Friday, December 25, 2009

Adult Kids

Ain't it funny how your kids are always your kids...youths, young'uns, even though they are above the age of consent? When they are babies, they are so adorable and sweet. When they are teens, they are like the panini fruit...rosy red but prickly. There are times then their antics make you feel like stringing them up by their chinny chin chins.

But Patience and Tolerance!

It is best to let them grow out of their prickly stages because they become wonderful adults. Our enegetic boy who was always busy playing in the forest around our home has become the most thoughtful and protective fellow. He calls and checks up on his parents and his sisters. His calls on birthdays mornings are always early and the first. The shy poet is now a teacher of teachers, a presenter, and an organizer...who'd a thunk it? Our girl who didn't learn English until the fifth grade is now reading things (medical terms) we couldn't even pronounce and doing a great job at it. Our baby, the one on tiptoes, continues to tiptoe through the tulips with the tarmac straight ahead. Who knows what path she will follow?

So parents of unruly kids and rebellious teens, never string up your kids by their chinny chin chins. Wait until they grow up...they will surprise you pleasantly.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Bad is Good

When I first found out I was pregnant,
My world crashed down around me.
Tearfully I broke the news to my mom
I expected mad eyes, loud yelling
But no, there was only a deep sigh
"So what you going to do now?"
I would have felt better if she
Sent a couple good cracks my way
But no, there was only a deep sigh.

When I found out my husband was fooling around,
My world crashed down around me again.
A bottomless fountain of tears flowed
Till my eyes replenished the Pacific.
I was the screaming banshee with mad eyes and loud yelling
But what good would it do? The ties were broken.
"So what am I going to do now?"
Christmas decorations and carols did not cheer
I put his clothes in garbage bags on our stoop
But what good would it do? The ties were broken.

We escaped the daily stress of living
Sold our car and went to Japan
My daughter was now seven, with long hair
Plunked into a school of foreign speakers
All with short haircuts
I thought I left my troubles but they followed me
To the Land of the Setting Sun
Ex-husband sends my daughter his wedding pictures for Christmas
Our little evergreen tree in a vase with paper cranes
Made it a very dismal Christmas for us.
But new landscape, new language, and new adventures,
What could I do but survive
We did our best to enjoy the land of our forefathers
Families on both sides of the Pacific helped.
But what could I do but survive.

Bad is good
Medicine to build strong minds and bodies.
I have an independent daughter thriving who
Does not blame her parents too much for their stupidities.
I have a good husband now who loves me more than I am worth
We have built a family with kids who love each other.
I have learned about sacrifice and family ties
Bad is good, given time.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

The Christmas Blues

Ain't it funny how the Christmas season is like a race to be run. In the beginning, the slow start means making lists, checking them twice, and figuring out where best to shop. Then the pace picks up as the gifts are checked off of the list. At the peak is the traditional Christmas letter writing and the visualization of the people who will be getting the letters. Double check the Christmas letter to make sure that all of the family members are mentioned and provided an equal number of inches of attention. Dash of to Office Max and print out the Christmas letter, then write the addresses on the envelopes, get the stamps, sort out the letters by address, get to the post office. Then wait in line for your turn.

Lugging home the mail from the post office, invariably someone's post card reminds you that you forgot to send them a Christmas letter. Then you get on the computer and email the rest of the folks their electronic Christmas letter. Add in a special message on the email and attach the Christmas letter making sure that you attached the correct year's edition. Bing...the letters are sent.

Christmas dinner is on the horizon...making a list, checking it twice, checking out what market to visit for the best deals. Then the fight is on for a parking space, a shopping cart, the very last delectable tidbit, paying for the food through the eyeballs, pushing the mountain of groceries to the car, loading the groceries only to find that there were 100s reusuable shopping bags in the trunk after all. Fight travel 20 miles home to the ranch. Unloading the groceries, making sure there is enough space in the refrigerator for all of the delectable tidbits purchased.

Clean the house!!

Christmas morning, wake up and find an excited adult-baby has cooked breakfast and sorted the gifts into piles. Unwrap gifts. Throw away the trash. Put away the gifts. Eat more breakfast...then get ready for the marathon.

Then it is cook, cook, wash the dishes in the sink, cook, cook, wash more dishes in the sink. Set the table. Put out a mountain of food. Eat. Clean up. Eat desset.
Clean up. Wave goodbye to all who came to Christmas dinner. Then, crash!

The sun jerks your eyelids open whether you like it or not. Christmas is over.
Now what am I going to do with myself until February 14th?

Friday, December 4, 2009

A Korean Drama Lifestyle

Since our kids are all out of the house, living their own lives, my hubby and I can now live our lives as we desire. Of course, the dreams of sleeping in late are destroyed by bladders that insist on being emptied at about 5:00 am or the horses and cats that neigh and meow like a living alarm clock reminding us that the sun is up already and breakfast should be served.

We do get to luxuriate in afternoon naps as the traffic rages past out house, hurrying to Hilo to buy groceries or what ever the errand or hurrying back to Volcano to put the ice cream and the rest of the groceries away.

One thing that has been a gas is our menu of Korean dramas in the evenings. Unlike American soap operas which should use the soap in their genre name to cleanse the nasty attitudes and actions, Korean dramas center on home life, the trials and tribulations of parents and children, love and loyalty, ethics and greed. It is amazing to see adult children obeying their parents!! I always get incensed to see so many drama mamas who are real witches with a capital B while the fathers in the family command respect with their logical remedies to even the worst problems...divorce and adultery. My husband always smiles smugly knowing that finally men are portrayed in the way that requires cherished adoration.

With our new found freedom, we can go to water aerobics in the evening, go out to dinner, see a movie, go to a performance...as long as we are back home by 7:45 to begin the series of Hangu entertainment. Ain't life grand?