Last night was a mini movie marathon. We rushed over to Hacienda Crossings as soon as the little man returned from golf with daddy at about 6 pm and managed to get there in time to put in two shows - Pirates and Shrek (yep, both the tri-quels, if there is such a word). The little man had yearned for this weekend so we could do just this and at one stage when the timing seemed un-doable, it was sulk-time. He ended the day happy even though we had to eat a midnight dinner courtesy of Wendy's drive-thru.
This is the long Memorial Day weekend. Friday am was just another boring morning of cleaning the house but at least it is a 4-day weekend for moi. Gasoline prices are at an all time high but the Americans are still expected to drive long distances to make the most of the holiday. Today there is no Chinese class for the boy and hence no tennis at AVHS. But I have no regrets. At least we get a break from the Man having to coach one Chinese kid after another gratis. Especially this one boy - I like Gordon because he has a very positive attitude but I cannot say the same of his dad who without any hesitation whatsoever throws his son at the Man every week for an hour of free lessons. Tennis lessons here are something like US$45 an hour. I checked the San Ramon recreation guide for the going rate. And now, there is another boy waiting in the wing whose father seems to be looking to do the same. What started out as our weekly tennis games with Terry and others has turned into free coaching sessions during which I have often to resort to walking on the tracks so I can get my exercises. Bummer.
This afternoon, the kids and I are driving into San Francisco to meet my colleague and his friends for tim sum. He has been raving about this (rather dingy, he says) restaurant that serves the best tim sum without draining your bank account. He wanted Bert, Ryan and I to share his enthusiasm but did not know Nic is already here. Jeff is funny - he says he would not tell anyone else about this restaurant because his parents used to frequent a very good Chinese restaurant when he was a kid and word got around and as the number of patrons increased, the quality of the food went down steadily. So he is keeping mum about this restaurant. I guess we must be very lucky that he considers us good enough friends to want to bring us there.
We were supposed originally to volunteer at the Art and Wind Festival at San Ramon Central Park but we will do that tomorrow. There are supposed to be over 200 arts and crafts booths and all kinds of fun things like kite flying demos at the festival. Hope to take lots of pics to share.
And the days are really warming up. We are all in shorts and tees now and enjoying long hours of sunshine. And I have New York Times every Sunday now to catch up on world events. Great way to spend a few hours.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Why?
If I have my druthers, the paths could have been so different. You live with the consequences of your choices and actions yet they are not always the consequences you anticipate. So many uncertainties and so many unintended interpretations.
If I have my druthers, I druther that I had not survived the ectopic, that God would have taken me into his embrace. Cos at least then, in the memories of those left behind, I would always be young and loved and mostly carefree.
If I have my druthers, I druther that I had not survived the ectopic, that God would have taken me into his embrace. Cos at least then, in the memories of those left behind, I would always be young and loved and mostly carefree.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Weekends
The promised pictures of Half Moon Bay are on the right hand side under family albums. It was a very enjoyable trip, even for the normally homely half man. It was a fairly long drive all across to San Mateo and then some. But scenic in parts and we stopped at a farmer's stand to buy a lot of cherries. At $1.99 per lb, it would be insane not to. Nic washed about half of them using water provided for the customers and we ate them at the beach later.
The town of Half Moon Bay is reminiscent of Carmel though not quite as touristy. It is small and quaint and we stopped for a very American lunch at a small restaurant with an old fashioned jukebox playing all the oldies. Most of the customers were also oldies, retirees out to enjoy a beautiful warm day. We traipsed through the town in approximately an hour, including window shopping at one of the 2-storey souvenir shops and a very nice church. There was a restaurant bbq-ing a lot of meat out in the open air and it was enticing.
Then we drove to the beach. I was shocked to find I had to pay $6 for parking. And it was freaking cold. Mainly because of the wind. My image of a warm sunny tropical like setting just disappeared into thin air. I buttoned up my demin jacket but it was futile - the wind won and both Nic and I eventually retreated back to the CRV but only after sitting down at a table to consume a lot of cherries. There were families having bbq and picnics. Unbelievable.
Only Ryan enjoyed the beach. He spent at least half an hour all by himself in the sand, in the process managing to get his shoes and socks totally soaked. I don't know how that boy can stand the cold. Even at home, he has taken to often sleeping without any shirt.
