Back to Life, Back to Reality

So we’re back from an almost a month’s vacation in sunshine state Florida. It was fun-filled and the kids had  a blast, they didn’t want to leave. But some good things must come to an end and so here we are - back home in Virginia. School starts in a week and the kids aren’t happy about that. Especially my 6th grader who already has homework. Can you believe it? While I am all for getting a jumpstart on the schoolyear, it would have been nicer if schoolwork started on the first week of school and not while you are relishing the last few days of summer vacation. But oh well, maybe it’s just me.

We went to almost all the bodies of water in FL - ocean, river, lake, estuary, pool - you name it! We are so dark and I am loving it! For a change we don’t look like anemic humans! I am basking in the glory of having a tan for even though I am Asian I am a little on the fair side. And living in Virginia doesn’t help either. The cold winters and staying indoors doesn’t appeal to me at this point. Being bundled up while it’s freezing outside and suffering all the cold and harsh weather gives my skin a beating. What am I talking about? It’s still summer, or what’s left of it, I should enjoy it!

Anyways, while we were in FL and DH was left in VA, he constantly called me especially when bills came in and when it’s time to eat. “What do I eat? Pls give me an idea.” I fought the urge to laugh maniacally and tried on my best supportive wife voice which could have earned me a Grammy. “What do you have in the fridge?” I hear the fridge door open and an audible sigh “leftovers” he said. “Well if you’re so tired of it, why don’t you just eat out or something? It would make more sense to eat out instead of do all the work for one person”. “You’re right. I guess I’ll just go to KFC”. So it went, KFC one day, Pho the next day, chinese buffet the other, and so on and so forth. Until the day he discovered TV dinners. He called me one day so excited about the newest Stouffers Chicken meal. “It’s really good! We should try this sometime!”. I swear, my husband is so spoiled with home cooked meals that the fact of not cooking it himself and just opening the box and nuking it makes it taste good. In fairness though, those TV dinners ARE good.

I knew that the boys were missing their Dad so much when my 11 yr old said: “I miss Dad so much, I even miss his annoying country music he plays on the radio”. To which my 9 yr old exclaimed : “yeah”. Guess absence does makes the heart grow fonder.

When our FL vacation was coming to an end I couldn’t wait to finally sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen, walk in my own floors, do the laundry in my own washer and water my ever thirsty plants. Opening the door to my own house after a 3 week absence, the familiar scent of my own house was what I was hoping for. But when I opened and inhaled I smelled - polyurethane? I forgot that DH waxed and finished the hardwood floors, a task we’ve been putting off. The floors looked gorgeous which made up for my disappointment of not being able to “smell” home. The house looked nice and neat and I am just so glad to be home.

special thanks to www.Papelmeroti.com  for the image.

Scenes from a Florida Vacation

St. Augustine, FL - the oldest city in the US

A tree we saw by the road. Love the spanish moss!

Boats at St. Augustine

At the lake

A fishing scene

A circle of slippers at the beach

Jacksonville beach

At the beach

Still Away

Our vacation is coming to a close. Will write more as soon as I get home. Suffice it to say that we are having a blast and I thank all the people who left comments and visited my site.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Comforts of Home, or the lack thereof

What is it about our own home that makes us sleep better, feel more secure and safe? Is it the familiarity? The knowledge that this is the place where we’ll stay for most, if not, the rest of our lives? Or is it because we made it our own - with our own personal style, depending on our own comfort?

Whatever the reason, it is a pretty daunting task when you’re away from home and trying and make it work at whatever place you’re in. Be it a hotel or a different home. Being with relatives and close friends doesn’t matter either. The days are filled with activities and laughter but at the end of the day - the sleeping part, it is where the familiar surroundings are missing. And for some of us, me included, being in unfamiliar territory is a challenge. I like being in familiar surroundings where I know every nook and cranny, every creaking door, which jar contains what, and what part of the house gets the most sun. Simple things, I know but it matters to me. Even my own bed linens, pillows and my own bed makes a difference. Short of bringing my own sheets I try and make the best of it - to the point of sacrificing my snooze time.

And so here I am, a week into my vacation and I have yet to be able to sleep a full 8 hours. I am able to have some shut-eye at around 3 am, only to be awakened by a mopful of hair that somehow speaks with a meek “ta-ta”. That’s my 2 year old niece who, for some reason invented a new word - “ta-ta” pronounced like Winnie the Pooh’s friend. The correct term would have been “tita” or aunt but ”ta-ta” stuck and I like it better too.

For now I get by with loads of caffeine in my system just to be able to function normally and go through the motions of everyday living. I miss home. Or maybe my husband.Or maybe both.