Dad's 58th Birthday

Monday, 24 May 2005

Once again, I stay up until about 3 am. It usually takes me about a week to get adjusted back to states time. But, at least I was productive today. Because I went to sleep around the same time last night, I didn't get out of bed until noon and out of the house at 1 pm today. Once Jay helped me find the keys to the truck in the explosion of stuff in my room, I headed down to my dad's house, ate some leftovers for lunch, and then we ran some errands. I had to open up a bank account at a credit union. I've had a joint account that my parents opened for me when I was a baby, but I've never used it. And because my mom now lives in California, and my dad's here, I had to close that account and open up a new one only in my name this time. It took awhile, especially because the woman that helped me was a trainee, but we had a good time chatting about my travels overseas. Unfortunately, my dad had chosen to stay in the car the whole time, as it's less hassle to get him into the wheelchair (The women felt sorta bad when I told them he was sitting in the car waiting for me.). I also stopped by the post office to submit a change of address (for about the 11th time in my life).

Got home and relaxed a bit, caught up on email, and then helped Dad get ready for his birthday dinner. He wore a Thai shirt I got him from the Songkran water festival in April, and then we headed to Sam Choy's for dinner. My Aunty Jolene from Seattle was there to join us, along with Jay's girlfriend Toni, my two stepsisters Lindsey and Whitney, and Bernice's mom Keala. We had a nice dinner sitting on the boat (It's an old fishing boat in the middle of the restaurant...My dad really wanted to sit there, but there were a few stairs to get up to the landing, and the restaurant people didn't think we'd be able to get the wheelchair up there, as there wasn't a ramp. Since my dad insisted on sitting there, Jay managed to carry my dad and the wheelchair up and down the stairs...Putting his fireman skills to good use!). I actually had misoyaki salmon (must be missing Japan and Seattle right now), and then we had a special oreo cookie ice cream cake that Jay and Toni got for my dad. My dad made a wish, blew out the candles, opened gifts, took pictures, and then we headed home. Bernice prepared to bathe him, and they told me I could head home and come back in the morning and to help Dad with lunch.

When I came home, the island in the middle of our hill (where the streets intersect) was full, so I pulled in the driveway (Because our driveway area is for 3 houses worth of cars....8 cars in our family total, there's always some creative parking issues when everyone is home.) and backed into my brother's spot (hoping not to bump his motorcycles there..not to worry, my brother doesn't read my blog..otherwise he'd be worrying right now). Uncle Gary, from the middle house, came out and asked if Jay was coming home because I should repark the car. He offered to move it in front of my other uncle's house, since my aunt and uncle in the top house are out of town in Seattle right now (because I'd be blocking two cars). With careful manuvering in the dark, it worked out alright, and I think those that need to leave for work and school tomorrow morning will be okay.

I spent the rest of the late evening/early morning clearing my floor, putting clothes away, wiping the coffee table clean of dust so I could add my feminine touches to this bachelor pad, and put a nice Thai silk tablecloth and Thai placemats down in our living room. Then I started opening drawers in my old dresser I drew up with. Bad move. Old t-shirts stained from who knows what sort of liquid, and termites had attacked some paper and a lauhala woven purse so bad that there was, what looked like, a bucket of sand covering one entire drawer. Went to get some cleaning supplies in the kitchen, only to come across cockaroaches in the cupboards and the usual ants that visit the dishrack and kitchen sink on a daily basis. Oh, and did I mention the tons of dead millipedes that are all over my bedroom carpet? Yes, I guess I didn't REALLY leave SouthEast Asia after all! Those are things I didn't miss when I was living in Seattle all these years......But, oh I'm back, and the lovely creatures were all just waiting for my arrival (especially because my oh so lovely younger brother does such a GREAT job of cleaning and taking care of the house!) ....Oh, not to worry. He knew big sis was coming home to clean. I can see what I'll be doing these next few evenings.