Statue of the Thinker

Marshall,
I visited a school in Taipei yesterday. The volleyball and soccer teams went up there for some competition with Taipei American School, our "rival". The volleyball team won a VERY close match!
Well, I took this picture of a cool statue they had there. The girl is one of my students...her name is Jareena and she is very funny. When I put Far Side comics up (ask Paw Tom about those!), she makes funny comments. Anyway, this statue is good to have in a school because school makes you THINK. Are you learning neat stuff with your classes?
One time your Mom gave me a gift that was like this statue, but it was much smaller. I used to keep it on my school desk. Sadly, one of my students accidentally knocked it off and broke it. Oops!
I hope you're having a great Sunday!
Love you!
Uncle Mut

Frisbee

Marshall,
I've enjoyed imagining you playing soccer with your team. It sounds like fun!
In my P.E. class, we're playing a game that's like soccer in a way. It's called "Ultimate Frisbee" and it's a lot of fun, too. You throw the frisbee to your teammate, and if they catch it, you run down the field so they can throw it to you. You can't run with the frisbee...you have to throw it.
The only bad thing is that it is SUPER SUPER SUPER hot these days, so it's hard work. : )
I can teach you how to play sometime.
Miss you!
Love,
Uncle Mut

Fireworks in September

Marshall,
Hi again! I wanted to send you this picture I took from the roof of my apartment building tonight. Do you remember the fireworks we saw this summer? That was on the fourth of July. But here in Taiwan, fireworks are common at all different times of the year. Anytime there is going to be a "moon festival", people all over the city will light fireworks through the night. It can get pretty loud sometimes. You would like to see them and hear them, I'm sure.
I love you and miss you!
I hope your soccer game went well!
Uncle Mut

Spider

Marshall,
Can you see the spider? Look carefully.
Do you know how spiders make their webs? Now that you're in school, you should ask one of your teachers that. Ask your Mom, or ask Nana Jan in Spanish, or ask your Dad, or ask Paw Tom. Paw Tom would LOVE to explain it, I'm sure.
I think spiders are pretty neat.
Love you!
Uncle Mut

Davey Jones the Gecko!

Marshall,
Unlike that last picture of a dinosaur, this picture is of a REAL reptile! This is Davey Jones, the gecko that lives in my classroom. He usually says "Good Morning" to me during 3rd period of the day...he makes this sound that's very loud and like a deep song. He's very shy to be around people, though, so it's difficult to get a picture of him.
Can you see him here? He was running away from the camera and hiding under the doorway, but I took his picture anyway.
His name is Davey Jones because my students voted and gave him that name last year.
You would like him!
Love you,
Uncle Mut

Dinosaur!

Marshall,
Today all the teachers at my school went on a retreat. A "retreat" is a time away from the normal things you do...a time when you can relax and think about your life. We spent a lot of time praying to God for our students, and we also spent some time alone.
Well, the park where we went had a few "dinosaurs" around. Of course, they weren't really alive, but they still looked pretty scary. I thought I would send you a picture of one of them. Neat, eh?
I love you very much and miss you!
Please tell everyone there that I miss them and love them.
Uncle Mut

Softball

Marshall,
I saw the picture of you playing soccer (SO COOL!) and I thought I would send you a picture of what's going on in my P.E. class. We just finished a unit on softball, and we had fun. I didn't play, but I watched. I was also the umpire.
Now I'm teaching them how to play a game called "Ultimate Frisbee"--maybe your Dad can teach you how to throw a frisbee and we can play next summer. What do you think?
I LOVE YOU!
Thanks for all your wonderful blog entries! It makes me happy to think of you.
Hugs for everyone,
Uncle Mut

Is this a new species?

Marshall,
I was walking across the plaza this evening and I saw this sight. There was a chair sitting on a branch in the tree! Can you believe it? How do you think it got there?
Maybe a bird got tired of standing on the branch and decided to buy a chair. Or maybe a monkey lives in that tree, but forgot to put his chair away. Hmmmm...it's a mystery.
I love you!
Uncle Mut

30 years ago today...

