Ahoy,
My grandfather passed away about a month ago. I'm not sure if my mom would have told me by now. My brother told me, and he only told me because I happened to call him that day. And he didn't find out either until several days had passed. I'm really not sure what to make of this. I wasn't very close to my grandfather on my dad's side. I think I should be more upset with my parents for not letting us in on the situation earlier, but it's not like this type of thing isn't typical in our family. But why should I accept that it is the way it is? But it is not within my role or capacity to change my parents' ways moving forward. Sometimes it feels like they will never take me seriously or my advice.
My mom regarded the occasion as "not important." She would have told me "eventually." I came across a red envelope from my grandfather the other day. He had written my name in both Chinese and English on the envelope. He had pretty good English handwriting for somebody who doesn't speak, read, or write English. My dad asked us to go see his parents about 2 months ago. I said I didn't want to, but I would in the summer. Time can be so tricky and tragic. My dad's side of the family lives to an alarmingly high number of years. How many things will I "eventually" know?
positively dreadful,
jt
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
hiking, of sorts
Ahoy,
H and I set out for an adventurous day of hiking in Santa Barbara. She selected Gaviota State Park. It was about 2 hours out from LA and we set out bright and early. We arrived to a sort of inferior looking state of park. There was no one else around and no way to get information. The store and info center were both closed. There were some campsites, but really not much going on. We drove up to the beach and still nothing really exciting or definitive about this park. Luckily we happened upon a park ranger, and were able to ask him some questions.
us: Excuse me, where are the trails?
him: Everywhere.
us: [look at him as if there is more he must have to say]
him: [runs in his car to grab a map] Well, we have x miles of trail all over the park. Over there at the water tank is this trail, and over there at the telephone tower is this trail, and...
He continues on to explain that you have to exit the park to get to various trailheads, and some trailheads don't have signs. We thank him and conclude that we had no idea what he was pointing to when he was showing us all the landmarks for the trailheads. We conclude that we will just have to drive around and hope we hit something. We decide on the hot springs trail and end up passing it once and finding it with sheer luck the second time around. Because there are no signs for anything and all the rest stops are closed. There is no sign for the trailhead or the trail, but there is a sign for mountain lions and this makes H uneasy. We hike the mile or so to the hot springs and eat out lunch with our toes in the water. Back at the bottom, we conclude that the day would not be a wash if we continued onto Solvang, the Danish capitol of America, and 20 minutes away.
The drive to Solvang is scenic and pleasant. Once there, we are smitten with the charming architecture of the small town. We wander around for a bit, finding the farmers market and visitors center. The gentleman recommends wine tastings for us and thus begins the rest of our adventurous "hike." We ended up going to 2 wine tastings and having a marvelous afternoon. At the first place we learn about wine and its properties. At the second one, we have a great time learning about the winery and its family. On the way back home it rains a little and I love it. I love overcast skies and intermittent weather.
I will have to go back with the RRS for more wine.
inebriatedly danish,
jt
H and I set out for an adventurous day of hiking in Santa Barbara. She selected Gaviota State Park. It was about 2 hours out from LA and we set out bright and early. We arrived to a sort of inferior looking state of park. There was no one else around and no way to get information. The store and info center were both closed. There were some campsites, but really not much going on. We drove up to the beach and still nothing really exciting or definitive about this park. Luckily we happened upon a park ranger, and were able to ask him some questions.
us: Excuse me, where are the trails?
him: Everywhere.
us: [look at him as if there is more he must have to say]
him: [runs in his car to grab a map] Well, we have x miles of trail all over the park. Over there at the water tank is this trail, and over there at the telephone tower is this trail, and...
He continues on to explain that you have to exit the park to get to various trailheads, and some trailheads don't have signs. We thank him and conclude that we had no idea what he was pointing to when he was showing us all the landmarks for the trailheads. We conclude that we will just have to drive around and hope we hit something. We decide on the hot springs trail and end up passing it once and finding it with sheer luck the second time around. Because there are no signs for anything and all the rest stops are closed. There is no sign for the trailhead or the trail, but there is a sign for mountain lions and this makes H uneasy. We hike the mile or so to the hot springs and eat out lunch with our toes in the water. Back at the bottom, we conclude that the day would not be a wash if we continued onto Solvang, the Danish capitol of America, and 20 minutes away.The drive to Solvang is scenic and pleasant. Once there, we are smitten with the charming architecture of the small town. We wander around for a bit, finding the farmers market and visitors center. The gentleman recommends wine tastings for us and thus begins the rest of our adventurous "hike." We ended up going to 2 wine tastings and having a marvelous afternoon. At the first place we learn about wine and its properties. At the second one, we have a great time learning about the winery and its family. On the way back home it rains a little and I love it. I love overcast skies and intermittent weather.
