Sunday, July 19, 2009

Amidst all the stress there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Nooo not that light...

This weekend was a productive one. There's lots to be done at the house, but oddly enough it's the kind of work that makes me feel that I'm in control again. Too many things have been happening that has made me edgy and confrontational. Cross me the wrong way I was likely to get in your face and start smacking you around. I'm not talking about my family : )

This weekend was a project weekend. Fix the electrical wiring on the dishwasher, put the aquarium back together, clear out my old clothes (who am I kidding? They're too small now!), and general cleaning which managed to do alot of - I was just finishing the last touches. For weeks I've been resodding the front lawn and both cars got a much needed cleaning. El cleared out stuff waiting for a pickup out of our garage so we reclaimed that space. Carpets were steamed, computers were back online. More things to check off the mental laundry list. It felt good. Oh and I made El very happy by working on a new dish she loved. So much, in fact, she asked me to make it again Sunday night as well - spicy shrimp & grits. A twist of a southern dish and Vickery's Seaffod Saute with an asian twist. A little smoked paprika, siracha, creamy slow cooked grits and sweet white shrimp...mmm.

And just like paid tv advertising I can blurt out "BUT WAIT! There's more!" I got a call last week that certainly lifted my spirits. Another project I've been "working" on that also solves one of my biggest headaches. That story will play out soon enough. Slowly, but surely, our lives will straighten out the messes and we can get back to being a normal family again.

As we sipped on a beer after a long, hard weekend El and I relaxed in our family room with the lights out listening to some music and watching the fish in the newly stocked and cleaned tank. I can only think of the day's events with the kids. Those two knuckleheads only make me smile. Sure I get mad sometimes, but I love them. Nico Boy's smile and twinkling eyes makes me laugh, especially when he stands at his crib in the morning to greet me. His new learned thing is to wave at you and say in his quiet, husky voice "hiiiii"! His mother gave him a new nickname, "Killik Boy". The name has stuck and my parents have adopted it as well for him. In our weird filipino family slang language it roughly means "He Who Wants You To Carry Him Everywhere".

His big sister loves to goad him into screaming matches with her. Isabella's vocabulary has expanded greatly. Her baby talk is almost completely gone now. She surprised me this weekend when I was upset with her for being too rough with Nicholas. She looked at me later and said "I'm sorry you're mad at me, daddy". She then hugged my leg and kissed me. Then she kissed her brother and gave him a big hug and said "I'm sorry Nicholas". How could I be angry with THAT???

Later on she realized her beloved bunny was missing and accusingly said " Daddy did you take bunny? DID YOU???" Yes I did. He was being washed and I pulled him out of dryer to give to her. She squealed happily, kissed him on the nose and promptly flipped him over and asked me "Is this bunny's butt"? Hahaha! What a clown.

I feel pretty good.

It's Been A Rough Season

It's been a rough season. One incident after another for us. Just can't seem to catch a break. No matter how hard El and I try to save some money or get something accomplished our plans are thwarted by some assclown(s), which in turn costs us more money.

Over a week ago I got a call around lunchtime from a hysterical wife. All I heard was "there are men in the house!" WTF?!? I dashed out of work and told her to get out of the house. By the time I got there police were going through the house to make sure no one was still around and people were being questioned.

As Eleanor was pulling into our driveway with the kids a van was sitting there. She pulls up and he backs out with a nod to her. She thinks it's someone who got lost and was turning around. Turns out he was the getaway driver/lookout and two other a$$h*les broke in thru our french doors to rob the place. Also turns out that they were doing this to alot of homes over a long period of time. All three had spent time previously for drugs and burglary.

Our house was ransacked. El came home to find our electronics piled up by the front door inside. With the two kids in hand it was lucky she didn't run into the culprits. What they did manage to take was all the high end jewelry, a laptop and some other small electronics. El was pretty devastated and I was ready to kill someone.

Luckily neighbors were able to get a plate number and ID the bad guys. Thursday they were arrested for breaking into another home. While they are still in jail our lives have been a mess. They'll be out in a few years to terrorize more people I'm sure. Unfortunately the law works for criminals like these guys as well. If it's drugs they want. I say save us the money, time and resources. Lock them in a room with all the drugs they want and let them kill themselves. They're just a waste of space.