November 1, 2011 (Singapore)

IT'S BETTER FOR YOU THAN CAPT. CRUNCH: For the second day in a row, I had a fried vegetarian bee hoon for breakfast. It's pictured above. It includes (according to the menu description) "wok-fried rice vermicelli with white cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, bean sprouts and deep-fried dried bean curd." That's the curd, sitting on top.
Anxiety bubbled up when I first ordered it, because the waitress swept away from my place setting the fork, knife and spoon. She replaced it with the chopsticks. I had gotten fairly proficient during the four-month stay last February to May. Hmmm. Happy to report, it is just like riding a bicycle! After a few wobbles, the sticks worked just fine. Even so, Sandy, safely out of harm's way in the background, had some training wheels ready, just in case.

THEY CALL IT SINGLISH: The language lessons continue with the Straits Times. The headline pictured above in today's paper uses the word "mozzies." Twice. The word is the nickname for mosquitoes, a life-form of great interest in Southeast Asia. For a similar article, the International Herald Tribune had as its headline: "To curb dengue fever, a sneak attack on the main culprit." Basically, scientists are hoping that some genetically engineered mosquitoes will be willing and able to kill their own children. All things going well, the adults will pass a lethal gene on to their offspring, who will, in turn, die before reaching adulthood. This could cause the ultimate generation gap.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN MASSACHUSETTS: Last weekend's storm did plenty of damage in Massachusetts, and thousands are still without power. I think Jo and Huck are still powerless in Worcester, but they do have water and gas for the stove and hot-water system.
Damage to trees in Winchester was significant, but power problems are apparently minimal. We got a glimpse of what the storm did to two trees in front of our house. They were snapped off at the 10-foot height. We're sorry to see them go.
Thanks to Paul Donahue for sending the photo. Vicious rains here the last two days, but no wet, heavy snow (of course).