Wang Family's Blogging

今年夏天的时候,在我们家附近新开了一家健身中心（www.msta-swim.com）包括室内游泳馆, 同时开了许多小孩的游泳班。果果前两年的夏天在别处分别上了一期的半小时班，进步不是很明显。因为离家太远，也没有坚持。今年暑假，果果从第二级（海马Seahorse)开始学习。秋季开学后接着参加第三级（金鱼Goldfish)的周末班。果果现在已经可以不用帮助从小泳池的一边游到另外一边。除了侧身游方向会歪，其他的仰泳，俯泳都能达到要求。应该很快可以再升一级。

Happy Fish

Back Floating

Flutter Kick On Stomach

Breathing

游泳班的分级设置和要求。

最近天冷，遇到Camry2000启动困难的问题。拧钥匙启动时有时只听到卡达的一声没有启动机转动的声音。每次多试几次还是可以发动。网上研究了一下，知道通常是由于启动机的电磁开关连接头（Starter Solenoid Contacts) 磨损造成接触不良。此时电磁开关工作发出卡达的响声，但是没有电流流过电动机，不能带动发动机飞轮转动。从Youtube上看到更换电磁开关连接头不困难，决心自己动手早日解决问题，以免某一天真的汽车不能发动。从Amazon买来Starter Repair / Rebuild Kit for Denso，Plunger & Solenoid Contacts。花了两个半小时换好了电磁开关连接头。旧的接头已经磨损了很多，接触表面还有许多的坑坑点点，像是电火花烧的。Camry的保养手册列到八年12万迈，大概也是车子的设计寿命。车子到了设计寿命时，零件的老化（Thermostat failure), 磨损（Starter failure)就会造成普通的维护不能解决的问题。没有经验的人还是开新车来的省心。为旧车找到并解决问题只能是自得其乐。

starter

starter solenoid

old contacts,磨损严重的开关接头

最近我的Camry2000的发动机温度偏低.车开了很久,温度指示还达不到正常的驾驶温度.指针会停在四点钟位置而不是正常的三点钟位置.网上搜寻了一下,觉得是节温器(Thermostat)出了问题.如果节温器在冷却液还未达到正常温度时就开启,则会造成温度偏低的问题.从Youtube上看了一些换节温器的视频觉得难度不大,决定自己动手.从O’reilly买来thermostat,垫圈(gasket)以及与Camry匹配的红色冷却液(coolant).用了一是下午放空了冷却液，用水清洗了冷却系统，更换了新的节温器，加了新的冷却液。一切搞定后开车出去转了一圈，温度指示很快达到正常，原来的问题消失了。换下来的节温器外表看不出问题，也许有部分老化了。本次DIY的麻烦在于处理换下的冷却液。因冷却液有毒不能倒入排水系统，只好用容器收集了以后送到专门的收集站了。

Ashely got her achievement report from Challenger School. It was the report for the first term of her first grade in Challenger School. The report major subjects included language arts, mathematics, science, logic and history/geography. Ancillary subjects included penmanship, music, art, sports, comportment. Except for the sports, which requires to pull up on monkey bar until chin above the bar, Ashley got all A or Excellent scores. Ashley is actually very good at playing on monkey bars. She said she will practice the pull-up more to get good result in next term. Dad and mom are very happy with Ashley’s achievements.

果果自从一个多月前感冒后就开始咳嗽。感冒好了以后咳嗽却一直没好。儿科医生认为是过敏引起的，除了开了一些普通的抗过敏药(Claritin)之外也没有什么对策。周二见了过敏专家。医生听了果果肺部声音很健康，认为干咳应该不是需要立刻就医的急性炎症。如果是急性炎症， 在短时间内会恶化或好转，如果是慢性支气管炎，咳嗽会有痰。 医生说慢性咳嗽可能有三种原因，一是哮喘(Asthma)，二是过敏(Allergy)引起，三是慢性鼻窦炎(chronic sinusitis)。通过类似测肺活量的吹气测试，果果的肺活量达到了同龄平均的129%。气管和支气管的容量都有所下降，显示可能是哮喘。果果还做了过敏测试。在背后的皮肤上画上十几个一厘米见方的网格，然后用沾有测试液的针头在每个网格的中心扎一下。十分钟后检查小格中皮肤红肿的尺寸。果果对虫螨、花粉的反应都不大，只对狗有强的过敏反应。我们家没有养狗，果果没有机会接触过敏源，因此可诊断咳嗽不是由过敏引起。诊断慢性鼻窦炎需要照Ｘ光。如确诊可以用针对的抗生素医治。为避免不必要的辐射，医生建议先按照哮喘来医治，一个月后复诊如果没有痊愈再查鼻窦炎。医生开了治哮喘的两种药，一是ＱＶＡＲ (Beclomethasone Dipropionate HFA)每天定时吸入两次，二是Ｘｏｐｅｎｅｘ　ＨＦＡ　（ｌｅｖａｌｂｕｔｅｒｏｌｔａｒｔｒａｔｅ）在运动前十分钟吸入，用于暂时扩张气管，减少哮喘对运动的影响。

虽然总是咳嗽，果果情绪一点都不受影响，每天照样开开心心地上学读书和玩耍。

Today, I had the best day ever. I had a Chinese Test. I got a bag of candy because I got the most stamps on my book. Before I had my turn to read, there was a writing test. After the test, I waited patiently for my turn to read. Another girl was reading with me. After our turn, we got grades. Both of us got an A+ as our grade. Then, we left. My mom was happy to see that I got a prize. We had a fun time.

The next exciting thing at the end of the day was when I had my piano concert. I played two songs:Etude and Chinese Song. After everyone played the piano, we got a bag of Christmas Presents. Inside my bag, I had a box of chocolates and 3 Christmas Tree decorations. Miss Eugena said that I did a wonderful job. I had a fun day.

Yesterday, I had  a dream that my International U.S. Open Piano Competition  started. All the competitors played 1,2, or 3 pieces. I played the two pieces called:Gavotte and After the Ball. Afterwards, I won 4th place. I had a good dream.

Today, I went to the San Jose Public Library. I borrowed 5 rainbow magic fairy books. My mom borrowed 3 adult books. There were lots of books on the shelves. I was very happy. I heard people play games on the computers. I checked my books out and went home. I felt happy reading the books. They had excellent stories.

Ashley has good relationship with her mom. Once Ashley made her hair look exactly like her mom. She did what her mom did. Her mom even did what Ashley did. They followed each other,they also knew about each other too. They had a good time. They had bad relationship with dad though but Ashley and her mom had a good time staying and being together. Ashley’s favorite color is pink and her mom’s favorite  color is lavender.

Who is the bookworm today? Definitely, the answer is Ashley Wang.

She and mom went to library yesterday and she found the right books for her: Rainbow magic series by Daisy Meadows. All 5 books are chapter ones and they exactly match Ashley’s reading level. Ashley is so excited and obsessed to read immediately after she got these books.

She read in the car for swimming class, she read in the pumpkin patch while other kids are playing, she keeps reading while waiting for seats in the restaurant, she reads before bedtime, and start to read when she opens her eyes in the bed. Only within one day, she finishes all 5 books and very happy.

She wrote, “I love to read because my mom loved reading as well”. I was so honored by her words. Absolutely, I’m very proud of her good reading habit. It’s fun to plunge into reading, she can learn a lot there.