I will have to go back with the RRS for more wine.
inebriatedly danish,
jt
Thursday, April 23, 2015
birthday
Ahoy,
The weekend after we got back from the Bay, I arranged for a bunch of people to join A for go karts for his birthday. It was a mad dash to invite as many people as possible because chances are a lot of people are going to flake. And they did, as predicted, but I ended up with just the right amount of people for his own go kart racing. I think he had a great time. I hope everyone else had a great time. I'm always grateful for people willing to hang out with us.
It was a really hot day and when we got to the place the sprinklers were on and I made a mental note to come back out and run through them after we checked in and everything. Alas, they were off by the time I got back outside. We had stopped off at 85 degrees to get drinks and pastries and a cake prior to our arrival, but then some other friends brought a cake too! So we had 2, count 'em, 2 cakes! It was a different flavour and exactly what A wanted; good decision, friends. We had cake all week.
That was also the weekend we went to go see the wildflowers in Antelope Valley. Unlike the bright and springy flowers, I wilted like my basil plant that I didn't water for too long. It was far too hot and sunny and there was no shade anywhere. This place is madness. We made the whole giant loop and I was fizzled out. And just like a plant, right after my shower at home I perked right up. Just like magic.
magically wilted,
jt
The weekend after we got back from the Bay, I arranged for a bunch of people to join A for go karts for his birthday. It was a mad dash to invite as many people as possible because chances are a lot of people are going to flake. And they did, as predicted, but I ended up with just the right amount of people for his own go kart racing. I think he had a great time. I hope everyone else had a great time. I'm always grateful for people willing to hang out with us.
That was also the weekend we went to go see the wildflowers in Antelope Valley. Unlike the bright and springy flowers, I wilted like my basil plant that I didn't water for too long. It was far too hot and sunny and there was no shade anywhere. This place is madness. We made the whole giant loop and I was fizzled out. And just like a plant, right after my shower at home I perked right up. Just like magic.
magically wilted,
jt
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
single life
Ahoy,
The RRS is on a work trip to Minneapolis. This is actually the first time I've ever had the apartment all to myself ever. He's been here by himself of course. I always come back to find all the windows shut and 5 blankies on the bed and the room stiflingly hot. Well, I will get to remove the blankies and open all the windows and starfish across the bed. It will be glorious, and strange. As if the room is emptier than it should be.
We joked that I will indulge in the bachelorette lifestyle. I will have apple pie moonshine and hippie cheetos for dinner. And he will go out to bars with his coworker. One aspect of our long distance relationship I realize now is that I delight in the imagining of his adventures. I always liked having something to bring back to him, like when I was a kid stealing rocks from the neighbors' to horde in our backyard. I enjoy the reunions from abroad, the rejoining. I think back to the times we were apart and I am happy about it, and I think about now when we are together and it is still happy.
He is at the Mall of America with the transformers. I am so jealous. But I also have a bottle of wine to finish. I can't complain.
gloriously alone,
jt
The RRS is on a work trip to Minneapolis. This is actually the first time I've ever had the apartment all to myself ever. He's been here by himself of course. I always come back to find all the windows shut and 5 blankies on the bed and the room stiflingly hot. Well, I will get to remove the blankies and open all the windows and starfish across the bed. It will be glorious, and strange. As if the room is emptier than it should be.
We joked that I will indulge in the bachelorette lifestyle. I will have apple pie moonshine and hippie cheetos for dinner. And he will go out to bars with his coworker. One aspect of our long distance relationship I realize now is that I delight in the imagining of his adventures. I always liked having something to bring back to him, like when I was a kid stealing rocks from the neighbors' to horde in our backyard. I enjoy the reunions from abroad, the rejoining. I think back to the times we were apart and I am happy about it, and I think about now when we are together and it is still happy.
He is at the Mall of America with the transformers. I am so jealous. But I also have a bottle of wine to finish. I can't complain.
gloriously alone,
jt
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)