Then the next day, Sunday, Nic and I (actually mostly Nic) washed both cars and Nic vacuumed them both. So the promise was kept. Except by the boy, of course. He managed to plead incompetence. Actually more than ignorance. Nic did a fantastic job. Both cars were spotless in and out. Masterful.
It is the weekend again. Time really flies. Last evening, the kids and I went to the San Ramon Symphonic Band Concert at the community center and had a fabulous time. It was free too. The audience was treated to almost two hours of wonderful music, compered by a radio broadcaster and conducted by four different seasoned musicians, two young and two more elderly. We are hooked. There will be at least two more concerts, one in June and one on Independence Day. Next week, we are vounteering at the Art and Wind Festival. Looking forward to these events.
This morning as usual was spent on housework. But we did go to the San Ramon Farmer's Market which opens every Saturday - it is within walking distance from the house, just next to the Korean church. Followed by Thai lunch at a small restaurant we had found before in Dublin. The best thing we did today was the two kids and I going for a very long jaunt all the way from home along the Iron Horse trail to MarketPlace near my office. They rode the bikes while I walked. We were too ambitious. I thought I would have the stamina to walk all the way to Crow Canyon to get Nic's musical accessories but by the time we reached Bollinger Canyon, I was beat and thirsty. So we went all the way back after getting a bottle of water from Long's. But it was good! I figure I must have walked maybe 6 to 7 miles and I got the kids out of the house to enjoy the beautiful weather, fresh air and get some exercise. The weather now is what makes California so attractive a place to live in. And the days are long and getting longer. Perfect.
One last accomplishment - we managed to make it home in time for me to drive Nic to House of Woodwinds to pick up her music stuff. So she is now pretty happy.
The town of Half Moon Bay is reminiscent of Carmel though not quite as touristy. It is small and quaint and we stopped for a very American lunch at a small restaurant with an old fashioned jukebox playing all the oldies. Most of the customers were also oldies, retirees out to enjoy a beautiful warm day. We traipsed through the town in approximately an hour, including window shopping at one of the 2-storey souvenir shops and a very nice church. There was a restaurant bbq-ing a lot of meat out in the open air and it was enticing.
Then we drove to the beach. I was shocked to find I had to pay $6 for parking. And it was freaking cold. Mainly because of the wind. My image of a warm sunny tropical like setting just disappeared into thin air. I buttoned up my demin jacket but it was futile - the wind won and both Nic and I eventually retreated back to the CRV but only after sitting down at a table to consume a lot of cherries. There were families having bbq and picnics. Unbelievable.
Only Ryan enjoyed the beach. He spent at least half an hour all by himself in the sand, in the process managing to get his shoes and socks totally soaked. I don't know how that boy can stand the cold. Even at home, he has taken to often sleeping without any shirt.
Then the next day, Sunday, Nic and I (actually mostly Nic) washed both cars and Nic vacuumed them both. So the promise was kept. Except by the boy, of course. He managed to plead incompetence. Actually more than ignorance. Nic did a fantastic job. Both cars were spotless in and out. Masterful.
It is the weekend again. Time really flies. Last evening, the kids and I went to the San Ramon Symphonic Band Concert at the community center and had a fabulous time. It was free too. The audience was treated to almost two hours of wonderful music, compered by a radio broadcaster and conducted by four different seasoned musicians, two young and two more elderly. We are hooked. There will be at least two more concerts, one in June and one on Independence Day. Next week, we are vounteering at the Art and Wind Festival. Looking forward to these events.
This morning as usual was spent on housework. But we did go to the San Ramon Farmer's Market which opens every Saturday - it is within walking distance from the house, just next to the Korean church. Followed by Thai lunch at a small restaurant we had found before in Dublin. The best thing we did today was the two kids and I going for a very long jaunt all the way from home along the Iron Horse trail to MarketPlace near my office. They rode the bikes while I walked. We were too ambitious. I thought I would have the stamina to walk all the way to Crow Canyon to get Nic's musical accessories but by the time we reached Bollinger Canyon, I was beat and thirsty. So we went all the way back after getting a bottle of water from Long's. But it was good! I figure I must have walked maybe 6 to 7 miles and I got the kids out of the house to enjoy the beautiful weather, fresh air and get some exercise. The weather now is what makes California so attractive a place to live in. And the days are long and getting longer. Perfect.
