Todays funnies and not so funnies. It was not so hot in the morning, so the child says: Take a walk. But if I go out and walk, I get all hot and tired. So I did the FB and email stuff first. Then the house cleaner came. Then I put on my jeans and my hat, and started off. I thought Id just go around the block and check out the new houses in the building boom, so I can report back at home. But when I got to the gas station, I looked and my directions were mixed up, so I thought, It does not seem so hot today. At least the top of my head is not sweating under my straw hat. At least there is this little breeze. So I decided to walk to the little house, as I had the keys with me. I used the can of Diet Coke in the frig there as motivation. So I went slowly and steadily. I felt if I could walk this in 2009, surely I must see if I can walk it now, just in case I need to walk, who knows. In winter when its not so hot, I have walked to the shopping and movie complex and come back on my own, to see War Horse. This time it was rather hot, but I sat in both bus stops, which had roofs and glass sides, and composed work in my head. I saw all the newspaper boxes for the Hispanic papers and I saw a ball of Spanish moss being tossed around on the road by the cars. Then I crossed the broad road at the lights, and then there was no space to walk bc the old run down teenie tiny mall had been torn down and fenced in, ready for development. So I decided to walk in the small streets in the neighborhood. Also to check said development One street, no kidding, had 5? plots all ready, with builders signs up already. Some houses looked no longer lived in. Some had old furniture and other trash out for heavy trash day. My neighbor who is very sociable and has lived here last 40 years already told me which house has already been sold and why--The wife died. Even my child, who thinks me stupid old, was surprised, Now where did you get all that information? Of course, I am no dummy. My job is collecting information and looking carefully. So this house always with the immaculate garden and the always shorn down grass and the gold datura--I know if the gentleman is there, all his flowers are perfectly tended. For 3 years now I have been thinking of going over, knocking on their door and asking if they wish to exchange their gold datura for our salmon pink ones, which seem to sprout spontaneously from the childs green thumbs. My snooty c.e. said it is not green fingers, its green THUMBS--whatever. We drove past yesterday and the garden looked disheveled, like Dr ? said Daw Suu looked when she was in Insein prison. That house, it has excellent pecan trees with very big nuts, and 2-3 years ago, I even scrambled down the drain, where the grass was shorn as smooth and short as a GIs head, because I could not stop myself from picking up the pecans and stuffing them into the pockets of my $20 made in China coat. No matter that the whole neighborhood probably knows me as the old Asian woman who walks around. No matter my red coat must make me very conspicuous against green lawns. But that was in 2012. Last year was horrid for pecans, too expensive to buy and none to pick up, so no pecans. No fruit cake either due to having to avoid sugar. Oh--this year--I hope no one died. That house with the pecan tree is totally unkempt. I dont know what happened. Will have to ask my neighbor next time I see her. -- Went to house, let myself in, turned on air con and water. My neighbors grandson looked out when his dogs barked, so thats good. Child calls, What are you doing there? Resting. Ill walk back at 2. Thats too late, walk back now, well have lunch out. Ill need to take a shower when I get back. So after 15 mins just to show Mums the boss, I wash my face and my feet, close up all over again, and start back, this time on our usual L-shaped route, but its too hot. Big castle under construction 2 doors down, one already finished across the street. More walk walk, trying to walk slowly. First time in my life, saw odd shaped berries of cypress trees. Got various small samples, out of habit. Stopped at same bus stops. Ill get back when I get back, what can he say. Sometimes the children are as bad as a the husband. Oh well. -- At Asian supermart. Child says, Mix the sauce in with the chopsticks. We always eat the same thing at the same store, always. I tear open the paper containing the wood chopsticks, and break one. The child grows impatient and mixes it for me. Yes, it does taste better as the sauce goes into the noodles. I tell the child how my shop in DC, the waiters know me and as soon as I sit down, they bring 2 bowls of sauce. --Child eats fast, says I have to go another place. Only get what you want. Dont get too much dim sum. You have no more time to eat anything. In the frig are still the leftover duck confit from last night. Get me some peaches and pluot, Pluot? Hybrid of plums and apricots, Oh--the speckled ones you got last time, with smooth skins. Child has already lost patience and scooted off with the cart to get his own pluots. --I got almost everything I wanted, except I saw no daikon radish. And I meant to eat the frozen durian at $7.50 or so as revenge, but I forgot it when I circled around-- and there is more, about the very ripe, very sweet plums that maybe I ate too much of, and so had to run to the ladies, but getting late and time to sleep, so-- will continue or wont--later. Copyright KMKaung Travels with Favorite Offspring. 8-25-2014
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 02:26:52 +0000