BoysTown

My view from the sofa,
(courtesy of my iPhone)

I didn’t see Dawn. I didn’t see Marj. I didn’t get into Frontera. I did spend good time with Luka and Boden.

I got to do a lot in a little time. Not only did I get out of the house, I got out of state! I didn’t even get dizzy (much). I also got to see Tracy and Ray and Ann. I got a breakfast of waffles (Thanks Boden, Thanks Ray), I got a Chicago Mexican Dinner (Thanks to Tracy) AND thanks to Ann’s reservations I got a foot massaging pedicure! I will never reveal which I liked best: waffles, dinner, feet attention, but I will say I got a lot of happy.

Boden and Luka are Tracy and Ray’s boys, 2 and 4, and both lovely, polite and TALKING. They are not yet mesmerized by my sage how-to advice so it was difficult to get my many (potential) words in to the conversation, but they held this grateful audience’s attention and we never strayed far from their side.

Even though someone peed on the guest room carpet and even though no one would own up to the crime the hosts were gracious and forgiving and we thank them.

I am now back, in captivity, and ever so grateful for being let out into the world. I hope to be let out again soon.

With good behavior?

- - - David

My kind of Town

So it's a little Wintery

photo: Wikimedia Commons

I’ve been pretty much housebound since October. Yes, we’ve made it up to Ann Arbor; we’ve made it to my sister’s and mother’s near Mt. Clemens; we’ve even made a virgin trip to O’ahu; but in between outings, I’ve spent a lot of Adrian time. This weekend we’re taking a little drive. Brian and I are packing the grrls in the Element and taking I-80 to Chicago. See you late Monday.

I love Chicago. It’s urban but it’s friendly, unassuming mid-west. And we’re off, this morning. Time to pack the car. Obama-town, here we come.

- - - David

Twootsie

Lucy àu Louvre
She IS a piece of work.

Photo composed online with PhotoPlay

“She’s still a puppy”.

How many times have I told myself that excuse?

“She’ll settle down . . . by the time she’s five."

Two down, today; three to go. (is that semi-colon worthy St. Eph?)

La Lucy is two today. The world joins me in singing her Stolat. Brian is in Singapore so he will miss her special (and unusually pre-Lenten) day. I can’t get out to get her a cake, so an extra cookie will have to do. The bad news is, it’s too hard to stick in a candle. The good news is, she would just eat the flaming stick anyway.

Happy Birthday to the grrl who makes me smile through it all.

Happy Birthday Santa Lucia Fernanda Brockowski.

And many many more.

- - - David

While the Cat's Away

Saint Joseph of Cupertino.
Patron saint of fliers, for obvious reasons

Brian is on a plane. He’s flying away from Detroit, not me. Tokyo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, wouldn’t you?

A husband flying is an stereotypical time to feel religious. I am saying a prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino, it can’t hurt. Saint Joseph’s story is pretty funny. During his life, he was “prone to levitation” . . . so . . . the Vatican made him the patron saint of people who fly airplanes. Logical, right”?

Saint Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us.

- - - David

CUTE STUFF

According to MY bible, wikipedia, there are many legends:
“. . .The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in the Nuremberg Chronicle, (1493); alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine the text states that he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, . . . He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples . . . “

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Valentine

Valentine was arrested, and later beheaded for marrying STRAIGHT CHRISTIANS?

Ironic?


- - - David

Stroke, Stroke.

October 2008, Just visiting

Brian has been in San Francisco all week, I’ve been living alone (with the grrls) knowing that IF something goes wrong, well, I’m on my own. I keep my cell phone in my pocket. There’s only so much Lucy can do. She’s limited. Sitting on me can only help SO much. Don’t get me wrong, even if I die tonight, I am only grateful. Shoot, B took me to Hawaii! I saw Obama inaugurated. Karen asked me what my third wish was . . .

When I was in the hospital, even though everyone was very kind. I felt imprisoned. Now I just feel alone. These little feelings of numb dizziness come and go, but when they start I get a little freaked, thinking this is IT. Then they go away and I can pretend I am normal. I’ve been doing THAT pretending since before puberty, so I am well practiced, an expert. This time I even have a sticker for the cars and a cane when I need it. But this time, like at the beginning, I am alone. If I talk about it I scare people. So I don’t. Brian and Karen and YOU are scared enough already. Shut up!

I just want the 20 more years the statisticians quoted me. I want to chase Lucy around the yard, to garden, to laugh like I used to, to stop crying like a baby but I’ll take a dizzy less day. Heck, I’ll take the day.

So, I have two months and 2 days more to get “normal”. Some people think 6 months will be as good as it gets. Some feel a year long recovery is possible. Me? I am going for the long shot.

Wouldn’t you?

- - - David

We're BACK!

All the comforts of home

I kept saying, in my head, “ Please Gods, let me just make it to Hawaii and back, just let me see Obama sworn in”

Now I kick myself for not making a third wish.

Maybe there’s still time.

- - - David

Our STAY in Oahu

What would Obama do?

So it's a little windy! SO they've closed the government, the education system AND the catholic Schools. SO they've closed the pools AND the beaches? I still want to go swimming!

How often does a guy from MICHIGAN get to go SWIMMING in the middle of January?
NOT VERY OFTEN

I guess I settle for a coffee and an old newspaper. Really . . . I'll just look.

We may be stuck here for awhile?

- - - David

Greetings from Waikiki

Surf boards next to the Honolulu's Moana Surfrider Hotel on Waikiki Beach

Saturday we left Sophie at the Reye's, the coats in the car and prayed that the plane would take off. Outside it was COLD and it was SNOWING, (so, believe us, the catholic guilt is alive and well). We made it to our seats and jesusmaryjoseph we took off! Let's just say the ride from Detroit through SFO to HI takess long time.

Saturday night we were just like a couple of frozen Michiganders in paradise, the full moon helped. The lobby and grounds of the Moana Surfrider are beautiful. Think Mackinaw Island's Grand Hotel hedged in by skyscrapers on the beach of Waikiki (got it?)

Sunday, we hit Waikiki beach and then headed off to the Windward Coast on H1, (an inter-state [?] highway!?!). Very beautiful, old volcanic mountains covered in odd greenery, a tunnel, then . . . more ocean! We found our way into a cemetery and the Valley of the Temples. The Byodo-In Temple is an immense SCALED DOWN version of a Japanese Buddhist Temple complete with a huge Buddah statue, all backed by a few Oahu mountains. Amazing.

From there it was back in the Mustang (we only rent American!),down to the southern coast, Hanauma Bay (lots of STAIRS!), the beach from From Here To Eternity, Diamond Head, ( B calls it Black Diamond), and home to Waikiki.

Monday we drove to the infamous North Coast, the historic town of Haleiwa, the surf at The Banzai Pipeline, (cowabunga!), back down to Kualoa Point, back up to Malaekahana Beach (great little rental huts), an Epi-Pen worthy lunch a Giovanni's shrimp truck, then back to 99, a brief out of body experience, H2 to H1 and home to Waikiki.

Tuesday, Brian had to get some client work done. I tried to stay out of trouble at the Sheraton, straying little and watching the workers renovating the hotel. Today I may venture to the pool, I may venture out for a pineapple laden hamburger, but my heart and soul will stay in the verdant hills of O'ahu.


- - - David

See you soon

If the snow doesn’t fall too hard, if the planes take off, if the dogs find shelter, so many ifs . . .

Gods willing, we’ll be gone, in Oahu, from Saturday, January 10th to Saturday, January 17th.

We will try to access the blogger blog and throw an update at you from the trip, gods willing.

- - - David