaetzel, other stuff. German.

Apfel Strudel. I have never had a pastry feel un-fattening like this.

As we walked away from the German place, I saw an amazing, huge, swan-decorated cake in the window of some place called "Black Swan" and walked closer to the window. Brett said, "uh-oh. They see you. You're getting invited in." I said, "nah, they're just working."

But his view and assumption was correct. A lovely lady opened the door and invited me inside. Into this WHOA! - Hyper-Expensive cake shop. Holy crap. There were small cakes on sale for the equivalent of several hundred dollars!  Apple Strudel or no, I had not yet had any "birthday cake" so I perused the single serving counter and plumped for a "rose-framboise" (rose & raspberry) slice of cake. The equivalent of $8 for one small piece. BUT... they served it with taste samples of several macaroons and pieces of chocolate, so there you go.

Cake, and macaroon & chocolate.

Pretty cool, for someone who never celebrates their birthday, huh?

It occurred to me that my birthday will always fall during Brett's school summer break. We could take vacations to random exotic locales every year! His birthday is stuck during school term, but we could maybe do weekend trips to Chinese places for his birthday. It could become a very cool tradition. 

This morning, after we woke up, Brett said, "It's still your birthday in the States..." and sure enough, I had a voice message from a friend wishing me happy birthday. I could get used to this.

It's a good life.