Kill Your TV

This week at my 2nd graders school, is Turn Off Your TV week.
The hell you say!
I have said many times, and will say many more, the greatest luxury in my life is watching TV in bed. It's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!
I love love love my TV. I love watching the Travel Channel and Food Network more than anything else.
No one in the house is watching TV this week. HHHEEEELLLLPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not that we watch that much really. The girls are in school, A is working and I am cleaning or doing something during the day. Also, my house is a split level and there is no TV in the common area of my upstairs. The big screen is downstairs and I am never down there during day light hours unless I am doing laundry. With that said, I watch absolutely no until about 7 in the evening. I do not watch the news. I didn't even know about the whole volcanic ash/airline crisis in Europe until about 5 days after it happened.
But for some reason, when you tell someone the can't do something, that's ALL THEY WANT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hell, even when I was in Thailand, I watched Thai news in bed even though I did not know one word being said!
My kids only watch movies that we start for them, Finnius and Pherb, or the Discovery Channel. I am not that worried that they are addicts. They are never ever ever ever ever going to watch crap like Hannah Montanna, or The Suite Life, where kids act like assholes and talk to adults like the are equals. Kids are sassy enough without giving them the idea that they can talk like that.
Nothing much has changed from this TV-less week. Maybe a little more itunes, but Elton John never made a kid a serial killer...did he?

Peace Out

Fun Times

This weekend I went to a book signing. It is a cookbook written by one of my favorite bloggers, The Pioneer Woman. Her blog is hilarious and the girl can cook! It took me about 5 hours to get through the line. It was pretty interesting. We all stood around waiting for our own brush with fame. The fame of a person we could all relate to. She's a mother, a wife, a business woman, and a spanx wearer. Who wouldn't want to meet her?
While I was at the bookstore, I recognized a woman whose blog I read all the time. She's from the Seattle area just as I am. How strange to read the words of someone all the time, yet not really know them. Yet you feel like you do.
It was nerdy fun I tell you!

Peace Out

Happy Birthday Charlie Brown!

 


Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Thailand Pictures

I have posted my Thailand pics. Follow the link to see them.
I am still digesting my trip and find it hard to sum up just yet.
The let down has been intense. The memories are wonderful.

Peace Out

http://mythailand.shutterfly.com/

Country Road Take Me Home

I have not blogged since leaving Bangkok due to simply sitting on my ass all day looking at the ocean. I have so much to tell and so many feelings about it all.
Today I begin my journey home.
I fly to Phuket, Bangkok, Seoul, and lastly Seattle. I have no doubt that part of the trip is just as important as any of it.
I left my home by the beach with tears and laughing. Good byes and promises to keep in touch. We all hugged and raised our glass to good times. The owner came out this morning to give me hugs and wishes for good luck in my life.
As I type my eyes well up. I am humbled by the kindness. Being so far from home yet knowing while on the earth I am home.
I relish the thought of going home to my family. Looking my children in the eye. Sweet giggles and gifts from a far.
I will never be the same. Just as giving birth changed me, just as cancer has changed me, so has this trip.
As they say here in Thailand...

Same Same
but different

Peace Out

Life's a Beach

I have had a hectic morning finding out about the Chile earthquake and tsunami warning in Maui. A and the girls are in Maui right now and it gave me a bit of a scare.
Now I am out of Bangkok and off to my island in the sea. I landed in Ko Samui this morning, it's a different Thailand than I have been experiencing.
My internet connection is about to expire and I have to catch a boat. Will blog more later.
Just know, if you know my family that every one in Maui is safe and I am too.
With in two hours I plan to be on the beach with an adult beverage.

Peace Out

Blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Today my head is officially spinning on over drive. All the streets look the same. All the vender's look the same. All the taxis are hot pink. Really they are! Cars drive ANY.WHERE.THEY.WANT. No laws, no rules. All the food smells the same too.
I think it's time to hit the island!
Don't get me wrong, I am so glad I came to Bangkok. It's incredible. But everything has it's time and place. It's beach time.
I will say I thought that it would be all smiles ans Sawatdee!!! It's kinda been, what the fuck are you looking at white girl. Oh well...
I went to the big indoor shopping district today. Nice and cool and tons of stuff. It was crazy busy and full of teenagers in school uniforms.
I have a new hotel and I really like it. I slept 12 hours last night.
did finally post pics on facebook. It took an hour because the connection was so slow and I couldn't rotate them so they are every which way but loose.

