I was sitting in front of a fire on which a partially hollow log about two meters long was lying. Although the log had been lying on the fire for quite a while and was quite hot, it hadn't actually caught fire yet. Another log (lying on top) had rolled off several times and had been put back on top by someone else here.

I decided to try to catch the log on fire; I picked up and put another smaller log atop the larger one. I blew on the log and a small flame sprung forth on the end where I was blowing.

Looking closer at the hollow log, I noticed a flat metal pan appeared to be inside the log. Some cookies were inside the pan and I realized Louise had made the cookies and put them in there for me. Some grease in the pan had caught fire.

I turned to Louise, who was in the room with me, and asked her if she could bring me a spatula with which I could take out the cookies. She said, "Yes."

She walked toward me and as she did I looked at the log again. Upon closer scrutiny I realized the end of the log had been carved to resemble a large snake with its mouth open; the cookies appeared to be in the snake's mouth. The carving was quite well done. Across the top of the snake's mouth and head were written the words "Happy Chinese New Year 1984."

The letters were pieced together one by one and apparently Louise had prepared the whole thing. I noticed all the trouble she had gone to in preparing the sign, but she had made a mistake and all the letters were turned around backwards. When I pointed out to her that she had put the letters on backwards, she said, "Oh, I made a mistake."

But the letters were still quite attractive and quite well done.