18 people in my house. Sleeping on floors and everybody comfy.
No pictures of our group. Kind of disrespectful.
We look like the farm house back in the home country.
18 relatives all together. The cousins had room reservations but we cancelled so we could all be together. 3 to 83. Happy to happier to happiest. I am resigned to pee pee outside. But do not tell the children as they would tell their moms and all us dads would get in trouble. Of course all the time holding it in as women and children fill the bathrooms.
8 children started out in one bed. Too much giggling. Too many snuck in toys. Too happy to sleep. Eventually the littlest got out to lay with mommies and daddies.
Fully functional - about 25
Except for 7 year old Nhi. She keeps bugging me and asking stupid questions and laughing at me. How can I finish writing with her reading every word I write. And saying that the S word above is a bad. She also says that my Van Morrison is a bad singer. And wants to know about my feather that my older son brought me from a peak in Peru.
Get Out! I had to act mad to get her to go play with cousins like a normal girl. You see we are all married and have children and have jobs and pay bills and save up for vacations and honor "grandma" and say a prayer for great grandma who passed at 105 recently. You see we have old fashioned values. Education is paramount except for family. Hugs are the deal around here not handshake.
OK ok Nhi is back here bugging me. How fun is that?!
Some folks question whether there is a heaven. What fools. It is right here right now. Who bought that danged robot that makes so much noise --- oh well.
I just love these photos and the lifting music. Nhi not so much.
Grandma -- Mom and Grand aunt -- auntie
What am I going to do. I just love my mom (in law but mine passed) and my auntie. They are just arch typical southeast Asian moms. More gossip and judgment than a political party. Always cramming food in my face. Putting their noses up at parental decisions.
Ok now there are 6 kids in my office and the girls insist I put gel on my hair.
Fantastic they are now outside playing like they should.
It does not matter my wife has two hundred things for me to do.
I sneak away to organize races that work from 8 to 3. Who gets the prize, my hugs??? Too much laughing and being silly. My stomach aches from laughing.
I made the children form a line so I could hug them.
The little guys cheated and went back to the end of the line after hug. So I ended hugging for about 30 minutes. I do not look like Santa Clause. The little buggers just loved the hugs. Ok and then two cousins got in line along with my wife and things got out of hand.
And then came photo time. 20+ people smiling at you for ten minutes is unnerving. Especially when auntie is doing rabbit ears on cousin. Time for more hugs and food.
This is a documentary/profile of my life. The lady soloist plays me. She saw the devil.
Ruffians, Dogs, scum, lousy people and Mean.
You got it that is my family. Because they left me. What the heck. My house was empty. How could they just leave me here to be alone? I walked around my look must have scared the bugs and the neighbor's dog because everything went quiet.
I love my serenity. I love my garden. I like to be left alone to write ----- And I am a lousy liar. I love chaos and family. I like hugs more than roses. My fish like children to feed them and sleep filled with snoring. I do declare I shall go into depression.
But the phone rings. It is my wife. I hesitate. And pick it up. All family are on flights and she must do some work ---- could it be? And she shows up with my boy. He, like me is crying. "they all left". So we have each other. And you know what we are going to do today? Nothing!
We are not alone we are loved and we have each other.
Grandma cleaned and polished my Buddha
Postscript
In my little subculture we measure up who is rich. Yes money is important but here are our criteria:
Shoes at your doorstep. if there are a bunch then you have friends and family by the bunch.
A big old belly. Come on life is sweet.
Gray hair. It means you have much to worry about. Cool huh?!
Parents. Past or present it means you are cared for.
Work. It means you have value to others.
So maybe i Live my life different than folks who want to include me and then change me. I am ok with that. I do reckon that I must end this long boring hub with something. May my peace and piece be upon you. Know that my burden is light. My misery is nothing. If you want to dump your load on me. That is cool. I got broad shoulders and no weight. It might help ya. And it would for sure help me to help you.