Death

It welcomes us all at some point.  I have been kicking this post around for almost a month now.  Wait!  I know I have become quite laggy at posts but this one I seriously had to wait on.

Michelle, I just got your advent.  I am glad you got my post cards.

Will, I had a great time visiting you and the Mrs'.

Yu, thanks for showing us around Tokyo.  It was a blast.

Cameron, Yuan and Katherine.... I hope to catch you on one of my travels or one of yours.

Before I delve into my trip to South Korea and Japan (future posts... fo'real).  I do have one thing to say:  My aunt passed. Some people may be thinking, oh her aunt that's sad.  It is sad especially since my aunt raised me from infancy through my teen years.  She was the one to rush me to the hospital when I had a seizure.  She was the one that got called to the principal's office when I was bad.  She was my mom away from my real mom.

Mazatlan

Our second port of call was Mazatlan.  We all stopped and paused for the obligatory tourist picture.  Our activities for the day involved an estuary tour, a "Mexican Limo" ride along the beach to our lunch time destination followed by lounging on the beach.  And the entire tour had free beer: Tecate.  

Puerto Vallarta

When we arrived at port there were photographers ready to snap your picture with, I assume, what they want foreigners to portray as an authentic person from each port of call.  I managed to get away unscathed at the first port of call.  My mom, not so lucky.  But after my first dodge attempt I did pose with the family.  It's something to remember the trip by and my mom enjoyed taking the pictures.  At least I thought so.

Crown Princess

 So, I made it back home safe from my cruise.  I have mixed feelings about the cruise; rather I have mixed feelings about cruising specifically.  I enjoyed my shore excursions.  So here are a few pictures from/of the boat and I will detail the good, the bad and the ugly for you.  My cruise was a 7 day cruise down to the Mexican Riviera (I didn't know there was a Mexican Riviera).  We had three ports that we stopped in not counting the one we departed from; San Pedro.  Our first stop was all the way down in Puerto Vallarta, followed by Mazatlan, finally a short stop in Cabo San Lucas.  So that was three full days out at sea, on a boat with a few thousand other humans.

Day 6 - West Maui

Punalau Beach

This was our final day of adventuring.  So we decided to go as far into West Maui as possible without breaking our car rental contract.  The picture above was a little turn off that we were able to stop at before turning around to avoid the 'danger' zone of driving. 

Day 5 - Road to Hana (Part 2)

Obligatory photo of mile marker 0

We had so much fun on our way to Hana the first day that we didn't quite make it there.  So for Thanksgiving Day, we spent driving the Road to Hana again!  Much less traffic and tourists, I guess most folks spend their day gorging themselves on food.  We spent our day enjoying the lovely drive and frolicking on trails and several different beaches.

Day 2 - Road to Hana (Part 1)

Day two in Maui started off quite early for us, it was still dark!  We wanted to get an early start to get to the start of the Road to Hana.  We wanted to leave early enough to beat any crowds and still enjoy the drive and scenery.  And also to enjoy a little zip-lining (more on that later).  I have read several places that taking your time and not rushing the drive allows you the benefit of fully enjoying the Hana Highway.  Though we didn't make it all the way to the end on this day, we were able to revisit the Hana Highway again during our trip.

Start of the Twin Falls Hike.

Day 1 - South Maui

Our first morning in Maui we all woke up quite early due to the time difference.  I kept hearing noise and had a difficult time trying to get back to sleep.  I decided it would be a bright idea to walk down to the beach and enjoy the wee hours before Mr. Sun decided to wake everything up.  It was quiet, aside from a few birds and not a single soul could be seen up and down the coast from where I was.  I noticed the Pacific Ocean wasn't nearly as fishy smelling as it is back home.  So I had to taste it; not as salty either, I wondered why.  If I wanted to know the answer I would have consulted the all knowing Internet.... but I just wanted to enjoy the morning, sitting alone, contemplating life and watching the water.

The Litter Box

I can't quite recall if the question was, "Why is there a litter box here?" or "Is there a cat here?"  Either way the question took me off guard when we first stepped foot in the condo we rented during our stay on Maui.  

We had risen before the sun the day we left for Maui and by the time we got to our destination it was well beyond our normal bed time.  Not to mention fatigue from travel and excitement!  My aunt probably dislikes cats more than I do.  I dislike them because I am a dog person and I am allergic to cats.  My aunt HATES cats, not sure what it is but she isn't too big a fan of animals, her loss I think.  But I think her fatigue was in part to blame for the confusion that ensued.

Upon entering the condo my aunt noticed a box near the front door under the coat rack.  This is what she saw:

Not a litter box!