One last accomplishment - we managed to make it home in time for me to drive Nic to House of Woodwinds to pick up her music stuff. So she is now pretty happy.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Graduation Gown
Happy Graduation, Carynn! Have a great and wonderful day, enjoy your day of glory and indulge in the moments. And lots of pics and videos, please.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Life's Lenses
The man left for ox-town yesterday to attend the coming out of school event for his first-born on May 12. We deliberated and vaccillated and debated for so long on the merits and demerits of all of us going together. In the end, money sense and the difficulties of withdrawing the kids from school for some days won. And he went alone. There is a desperate longing though in my heart. It has been such a long and difficult journey through hills and valleys to this event that it is going to haunt me for a long time for not going to see her wear the gown and mortar board and witness the beginning of a new chapter in her life and ours. Take lots of pictures, daddy. Tomorrow has been a long time coming.
Just sent the two to school and not looking forward at all to a morning of cleaning, scrubbing and washing. Sigh. Is this what life is all about? Work your butts off weekdays to put food on the table and work your hands to bits weekends. And in between, you get the pleasure of sending them off to golf lessons, Chinese class and school activities. And you get to do grocery shopping and once in a while to exercise so that you will not die prematurely of a multitude of problems that seem to dog you once you hit the big 40 and bigger 50.
Soon enough, Nic will be off to college too and the Half Man will be a Man himself. I am looking forward to not picking up after them, to less laundry, more time for ourselves and fewer visits to the supermarts. For years, it has been embarrasing at check-outs watching the NTUC Fairprice cashiers ring up hundreds of dollars of stuff. It always felt like we were running a camp of some kind, the way the grocery carts fill up. You can't win though. An empty nest is likely to be also a time of lines criss crossing the facial landscape, of sagging jawlines, of the bane of osteoporosis and nagging fears of all the ailments that prove Nature values mostly the reproductive genre.
But enough of paranoia. Chores await. Then some relief. Maybe even time to read the papers. Small town news.
The highlight of today is likely to be Spiderman 3. Can't stand the pestering anymore. The Man would never go so now that he is conveniently out of town, we may as well check this off the list of to-do's. The kids promised to wash my car in exchange. We shall see if the exchange takes place as plotted.
Maybe tomorrow while the trio in Buffalo attend the passing-out parade and help mortar boards fly into the air, this trio will take a trip to Half Moon Bay to see what the place looks like. It seems to be a popular seaside place. Pictures will be posted. Ciao!
Just sent the two to school and not looking forward at all to a morning of cleaning, scrubbing and washing. Sigh. Is this what life is all about? Work your butts off weekdays to put food on the table and work your hands to bits weekends. And in between, you get the pleasure of sending them off to golf lessons, Chinese class and school activities. And you get to do grocery shopping and once in a while to exercise so that you will not die prematurely of a multitude of problems that seem to dog you once you hit the big 40 and bigger 50.
Soon enough, Nic will be off to college too and the Half Man will be a Man himself. I am looking forward to not picking up after them, to less laundry, more time for ourselves and fewer visits to the supermarts. For years, it has been embarrasing at check-outs watching the NTUC Fairprice cashiers ring up hundreds of dollars of stuff. It always felt like we were running a camp of some kind, the way the grocery carts fill up. You can't win though. An empty nest is likely to be also a time of lines criss crossing the facial landscape, of sagging jawlines, of the bane of osteoporosis and nagging fears of all the ailments that prove Nature values mostly the reproductive genre.
But enough of paranoia. Chores await. Then some relief. Maybe even time to read the papers. Small town news.
The highlight of today is likely to be Spiderman 3. Can't stand the pestering anymore. The Man would never go so now that he is conveniently out of town, we may as well check this off the list of to-do's. The kids promised to wash my car in exchange. We shall see if the exchange takes place as plotted.
Maybe tomorrow while the trio in Buffalo attend the passing-out parade and help mortar boards fly into the air, this trio will take a trip to Half Moon Bay to see what the place looks like. It seems to be a popular seaside place. Pictures will be posted. Ciao!
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Ryan's Recital
Here are the newly minted pictures of Ryan's piano recital at the San Ramon Seniors Center along Alcosta Boulevard. To see short videos (sorry, space limitation means I cannot upload the main video) click go to my album:
His teacher, Milen, is sitting next to him. I also posted a clipped version of his first piece on YouTube.
Unfortunately, my camera disk is really small, only 256MB, so I could not completely capture the two songs he played. Time to get a 2GB SD...