Marshall,
Today is your Uncle Dave's birthday! Please give him a big hug from me when you see him! And don't forget to wish him a "Happy Birthday"...can you believe he's 30? Time flies.
The first memory in my life was the day that Uncle Dave was born. I remember sitting in the car with your Mom (she was really little...around Stewart's age then...and very cute) in front of the hospital. We waved up at the window and we were both so happy that we had a little brother. The story goes that he was born so fast that the doctor had a difficult time catching him! He was always full of energy when he was little, so that doesn't surprise me.
Enjoy the special day!
Love,
Uncle Mut

Recycling Neighbors

Marshall,
Here in Taiwan, recycling is VERY important. Everyone is required to recycle all of their trash into different groups. So instead of putting all of your trash, you must separate the plastic, the paper, the glass, the metal, and the food scraps. In my apartment building, I could get a really expensive fine if I don't recycle.
Well, some of my neighbors were doing some major recycling, and so I took a picture. When I took the camera out, there were four ladies in the picture, but three of them ran away from the camera! I guess they didn't want you to see them! Ha, ha, ha. Look at all of the bags of plastic containers! Wow!
I love you!
Uncle Mut

Found it!

Marshall,
I found my lost head. It was in the mirror of my scooter, underneath my helmet, in front of my favorite Taiwan bread store. I hadn't thought to look there before, but there it was!
That will make tomorrow easier, don't you think? It's difficult to go around without a head!
: )
Love,
Uncle Mut

Where's my head? Hmmmmm...

Marshall,
In my apartment building, there is an elevator. I live on the ninth floor; I'm very happy that I have an elevator and I don't have to climb the stairs to get to my apartment. That would be very tiring.
Anyway, I took a picture of the inside of the elevator, but something happened to my head. I couldn't find it! And I got a whole lot skinnier somehow. Can you explain this to me? I'm confused.
I love you!
Please give everyone a big hug from me!
Uncle Mut

P.S. Are you always obeying your Mom and Dad? I hope so.
P.P.S. I'm SO proud of you!

Volleyball team

Marshall,
This is a picture of the volleyball team I am helping. I am the assistant coach. They are all very nice girls and they are improving all the time. Yesterday we had two matches. We lost the first match but then we won the second one. So we're improving, which is one of our goals. Do you like volleyball? Maybe we can play that next summer when I visit again.
Guess what?
That's right, good guess. I LOVE YOU!
Uncle Mut

41-10

Marshall,
Did you hear that the Colts won? I didn't get to watch the game, but I heard about it. Was it fun being downtown before the game? Did you see any players? I like the picture you put on your blog. Here's another one. But I didn't take it because I wasn't there. I just borrowed the picture from the internet. Cool picture, eh?
I love you and miss you!
Uncle Mut

Downpour

Marshall,
I heard that you had a great first day of school! That's awesome! I want to hear all about it...about what you're learning and what you like the most. Don't forget to keep taking pictures, OK? Also, make sure that you do all your work!
Here in Taiwan, when it rains, it usually comes down really hard! Today we had a really short but intense downpour. It was like a flood of water falling from the sky. Then, half an hour later, it was gone. You can see in this picture how amazing the rain is.
Do you like the rain? Do you like storms? I do. I know that Nana Jan likes storms, too.
Please tell everyone that I miss each one of you.
I love you!
Uncle Mut

Guarding the Firewood

Marshall,
I had to go in to school to make some copies this afternoon, and when I was leaving, there was a group of kids guarding some firewood. They didn't want any big people to come and steal the wood. I didn't get the whole story, but apparently, there are people who like to steal firewood. These people must not have enough of their own firewood to make fires. Anyway, they were doing a good job guarding the firewood. Then I took their picture and they all left. I didn't understand why they left. Maybe when I took the picture of them guarding the firewood, they felt like it was safe. Any ideas?
Love you!
Uncle Mut

Fish!

Dear Marshall,
I went to the market today and even though I didn't buy any fish, I thought you'd enjoy seeing this picture of some of them. They are dead already and are on display. Right behind this vendor, there is a stall with chickens in cages. They are still alive, but if you want fresh chicken for dinner, they are available. I didn't take a picture of them...they look very sad in their cages.
I have some funny friends who won't buy chicken at this market, but they will buy chicken at the grocery store across the street. Isn't that funny?
Guess what? (I'll wait until you guess...)

THAT'S right...I DO love you! Good guess!
Uncle Mut

Fire Station

Marshall,
Do you know how Uncle Dave is training to be a fire fighter? Well, if he is hired, he will be riding on big fire trucks. Here in Taiwan, the fire trucks are VERY LOUD, but they look a bit different. Also, there are funny animated characters on the building where the fire trucks are--like cartoons. Here is a picture of the station near my apartment.
Love you!
Uncle Mut