Jaci Dawn

Gung Hay Fat Choy.

That was always written on the chalkboard by the back door in my childhood home on February 2nd. My dad loved Chinese New Year. I think he liked it mostly for the “Fat Choy” part. I never quite understood why it stood out to him but the memory persists even though the Chinese New year always changes dates. It runs from sometime in January or February to the following January or February. I still celebrate it eve though Dad has been gone since 2011 and I can’t remember the last time he uttered those word, “Gung Hay Fay Choy!”

I was born in The Year of the Monkey. I despise monkeys. There was a woman who lived across the street from us when I was in Middle School. Her name was (ironically) Jackie. She had a “pet” spider monkey. Monkeys do not make pets. They have incisors. They fling feces at people. They can be cannibalistic. I hated that monkey as much as it hated the neighborhood children. When it would escape, it would sit on the wires over the places where we would play and it would fling feces at us and bare its yellowed and sharp canines. Our parents would have to call the fire department which, in turn, would have to contact Jackie so she could corral the little monster. If you like monkeys, kindly do not comment. I despise all monkeys.

I had a brilliant idea this year. The Chinese horoscope has twelve Zodiac animals. I painted Zodiac animals for my daughter-in-love, her brother and his wife, and their combined children plus my son’s children by his first wife. They just received the package I mailed (in hopes of arriving on 2/1/22, Chinese New Years’ for 2022). Simple cards.

2022 is The Year of the Tiger Our son was a Tiger.

These were simple cards. I hope my attempt at Chinese characters passes muster. I also hope my grandchildren and great nieces treasure these.