Peace Out

From the Top to the Bottom

Yesterday was a relaxing and interesting day.
I did find a hotel and I can tell you right now, I will not be staying there again tonight!
The top
After my massage and pedi, I went to a street cafe and took my kindle, had a beer and watched people. I saw a couple have a spat, which is highly frowned upon here in Thailand. Any outburst of anger is not accepted, so it was quite a spectacle. After that a woman approached me and was asking me about my kindle. She was from France and spoke broken English. She was very nice and we decided we would meet for dinner. I went and took and nap :) and we met later in the evening. As we were having dinner a man sat down beside me with a bag of grub worms for a snack. He kindly offered me one, I kindly declined.
The dinner started out with us two ladies and expanded to 7 quickly. We all decided it would be easier to call each other by our country rather than our given names and we soon became the United Nations of the Streets of Bangkok.
US
France
England
Singapore
Pakistan

France and I said our goodbyes after eating and left the other counties to figure out the world.
As we walked back to our hotels I saw a woman and her son, maybe four, lying in the gutter asleep. In the gutter, in the street, beside the wheel of a parked car. On a towel. Oblivious to the cars, stench, trash, noise, and passers by. She had is hand on his arm as if to protect him. From what? I have no idea...

That was the bottom of my day

Peace Out

No Reservations

I have justed checked out of my hotel and no place to go yet....
I spent the morning taking a nice walk since it was cool outside. Then I went and hour an hour leg and foot massage followed by a pedicure. All for the tune of 12 buckaroos USD. LOVE LOVE LOVE
So now i am out to roam the streets to find another place to call home. My first place was ok and quite basic. Bed has hard but the A/C worked.
Some of things that have struck my strange are as follows:

On one street alone I counted 3 dentist offices. The were all empty and a most vender's on the street have a few teeth missing.

There is something being cooked on some carts that smell like ass and plan to stay far away from them.

While on a speed boat yesterday there was shack after shack that looked like peoples homes. But one on particular had the door wide open and there white and gold coffins stacked to the ceiling wrapped in plastic. It was eerie looking.

Now my feet feel fine and I must go pound the streets for a bed to sleep in tonight.
If I mess up my pedi, I will more than likely get another one tomorrow!

Peace Out

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Long long long hot day today.
My title of this blog rings true in so many ways...
I started out this morning finding out there was a bit of havoc in my house. A went to the hospital last night. Flu or food poisoning, who knows, but it warranted a trip to the ER. This shook me up a bit. I already had a tour planned and couldn't get a hold of anyone to get my chilis, so I was in a state of worry all day. Truth be told I am still a bit.
Anyhooooooo
I took a tour to a floating market that I saw featured on No Reservations. It was crazy. Boats as floating cook stations. The sad part is the authenticity was probably a bit marred my all of us tourists.
We then then went to see the bridge over the River Quai. Fascinating story, but by the time we were there it was so freakin' hot that we were all melting. Is was there that I experienced my first Thai toilet. :) I took a little squat over a hole in the ground. I have to say that entailed the good, bad, and ugly.
Then off the the Tiger Temple, where we all had pictures of us taken with tigers. Interesting.
I am back "home" now and completely exhausted.
I saw so much today. I saw complete poverty but with that I saw complete peace and happiness. I saw chaos and wondered how anything ever gets done in this country. I saw a monk driving a pick up with the back end full of people. Only Buddha knows where they were going. I saw Thai women working, that looked like they hated every tourist around them.
As I have looked around I cannot for the life of me figure out how this society thrives, yet it does.
I cannot figure out how to get my pics on here yet nor a way to a phone.
Oh well. Off for a cold beer...

Peace Out

The Big and the Small

How do I describe even the smallest of things?
In the bathroom in Seoul there was a courtesy button that you could push that made a flushing sound. That way no one could hear you go potty. So polite huh? Yet there is no personal space. People crowd together even when not needed and I find that fascinating.
On the plane ride, there were videos, cartoons, mind you, that were about being polite. As the ad said...kindness leads to happiness. Yea, I guess that's true.
The men here are much more open and kind than the women. At least to me. I think Thai women are very held back. The men will talk to about anything. I went to a temple this morning and a man started talking to me, asking me where I am from and such. We talked about our family. Men seemed to be fascinated when they ask me what I do for work and I tell them I don't "work". He had nothing to sell. He was a banker and today was a holiday. He had come to pray to Buddha. A woman would have never struck up a conversation with another woman.
There are dogs and cats all over the street. Alive of course, just prowling around.
My bed is very small and hard as a rock, but I have been so tired that it has not mattered.
Tomorrow I am going to a floating market. I am very excited about this! I am going to walk in the steps of my idol, Anthony Bourdain!!!!!! I have no reservations.
It's so loud here yet so quiet because I am alone I just take in all the sounds and talk almost not at all unless buying food. It's too loud here for the whispers in my head to be heard. There was an area with a around about for traffic and chanting was coming through the loud speakers on a pole. It was the most beautiful sound, yet motor bikes were honking and cars were zipping by.
So that's day one. I have yet to figure out my phone situation. I am dying to talk to my children!!!!