Die-uh-bee-tus

Diabetes sucks, runs in the family but from what I gather it can happen to anyone if they let their weight climb above what is normal.  Let me clarify, I am talking Type 2 Diabetes.  My grandmother lived a long life for someone who had Type 2.  Though, she did succumb to complications of diabetes (coupled with the incompetence of the hospital she was at).  My grandmother ended up in an out of the hospital for about two weeks before they finally amputated her leg.  Her old, frail body just didn't bounce back so well after the surgery and she passed away.

I don't want to go out suffering like that and I don't want any other relatives to suffer the same fate.  My mom and sister are right on the border edge of Type 2 if they don't watch their diet and health; they will end up with diabetes.  But my uncle who is more like a brother than an uncle has had Type 2 for some time now.  Though it's sad to say, I have always known in the back of my mind he would probably be the first to go out of my grandmother's children from natural causes.  Diabetes is a bitch and you gotta stay on top of your diet and medications to control it.

My uncle is still just a big kid.

Enrichment, it's a necessity of life. (Part 2)

This is a continuation to part 1, I have been on holiday and busy with life so I am a tad behind.  Not to fear, Hawaii story time will be on it's way soon enough.

At one point I even took Andy with me to have breakfast and just chat.  I tried to explain things that are important to me.  I tried to find out what is important to him and how we can function more smoothly as a family unit.  I think I bored him to death but at least he enjoyed his pancakes that were drowned in syrup.  Maybe the breakfast and chat was more for me but I am hoping he listened not just heard some of what I had to say.  I am also trying to be receptive to what he has to say but it's so hard when he is obviously lying.  He isn't very good at lying either, he should just give up and come clean about stuff.  During our breakfast I asked him if he wanted to carve pumpkins for Halloween.  Guess what he said, go on, guess.....

Foot in mouth disease, I have it.

"Because I am hard, you will not like me.  But the more you hate me, the more you will learn.  I am hard but I am fair." - Gunnery Sergeant Hartman

I looked back in my posts to see if I had written the story of how my father gave me away as an infant. But I couldn't find the story.  Suffice to say when I was a baby my father, who was kind enough to pass on his legacy of lunacy sprinkled evenly among his fine children, gave me away to my grandmother.  Story goes, my father threatened to steal me away to Mexico but my mom wouldn't have it.  And then the details are a little blurry.  My mother stayed with my father and agreed to give me up to live with my grandmother.  Something about a suicide threat from my father bla, bla, bla.  My grandmother's youngest child at the time was just about to graduate high school.  So she was young enough to take on a baby in the house.  With the help of my aunt and uncles I was raised in my grandmother's house.

In my about I talk about my gramps suffering from Michael J. Fox disease with a little extra dose of Alzheimer's.  My aunt ended up having to quit her job to help care for me and my grandfather whose health deteriorated at a rapid rate.  When my aunt stopped working she pretty much became my, "Sir! Yes, sir!" or as I affectionately called her, "Mommy-tia."  She was hard on me because I needed to learn.  She was hard on me because I was difficult.  She was hard on me because I had to grow up and function as a normal member of society.  Though now I thank her stern, rigid way of disciplining me.  I also know that some of my hang-ups and hiccups in personality probably stem from abandonment issues and authoritarian parenting by my guardian.  Pile some of that on top of some of the traits my dad left behind, which if diagnosed would land him in a category close to my own.  If not the same category I was diagnosed as when I was still too young and angry to make use of my therapy.

Cultural Exchange

I know I have mentioned having a Chinese exchange student.  He is now back in China, going to middle school.  You also heard some of the horror stories involving shitty shifty phone companies and my step-son taking things without asking.  This is actually the flip side; good stuff that we did while he was here.

Back home in China he is an only child without pets.  He warmed up to my little doggies pretty fast.  And for as much as my dogs hate kids, they warmed up to him too.  I laughed when I heard him say to the dogs for yapping, "Oh, you crazy!  Be quiet.  I think maybe you are crazy from Andy."  I laughed so hard, he finally started to catch our sense of humor and tried to make a joke too. 

And yet I tolerate you....

Recently a title suggestion for my blog made me chuckle, "Domestic Adventures of a Reluctant Stepmom".  Except it feels more like misadventurous adventures than anything else.  Reluctant yes, very, if I had a crystal ball that let me peer into the now about two months ago when the bomb was dropped.  Would I have high-tailed it to the hills of Rome?  Or would I be experiencing these misadventures still?

"See, I want to believe you

And I wanted to trust you

And I want to have faith to

Put away the dagger

But you lie, cheat and steal"

My momma was on welfare.

