Texas Roundup 2009

[Henry and Mei]

Hey, I am the eternal optimist. Heck beats the alternative.

 

And since we have at least one common bond with obaining or trying to obtain a visa for our Chinese loved ones, how do we get together?

 

Texas is not known for being the Friendship state for nothing.

 

I am guessing that by the Fall, I will have my fiance here.

 

And it looks like Randy W organized the last one in Dec. 2007/Jan 2008 in La Grange. We have a couple of ranches near there and have plenty of deer sausage........maybe something a little different for the ladies...

 

But anyway, 2007 is much too long ago.....

 

So help me out on how to get one of these things going. This process in many ways is stressful, so I would like to meet those that made the journey.

 

And it seems the purview here at CFL is better than VJ. Why is that?

 

Does going through the Guangzhou experience simply require more diligence than other Consulates?

 

Or we just love our ladies more....

[Randy W]

I figured someone would have responded by now - I had lost sight of it. We're not a very cohesive bunch, but we have gotten together a few times. That was actually Jim (SinoTexas) who put together the La Grange thing. That was a favorite place of his. I'm the original "gave a party and no one came" guy.

 

You're a little bit far out of the way, but Houston has a big Chinatown that you may find worth your while to come to.

[Henry and Mei]

Thanks, Randy......

 

MS is having issues right now with my Acer computer I bought in China due to the XP version. Didn't want the bundled Vista, so they installed XP for me and now it seems that MS has blocked my COM port for my modem. So anyway, I got back yesterday and saw your reply.

 

And once I get these glitches fixed may ask Dylan to take over the Timelines, since it is a very useful tool to have a hint what is going on timewise here and at GUZ.

 

Really excited in a weird way I guess to get past this process although my fiancee constantly hears of our struggling economy and that few visa are getting issued. I have to assure her not to worry......

 

And for what I have gone through to find Mei, everything else in my life is SIMPLY easy......

 

But reading last night about Brokenheart, just makes me feel grateful to be in the game and fortunate that my fiance on some levels is able to understand it. Working hard to learn English and simply believe.

 

Our only issues have been over what see feels is in my best interest in China. Although this has brought about a few differences in opinion, we both are on the same page with the same goals and undying desire....besides being best friends, we are on the same team.

 

And when I saw someone recently write "TIC" for "This Is China", it really made me laugh, since I have heard Mei tell me this phrase a lot....

 

We can only feel for those forging ahead, sometimes with success and sometimes not so much, but I constantly see the need for us here to work together and also get together, if possible.....

 

Anyway, my thoughts......

 

Henry

[sleepless in Houston&CQ]

Yo Henry first I should say howdy and welcome to CFL

wonderland..... I don't get on here much anymore.

 

Someone higher up the food chain and Obama wanted change,

seems they got it

 

As Randy.... kinda hinted most of us are busy in our on

little part of God's country known as TEXAS.

With my lovely wife going to College and me busy trying to

get all the bail out money the two Auto Mfgs would spend.

Well time is something we have little of right now....

but........................

summer is coming and the bail out money is gone

My golf clubs are cleaned and I'm ready to play with some balls

and have a few cool drinks with those funny lit tooth picks in them

 

#1 As I recall Andrew "urkiddin" did the first one with BBQ at Bear Creek Park.....

ok maybe that wasn't the name??

 

#2 Jim did a get together down in La Grange....

just a hop and a skip away from where the Chicken Ranch use to be

#3 we did a get together at our home out here next to

CutnShoot.... "

Edited May 1, 2009 by sleepless in Houston&CQ (see edit history)

[Henry and Mei]

Thank you and howdy.....noticed several Texans here and Sebastian was one of the first to give me some helpful advice.....

 

Easy to say, I have never been so busy, but it helps right now, since Mei is not here. The recent drought cost me some cows, which has me bottle feeding calves every morning and evening. Still do a crazy canoe race called the Texas Water Safari, some 260 non-stop miles of paddling in a couple of days in June. Running my father's limo business on the weekends.....and of course, simply the grind.......

 

But I still manage every Tuesday to play golf with my Dad in Ganado and give back most of the money I made playing in scrambles last year (won 20 out of 22 times).

 

I have a small ranch here in Victoria that is suited for parties and get togethers like playing volleyball, shooting skeet, playing basketball, hot tubbing to name a few.......

 

Have several strengths, but learning the Chinese language is not one of them, so I have started networking with my friends to make sure Mei has several Chinese women here to talk to and feel at home.

 

Nothing I can do right now to prepare her for living here. Had hoped to time having my first marriage with my parent's 50th wedding anniversary and the Safari, but it looks like I did not time everything perfectly, but things will work out........

 

Anyway, I did not know how to get us together except throw it out there, since I see doing this is probably more helpful for our ladies than us guys....but good also for us to simply kick back and enjoy our favorite beverage and share a few stories and possibly even slideshows or videos.

 

I have been fortunate to have traveled around the world now 4 times, but I cannot get enough of China.

 

Never have felt so comfortable and treated so kindly and with so much respect. Many times just walking down the streets of China in so many cities, I felt like a celebrity..... and that is with spending about 3 months in China and seeing only a handful of Americans. Most of the time I would go for days with seeing another American. Still I was greeted with so many smiles and politeness.....sometimes almost mystified me....

 

Hope Mei can feel as good about America......

[Urkidding]

Awwwh heck Henry¡­

 

You and your Mei will be just fine, but remember you¡¯ll have to bring her to Houston every other week to get staples and supplies for her Chinese cooking. I don¡¯t believe there are any Chinese stores in Victoria if I remember correctly. Being your half way between Houston and Corpus Christi I would expect you to come visit us here in Houston.

 

Like Bobby said, we¡¯ve had our fair share of get togethers and what we need is some fresh blood and an excuse to do it again.

 

Sounds like you having some fun down there too. It sounds like you got your hands full between those cows and your dad¡¯s work.

 

Lets us know if you want to do something there on the farm. I¡¯m sure our Chinese wives would be interested in seeing the ¡°other side¡± of Texas. Heck my little boy would have a blast down there on the farm.

 

And welcome to CFL too!

 

Andrew (in Katy, TX)

[Urkidding]

oh yea... Bear Creek Park is under water from last weekend's gully washer... It seems we got between 8" - 10" inches of rain in less than 5 hours.

 

Rain gage stops at 6".

[Henry and Mei]

Awwwh heck Henry¡­

 

You and your Mei will be just fine, but remember you¡¯ll have to bring her to Houston every other week to get staples and supplies for her Chinese cooking. I don¡¯t believe there are any Chinese stores in Victoria if I remember correctly. Being your half way between Houston and Corpus Christi I would expect you to come visit us here in Houston.

 

Like Bobby said, we¡¯ve had our fair share of get togethers and what we need is some fresh blood and an excuse to do it again.

 

Sounds like you having some fun down there too. It sounds like you got your hands full between those cows and your dad¡¯s work.

 

Lets us know if you want to do something there on the farm. I¡¯m sure our Chinese wives would be interested in seeing the ¡°other side¡± of Texas. Heck my little boy would have a blast down there on the farm.

 

And welcome to CFL too!

 

Andrew (in Katy, TX)

 

Sounds great.......we can all meet here. I have plenty of room and if someone can't drive home afterwards, I have a couple of guest rooms.

 

Just finished feeding the calves, your son I am sure would have fun with that. I am heading off to one of our biggest canoe races in Texas called the Prelim. Basically sets up the pole position like Nascar for the Water safari. I have proms to drive for this weekend, so I am only making a token appearance....before the Big Dance in June. I have already purchased a race canoe for Mei, but if some of the wives want to learn to paddle a canoe, they can. There are lakes and rivers nearby my home. The women competition in Texas is not very deep.

 

And my friend Howard specifically needed a woman that could cook for him. I am just the opposite and with Mei working up the corporate ladder so to speak, she really cannot cook much. She has already warned me....but I was not looking for a cook...

 

But I am looking forward to seeing Chinatown. Have ran the Houston Marathon and remember running by it, but that is about it. Look forward to the visit and increasing my knowledge of Chinese cooking and dishes.......

 

Okay, let us plan on doing this in the early Fall and help me coordinate with all that are interested....

 

Thank you..... My family, friends and neighbors cannot wait to meet Mei, but I think she will also like seeing how we Texans that have married amazing Chinese wives share our experiences and cook

 

I like doing the BBQ thing on the outside pits.....

 

Hope to see everyone soon.