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Unfortunately, my camera disk is really small, only 256MB, so I could not completely capture the two songs he played. Time to get a 2GB SD...
Exciting Experiences
In a half hour or so, the boy and I will be off to his golf lesson followed by his piano recital, his first ever. His piano teacher, Milen, has arranged for all his pupils to perform at Alcosta somewhere in celebration of Mother's Day. The heart is still wounded but hopefully the music will help heal some. The young man has not practised as much as he used to before I went to India. I know he'll do fine, as long as he stays relaxed.
The girl went off this morning with dad to Amador Valley HS for her SAT exam. She seems confident enough. Tuesday and Wednesday are more exam days - exit exams without which apparently she cannot pass out of high school. We are still on a learning curve as far as the school system here is concerned.
And did I mention that on May 1 (which would have been a public holiday almost everywhere else in the world), I went to the Professional Business Women of California (PBWC) event at Moscone Center in San Francisco? As corporate sponsor, we finance a certain number of tables each year and I was drawn through a ballot to have a seat at the IT table. It was a fantastic experience. To hear women talk about their achievements, hear their stories and share their insights. There was Bertice, a sociology professor, who grew up in dismal poverty to a dysfunctional family and just applied to university without any finances and as fate would have it, someone anonymous gave a sum of money to be used for a student who without it, would not have made it. She went on to get a PhD at age 26 and an amazing life experience that I can only gag at, including becoming a comedian! She was one of the best and funniest speakers and everytime she spoke, she got standing ovations. And she sings really well and would burst into songs during her speeches. One of the most interesting African American ladies I have had the good fortune to listen to. There were many others, all interesting, all highly successful because they were able to rise above personal tragedies or difficulties. I hope I get to go again next year.
I realise I have been a little crazy with flowers but you have to see these:
The girl went off this morning with dad to Amador Valley HS for her SAT exam. She seems confident enough. Tuesday and Wednesday are more exam days - exit exams without which apparently she cannot pass out of high school. We are still on a learning curve as far as the school system here is concerned.
And did I mention that on May 1 (which would have been a public holiday almost everywhere else in the world), I went to the Professional Business Women of California (PBWC) event at Moscone Center in San Francisco? As corporate sponsor, we finance a certain number of tables each year and I was drawn through a ballot to have a seat at the IT table. It was a fantastic experience. To hear women talk about their achievements, hear their stories and share their insights. There was Bertice, a sociology professor, who grew up in dismal poverty to a dysfunctional family and just applied to university without any finances and as fate would have it, someone anonymous gave a sum of money to be used for a student who without it, would not have made it. She went on to get a PhD at age 26 and an amazing life experience that I can only gag at, including becoming a comedian! She was one of the best and funniest speakers and everytime she spoke, she got standing ovations. And she sings really well and would burst into songs during her speeches. One of the most interesting African American ladies I have had the good fortune to listen to. There were many others, all interesting, all highly successful because they were able to rise above personal tragedies or difficulties. I hope I get to go again next year.
I realise I have been a little crazy with flowers but you have to see these:
Friday, May 04, 2007
Introspection
Last evening should have been a happy time after dinner. But it turned into a night of sadness. Ours is not to question why or to expect anything for we are told we know them not, even if they are of our flesh and bones. Ours is to work and worry about ageing brains and brawn and forced retirements, to pay the bills and handover more when they overspend and to hope that things turn out ok and that at the end of it all, there are still some crumbs leftover to last till the end of our days. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Bean's Birthday
Today is my Bean's birthday. Wish she is here with us. She should take a trip downtown to marvel at St Paul's Hospital cos 19 years ago, she joined us there - with her beautiful round as an orange head with a close crop of hair, looking so vulnerable because she was forced to come into the world before she really wanted to. She decided she was going to come down like a Buddha feet first but it so frightened the doctors, they wanted her out quickly. So she arrived a full week before the due date. And I had to undergo the knife so she could arrive safe and sound. With daddy by my side of course and he got to hold her first too.
Happy Birthday Brynn.
Happy Birthday Brynn.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Buying Bikes
With the weather warming up so nicely and the days getting long, we began hankering for bikes to ride. So for some weeks now, we have been scouting around the stores and surfing the world wide web for good bike deals. While there are lots of choices on the net, it was tough to make a decision. On Sunday, we finally pulled the plugs and got ourselves a couple of them. So here are some shots: 
Daylight hours are now like from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. Nice!
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