Been a minute

It's been several months. Life has returned to the pattern of father son. By that I mean, work, chillin with mini-me, repeat. Good News I am under a pack of cigarettes a day. Bad news, I am now addicted to breath mints.

Mini-me and I made it through the year of firsts since his mother's passing. We had a private ceremony to remember. I had a really nice "Memory Box" made. My thinking is that in it, we'll put those things for him to remember her. Yet also it will serve as a repository of moments of his life they could not share together. I hope it will become something he'll treasure for the rest of his life.

Other than that, nothing has really been going on of importance. We survived the year of firsts. He survived school. Given that it had been several years since he had seen family, and after talking with family..he has gone to visit them for the vast majority of the Summer.

On one hand I get a vacation, on the other hand, and don't ever tell him this, I do miss him. Having said that however, I have started the necessary clean up this new start requires. This part was something which best be done alone.

I'll be back to writing on this, more than likely on a weekly basis. Perhaps I will throw in some politics..it is the Presidential season after all. I am hesitant to do that though as one always tends to come across those "True Believers" with whom having anything remotely resembling an intelligent conversation is rendered moot.  Sadly though, I think I am related to a lot of those, on both sides of the political spectrum. We'll see though.

Haven't cooked in the last week or so as I went from the ER to bed rest. Hell of a way to spend Summer with mini-me gone for 6 months huh? Although right before that I did make a nice blackened salmon I served with some dirty rice.
I've got some ideas for more cooking. Getting into some claypot cooking, and more international cuisine. We'll see where it goes.

Hands On

So it has been an interesting day to say the least. Nasty, dreary weather makes my old bones ache. Actually not old, just a disabled vet, but no biggie. It was just interesting at work for various unsaid reasons, mainly to protect  those who provide me comedic relief.

No it was an interesting day as mini me noticed as we were driving that a mother walking on the sidewalk was carrying her child who appeared to be about 4-5, while no more than 50 yards ahead another mother was walking hand in hand with her child who appeared to be about the same age.

I tend to think this is an apt metaphor for parenting and for life. There are those who carry their children through life, while others walk beside them hand in hand. I myself do neither. I prefer to walk behind him and let him learn his life's lessons, always there for support but it's his life to lead, not mine.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when we need to hold the hand, or carry our child. In my case it has been recently the metaphorical hand holding has taken place, for reasons expressed in other blog entries. But that is not how I work. I don't think mini me would learn anything about life if I carried him through it. Nor do I think it is my place to walk with him through it side by side. As I said, his life, not mine.

It should make for an interesting weekend. The Baltimore Book festival is taking place and I loves me a good book. Also mini me has some extra curriculars taking place Namely a school dance. Books I can handle, they  generally tend to be less of a disappointment to me than people. As for the school dance, all I can really say is UGH! I am not ready for this.

He already has girls texting him, calling him buff and noting how deep his voice is. How come I am getting the sad premonition that he may be giving me dating advice soon? FML is all I can say, FML.

Oh well, such is life. Tonight we made a a curry chicken. A local store has great curry seasons - side note: the spicier the better- and I just added some coconut milk, some onions, garlic, peppers and diced tomatoes. Served it all over some rice.

I am diggin this song something fierce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pehz98Vygs

Slowdown Sundays

Sundays are so hard!

They were THE DAY. The day when, for the past 7 years, I took mini-me to visit his mom and the long-term care/hospice facility she was in. They would talk, eat together. He would read to her. It was truly a delight to be a part of, to watch a son and mother connect. Now, 4 months later, I am still lost at what to do.

Perhaps we might do some hiking. Or hit a farmers' market. I need to get some 'maters, want to make some grilled Naan bread pizza. Mini-me loves it! Also it is a good way introduce him to new forms of cooking. I find it's my obligation to raise him to be independent, honest and to act with integrity. To make sure he treats others as he would want to be treated. That if others treat him detrimentally, that doesn't mean he should reciprocate, but to just not bother with them. Small people treat people horrifically, if for no other reason, than they wish for others to feel as they do.

Or I could become a domestic god, but who am I kidding. I have too much testosterone in me. LOL. Actually all things considered, I am not doing too bad. Just have laundry and some secondary cleaning to do. Ok, ok, in all honesty, I have lots of primary cleaning to do as well but nothing I cannot handle. Hard part comes in a week or two when I need to steam the carpets.

As it is Sunday,  it generally tends to be an acoustic type music day. Music is melodic poetry set to sound. It is, to me, the spontaneous outpouring of emotions into written form. The songs that stick with me most are the ones were the lyrics hit a chord, no pun intended, and the vocal abilities are amazing. Along that line, today's song is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgFQ6WmxdMs  Shinedown's cover of Lyrnrd Skynrd's "Simple Man"