Edie & John Summey



Edie & John are a very special couple and friend to Adrian & myself. During Adrian's college days in Southern Illinois University (SIU) at Carbondale, he stayed with them and learned many valuable life lessons there. They have helped nurture him into the person he is today and have continued supporting him in every aspect of his life and now, mine. They're akin to our adoptive parents while our real parents are at home, thousands of miles away from us.

John is a Professor at SIU and was recently honored with the most distinguished "Teacher of the Year" Award; a recognition he fully deserved for the years of hardwork and dedication he has put it for the school and his students, both past & present.

Edie is also an accomplished educator in her own field of study and a certified professional scuba diver. Being a very experienced diver, she and John have swum with millions of underwater life and sea creatures from coral polyps to the great white shark. She has a beautiful blog about her travels to dive sites all over the world. She definitely has more albums than what is posted in there! Her underwater shots are impeccable.

They introduced me to my first American Thanksgiving in 2003.

Here's John cooking up a storm. Please beware: He is a GOOD cook! No short-cuts in the Summey kitchen. Everything is prepared, cooked & presented in a precise manner.

Roasted sweet yams with brown sugar

Roasted turkey in full regalia :)...yum, yum!


Edie & John are also avid travellers and have a GREAT sense of adventure. John is the first westerner I know who enjoys eating durians i.e. Malaysian king of fruits with thorny skin & very pungent smell. But, on this hot, dog days of summer, I turn to their vacation photos in Arctic Bay to mentally cool down... ahhh!


John & Edie next to their Qumatik (sled)



Here is Edie getting into the 28.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 0 degrees Celsius) water in the North Pole.


No live polar bear sighting (only one dead polar) so here's their own version

Polar bear foot prints!


It has been 3 years since we visited Edie & John in Carbondale. They stopped by New Jersey two years ago and we were able to return their kind hospitality.

Here's Edie enjoying M'sian food at Satay...Yes, that's kangkung belacan and beef rendang. Followed by ice-kacang. Yum!

John enjoying a simple home-cooked meal in our apartment :)


THANKS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIP!