The Magnificent Tianchi, Jilin, China. Zachary Huang, 2006
Dear Friends,
Happy Chinese New Year!
We were so glad to read all of
your Christmas letters, and so happy for you and your families’ achievements.
Year 2006 was one of the best
years for our family too. Everybody was well; no more hospital visits or car
accidents, and we were able to do what we wanted and needed to do. It was a
peaceful and productive year. We truly thank God for such a wonderful year.
Well, let us start from the
beginning of the year. In January, right after the New Year’s party, we got
busy for Zhiyong’s meeting in Louisiana; he had a good time there. Guijie
decided to do something about Zhiyong’s retirement funds, because they were not
performing well. She attended different seminars, read books, searched the
internet, asked friends, met financial advisers, and she continued this into February.
February was a peaceful month
because Zhiyong didn’t have to leave home and go to meetings. Guijie bought new
clothes and gifts for Zhiyong and David, in March both of them would travel abroad.
Guijie was also busy “hunting” for a new water heater.
In March, Zhiyong went to North Carolina
for a week. Meanwhile, Guijie got a new water heater at a good price. She also
requested a contractor to remove the old and leaking water heater and to install
the new one. Guijie continued her financial education. Zhiyong left to Taiwan
on March 26th, Guijie and Melissa planned to go with him, but
because Melissa’s school would not be over until March 31st, and
David would go to Italy on March 30th, Zhiyong went alone. Zhiyong
met many old friends from Champaign and other places. He had a great time
there. Thanks to all of your hospitality. He took many beautiful pictures
again. David went to Italy with his
high school band; they performed at Teatro Accademico, Castelfranco, Venezia
(Venice); at Teatro Caniere Florida, Firenze, and at S. Paolo entrole Mura,
Roma (Rome). This was his high school graduation trip to Europe, too.
In April, Zhiyong and David came
home, Guijie collected their dirty laundry and also great gifts from them and
friends. All of the gifts made her eyes fill with happy tears for many days.
Thanks again for all of your great love and kindness. Guijie finished filing
the tax return on time (barely). After
a long time searching for good roof shingles and roofers, we finally got a new
roof for our house. Our roof was ok; nothing wrong with it. We saw that our neighbors had changed their
roofs because of leaking problems. We figured that before ours got that old and
bad, it would be better to change it. It is a really nice roof, and saved us $4,000!
May, Guijie was busy with David’s graduation,
and the post prom party. Guijie was in the post prom party committee, and was
also busy looking for good laminate floor tiles and paint.
June came with David’s high school
graduation; grandma came home and celebrated with us. Our first born son left
high school! It was a wonderful occasion.
We bought the laminate flooring
for half price! It was a good brand too. Guijie was selected as a board member
for the Greater Lansing Chinese American Association. We had our summer picnic
on June 24th at Lake Lansing. It was very pleasant day except that
at the end of the party, some of us got a surprise rain shower! We had a
neighborhood garage sale at the end of June, and we did well. David went to work
at his Dad’s lab; he learned something about bees and also earned some money
for his fall college tuitions.
David got a big bee sting at the
end of June, he was swollen all over, and he couldn’t go to work. On July 4th
weekend, we went to visit the beautiful and famous Mackinaw Island. We also
visited the world’s largest locks, the Soo Locks, located in Sault Ste- Marie, and went to Canada
for lunch. On our way home, we went to the great Cherry Festival in Travis
city, and picked some cherries at a MSU research station. Zhiyong helped them
test cherry blossom nectar in the spring. So when it was harvest time, we
shared the fruit with them. We stayed at Gaylord, and passed through Petoskey
and other Great Lake cities. Lake Michigan was beautiful at this time. Unfortunately,
we didn’t have time to swim there, because Zhiyong would go to Indiana to
attend a meeting on June 5th; and David would have an orientation
the following week. He had been accepted by MSU. It was good; we would only pay
the in-state tuitions, and also at half price because Zhiyong works at MSU. By
the time Zhiyong came back from Indiana, Guijie had torn off all of the floral
wall papers, painted the dining room, and removed the old carpets. On our
friends’ instructions, Zhiyong put the laminated floor in our dining room!
Guijie had painted the family room and the computer room, removed all of the
carpet, and after she watched Zhiyong put down the first two rows of laminate floors;
she finished the rest of the family room and the computer room. At the end of
July, a friend from France came over and stayed with us for a week. We had a
lab party to welcome him. We all enjoyed the new shiny floor!
In August, Zhiyong and our French
friend went to Washington, D.C. to attend a meeting. Guijie was busy preparing
for Zhiyong’s trip to China, because right after Zhiyong’s D.C. trip, he would
go to China for three long weeks. Zhiyong went to Beijing, Hunan, and he
visited the beautiful and famous Zhang jiajie. He then stayed at Jilin bee’s
research institute, and he went to see Tian ci. Once again he took a lot of
great photos. While our busy bee was flying far away, David was busy with his
bees at home. He continued to gain working experience and made some extra bucks.
Melissa went to a sewing camp, and she made a set of pajamas, which fit the
happy mom very wellJ. Guijie finished painting the guest bedroom, and put the laminate floor
in. She went to sell Chinese food at the Lansing Folk Festival with other GLCAA
board members along with their families and other members too. It was very
successful. Guijie wanted to finish all of the other three bedrooms and the
hallway, before Zhiyong came back from China and before the kids’ school
started. So she worked from 8am till 10pm, all of the neighbors saw her lights,
heard the table saw’s great noises, and the hammer’s bang-bang sound all summer
long; poor neighbors. Melissa had helped Guijie greatly, with the cooking, shopping,
dishes, laundry, and painting. Guijie is very lucky to have a daughter like
her. At the end of August, Zhiyong flew back home. Summer was over. Poor Zhiyong,
after Guijie planted the veggies, and he watered, weeded, and fertilized them, in
August, when it was time to enjoy them, he was in China! Guijie and the kids
couldn’t eat them all, so she gave to many friends and neighbors to enjoy.
September, Zhiyong went back to
work, David rode along with him to his college classes, and Melissa started her
sophomore year of high school. Guijie finished the hallway floors on the second
floor and the stairs. She finished painting the deck. All was good and well.
In October, Zhiyong, Guijie, David
and Melissa went to the Meridian Heritage Festival, where we sold honey and bee
photos. GLCAA had a Mid-autumn Moon Celebration, and many people came. Guijie
started clearing the garden because of the frost. Professor Shen Zuorui came over,
we went to a friend’s farm and fished at his pond. Zhiyong worked on bees with
his friends. Some friends came over to see Professor Shen, and we all had a
great time.
In November, we cut down the tree
in the middle of the front yard, and also one of the pine trees by the driveway.
Guijie was tired of picking up the pine cones, raking the pine needles, and
cleaning the pine sap off of the three cars. Finally we cut the pine tree down.
We cut down the tree in the front yard because of the tiny fruits and
seedlings, the tent caterpillars, and also because it blocked the front door
view. After cutting down the trees, the house looked bigger and brighter.
Guijie finished clearing the garden, put the leaves and fertile soil in the
garden, and put the rocks around the deck. We had a German friend come over for
Thanksgiving dinner. Guijie went to her first Black Friday sale at Best Buy
with her friends. She went there at 6pm, and was number 9 in line. She bought
an eMachine computer at a very low price, and she was very happy with her
hunting. Now she’s used her new computer to write her first Chinese New Year
newsletter to all her beloved friends! Zhiyong and David went to Circuit City
and CompUSA, buying over $1000 in goodies, while Melissa slept the whole night.
In December, Zhiyong went to
Indiana for a meeting and we went to different parties every weekend! We became
party animals, and we also had a party at our home just for our grandma and
friends from the lab. While many people
were waiting to come to sing karaoke, it was just not a good time. Zhiyong had
to go to Arizona for a meeting, and also had to work day and night for his
proposals. Maybe in February we will have one.
Well, we are truly thankful that
we had a full, productive and happy year!
We love you all. Happy Chinese New
Year to all!
Zhiyong, Guijie, David, and
Melissa.
[written by Joyce, 1/23/2007. posted by Zach Dec 22, 2007, one
year later…sorry for the report to be so long…If zach has the time, he will
need to edit it down to 1/3 of its present length.]
someday I will edit this down and
link to some photos…