Its six am and I've been awake since 5..jet lag. Baby was very good on the flight over, 11 hours, he slept probably 6 and the rest I walked him up and down the aisles, he would stop and peer up at strangers on his way, most were really friendly and would say hi to him. Nancy and Emma were there at the airport to greet us. nancy drove us to her huge house in Orange, Orange County, she has a beautiful big kitchen with a counter where we spend most of our time chatting, making food and generally enjoying our visit. Or at least I would be if I could get a word in edgeways...my sister's dad is convalescing here (caned it with coke and alcohol his whole life) and is an old cab driver so cannot stop talking, he talks over you, at you, fires questions without listening to answers and its very annoying, frustrating, boring. Sometimes he goes off to nap or read and we get a break but all of us are struggling to put up with it. I suppose it's harder for me as he's not my dad. (he's my sister Gabriele's father, nancy's stepfather- but I never grew up with him). What am I supposed to do? How does one deal with that kind of social situation ?- I've considered putting a hand up in his direction when he's ranting and just saying please stop! or maybe the joking approach , I could say "hey you could talk the hind leg of a donkey"..... or just "please leave me alone". i knew this trip would be overshadowed by his presence here but I hadn't realised how much.
onto more positive things, it is lovely to see nancy she takes an interest in my son and has helped me wash, feed and taken him for a walk so i could get five minutes by the pool. She truly is a very caring, generous person. Considering right now must be hard, her husband has had minor surgery and is currently bed bound and she has two children, two dogs (one a tiny rottweiler puppy named Choccie) AND her stepfather to contend with. I asked her what should i do to deal with him? How do you deal with it? she said OMG sometimes I just can't socialise you know I have my own life too. but you know she is so giving.....and looks after him very well without ever complaining. She wants to help him'dry out' she says but she notices he is smoking and drinking beer again , even tho he has congestive heart failure. I have to find sympathy for him and I do, I think he is an intelligent funny man, who reads voraciously and has or had rather a fantastic mind, just shot to pieces by drugtaking.
Yesterday we walked a few laps around a park, took lani on the swing and david watched him then we walked over to the thrift shops which were run by hispanics and basically had not much of interest - nothing vintage jsut plastic crap and poor quality summer clothing. Nancy picked out a little ride on toy for 3 dollars and got that for him, she replaced the batteries and he loves it. He is really enjoying his stay here, sydney his cousin loves to play with the blocks with him, she builds it up and lani knocks them over. nathan came over her brother, my beloved little nephew is now taller than me and v shy and sweet. he is interesting tho and i'd like to talk more with him.
today the massage , mani / pedi awaits and then a visit to the zoo.......spoilt or what !!!!