Peace Out

Stanger in a Strange Land

I have arrived after 18 hours of flying. It's busy, hot and crowded. I love it! There is a 7-11 on every corner which is kinda odd. I went to three temples today that are absolutely stunning.
Tomorrow I will go to a floating market and eat my face off!
For now I am going to get some food off the street, go take a nap, and then go to a cafe, have a beer and read. In that order...

More to come

Peace Out

Up Up and Away

I leave today for Thailand. Somewhat scared and somewhat thrilled. I have no idea what to expect. I am going alone which does not really make me nervous. I see this trip as a quiet vacation. The only chatter coming from a language I don't know and the demons in my head that I try to keep silent.
I will be blogging while I am there. Finally something to blog about rather than my own narcissistic ranting! Something greater than my self.
Happy days to come...

Peace Out

Wyatt is FIVE

 
For all you naysayers that thought I couldn't raise up a limabean, well here is proof I can and do!
My sweet Wyatt turned five. We went iceskating and had pizza and made at least four batches of brownies. We went to the movie with her best buddy Cam and had pho. You HAVE to admit that I totally score points for raising a pho eating kid!!!!!!
Anyhoo...
I think all in all she had a great time.
Happy Birthday my little twinkling star!

I love you more than air!
Mommy

Let it Bend Before it Breaks

Around here, it's the hardest time of year
Waking up, the days are even gone
The collar of my coat
Lord help me, cannot help the cold
The raindrops sting my eyes
I keep them closed.

But I'm feelin' no pain
I'm a little lonely and my quietest friend
Have I the moonlight? Have I let you in?
Say it aint so, say I'm happy again

Say it's over, say I'm dreaming,
Say I'm better than you left me
Say you're sorry, I can take it
Say you'll wait, say you won't
Say you love me, say you don't
I can make my own mistakes
Let it bend before it breaks

I'm all right. Don't I seem to be?
Aren't I swinging on the stars?
Don't I wear them on my sleeve?
When you're looking for a crossroads,
It happens every day
And whichever way you turn,
I'm gonna turn the other way

Say it's over, say I'm dreaming,
Say I'm better than you left me
Say you're sorry, I can take it
Say you'll wait, say you won't
Say you love me, say you don't
I can make my own mistakes
Learn to let it bend before it breaks

Say it's over say I'm dreaming,
Say I'm better than you left me
Say you're sorry, I can take it
Say you'll wait, say you won't
Say you love me, say you don't
I can make my own mistakes
Let it bend before it breaks

Christmas Vacation Vs. My Car

Holy. Shit.
My car is a wreck.
Has Christmas vacation trashed your car too?
I have glitter and crushed candy canes all over the floor board. Cookie crumbs from kind friends. Wrapping paper and dog hair. And that's just the inside. We took two dogs to Oregon. The puppy puked, pooped, and pee peed in his kennel. My children love to tear paper into tiny pieces. It's a complete mess.
The outside has road kill and mud all over it. Let's not forget that when the windows are steamy from too many creatures breathing in one tiny space, my girls put their hands all over the windows.
Tomorrow my kids go back to school.
Can I get a collective wooohoooooo!!???

Peace Out

Her Legacy

 

These are the two that stand in their mommy's shoes. Big ol' size 9!!!! ;) For such a little lady!

Peace Out

Talkin Bout a Revolution

New year, new battles...






You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right

The Tooth is Out There

 

Look who lost her first tooth! This saweeet young thang!
A few weeks before her 5th birfday and she goes loosin teef!
She not too happy about it huh? I bet the tooth fairy had a little sumpin extra to leave this cutie pie!
Congrats Lucille McGillicutty!

Maddy Callahan

This sweet smile...
that's about all I can write
Think of her family and friends tonight