So now that the blind rage has subsided, I will have to agree with one of the comments on my previous post; it all boils down to the parents.  Parents are the ones who are responsible for feeding their children healthy and nutritious meals.  And before anyone that may pop by and reads decides to give me an earful for getting pissy over government aide: my mom was a recipient of AFDC and Foodstamps when I was a young little whipper snapper.  Just so you all know, I am not sitting high on my affluent soapbox talking down to the poor.  I know poor and I never want to be there again.  I work hard so I don't find myself having to ask the public for help.

Movin' to the country....

....gonna eat me a lot of peaches

Yep, just got the call that I am approved to move in July 12th to Country Oaks.  This was my second choice, the first one didn't work out.  This place is slightly more expensive than my first choice.  The location is pretty choice though.  It's literally around the block from my gym and there are 2 big grocery stores within a 5 minute walk.  It's also just down the way from the elementary school Joey's kiddo will be attending (if he stays longer than just for the summer).

I will be leaving La Vista's loft that I pay $908 for and will be paying $1145 for a 2-bedroom apartment.  I am glad to be leaving La Vista, they make it out to be a really nice place to live.  Honestly it's pretty ghetto and their maintenance staff works at neck breaking snail speeds.  I inquired about moving into a bigger place and they charge $1345 for their 2-bedroom apartments.  They are more expensive and are all around suckier.  The new place has outside storage AND a spot to hook up a washer/dryer.  Fuck yes!  No more laundromat. 

So now the dreaded packing and cleaning shall commence.  I really hate moving but you gotta do it sometimes.  Maybe if I remember to do it I will do a video tour of the new place.  Ack, I just realized I gotta get on the task of switching my utilities over to the new place.  I suppose I should quit farting around on the internet and get to doing what I need to get done.

Health Screenings

Aside from the work enforced piss and TB test, I haven't really had one.  Not from my job and not on my own accord.  Ignorance is bliss?

A few weeks ago work promised me a cool 20 bucks for a health screening.  All I had to do was give them 15 minutes of my time and a drop of blood.  20 bucks you say?  In the fine words of Homer J. Simpson, "Mmmm beer," so I figured what the hell!  Let's do it.

The Other Woman

Nah I didn't go wrecking houses.  But I did happen to land on this movie sort of at the right time.  IF there is such a thing as the right time.

Getting married at my ripe old age of; in my 30's, hasn't really taught me any more than I already knew .  By my age, unless I marry a tot out of high school, my partner will have already partnered before (several times).  Sometimes these partnerings (I am making up words, leave me alone!) tread into that murky water I call, procreation.

I volunteered not to participate in the enriching, diluting or anything having to do with gene pools.  One of me is more than enough (mom has thanked me, no joke).  People pee in pools, I would like to stay out of them.  

I back-peddaled in my personal plan not to partner with a parent.  Shit happens, the dating world gets much smaller as you get older!  Whatever; making excuses for myself I suppose.  I still remain happily married... now I am just happily married with a 10 year old on his way. 

I have to play step-mom.  For how long?  I dunno, I THINK just for the summer.  But then again (see paragraph above) we have seen how far my thinking has gotten me.  No excuses, I should have planned from day one.  This could happen at any time... and that time is now.

I think I have to do right by society and the parents.  I think I need to find some guidelines to post on fridge next to the sign that says:

 

And hopefully I won't end up in the dog house by the parents for being stupid.  Or as part of the long list of Wicked Step-mothers!  My biggest fear is failure... and failing at raising kids can be pretty disastrous (or interesting if good biographies are written). 

I suppose I should get back to apartment hunting... the only door inside my current place is one to the bathroom.  I think I need (the step-son probably will too) more privacy than that. 

Now where did I stash that bottle of wine I was looking for???

Healing Old Wounds

It's no secret that I have openly hated on my sister on this blog.  I have complained about her maintaining the ability to be a parent to the children she DOES have in custody.  And that I haven't exactly had the best of relationships with my nephews, my sisters youngest namely.

I don't know if with age I am becoming more forgiving or just becoming a more decaffeinated version of myself.  Someone took the wizz bang out of my attitude or something!  Over the course of the last few months I have actually spoken at my sister, spoken to her and actually am trying to establish a cordial relationship with her.

Nojoqui Falls

Better late than never right?  These are photos I took about 2 weeks ago when I went to Nojoqui Falls with my mom, sister and doggies.  It doesn't look like you can do overnight camping and the day use areas are over priced in my opinion.  But it is perfect for a day to walk and have a little BBQ in the park area (romantic picnic maybe).  It's been about 15 years since I last visited Nojoqui and it has not been crowded either time I have gone.  Both times in good weather!  Maybe it's not a popular spot to visit?  Maybe it isn't well known?  It doesn't matter to me because it's sorta close to home, dog friendly and beautiful.  If I could make this post scratch 'n' sniff for you I would.  So clean and crisp!