How are you? Have you had a good week? I do hope you are well and have a relaxed and easy weekend.

Days ago a fire happened on the first floor of our office building in the restaurant. For keeping our company in a safe way, the restaurant has been stopped most of its business. Meanwhile the people in the company have lost the place to have their lunch as usual.

The administration office has ordered a room in another restaurant for several company managers. I still keep walking back home to have my lunch as long as time allows. Since I handed my last researching report, I don't need to be in my office in the weekend or stay there for 15 to 18 hours from the dark morning until the dark night. So, instead of driving, I often have a walk in the avenues to walk among the green trees and beautiful flowers in the spring season. One side, to add some exercise time for the morning running is too short; the other side, I want to cook in person.

Since my son went abroad in 2002, my eating way has changed quite simple. When I had to work on something tightly, I just ordered some food from some restaurant via a phone call.

However, one midnight, an extra uncomfortable feeling made me vomit the whole of the food in my stomach. That really made me wanting to cook by myself. Then, during my travel in the Chinese New Year's time, when I sat among my family to eat the first lunch, an especially warm feeling came into my heart. And I suddenly felt that I have had a family, and the warm feeling has really made me want to have a real family. So, now I want to prepare for the dream even though I have not known where the other one is yet.

Anyway, I must learn to do something to make myself to be a phoenix tree at the first. Then, maybe another phoenix in my dream would fly to me for the sweet smell from the beautiful phoenix tree?

I had cooked for my son for 15 years before he went abroad. There was not any family around me since he was 46 days old. I just read a book to learn what I should cook for him in his different growing up time. I remember when he was 3 months old, I fed him to eat yolk for the first time, he even did not know how to eat things from a spoon. For knowing my duty clear, I took my ID with me everywhere for I wanted people to know who I was, where I lived and to feed my baby in case any accident happened to me. Cooking was really the most important thing for me at that time indeed.

Now, I have forgotten most of the cooking ways that I had learned, I do not think it is difficult more than painting and singing. So, I am confident of myself becoming a good chef soon. Saturday evening, I cooked my first dumpling won ton for my vocal music teacher; she did enjoy it and said the taste was good.

Do you enjoy eating and cooking? What is your favorite food?

I am just a learner on art, music, English, French and the work on the web site in my free time. Anyway, I would really like to do a little bit things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be An Electronic Bridge Of Culture Exchange, Friendship and Language Learning. During the process to help the others and to improve myself.

I do appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your great help continuously now and in the coming time...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirleyz004@yahoo.com or shirley@ebridge.cn . You are welcomed to publish your opinions in the forum.

--Shirley
Written and Edited on Sun, March, 25, 2007