< Notes...

So hard to explain politics, or, at the very least, advice they form their own opinions, and not let others on the YouTube shows they watch do it for them, to our elders! They simply don’t want to listen. Instead they say some non-sense, and without letting you engage further they say “But that’s OK, let’s not talk about that!” Infuriating. Will I be like them when—and if—I grow older? I sure hope not!

We came to see bố today, just like we do every weekend. It is a less than an hour visit, just to bring him some food, check on him, and tidy up his space. I also checked on Kathleen and Roxanne. Kathleen thanked us for the madeleines we left by her bedside last weekend (I was waiting for her, but she was taking an eternity in the bathroom, so I had leave). Roxanne was in the day room, being amused by the bunch of other elderly folks who get together on weekends to read, play dominoes, and otherwise engage in all sorts of tomfooleries. 🤭

I also went to visit a newly “adopted” resident. She is an elderly Vietnamese lady, who seems not to have much family around. The last two times Horsie and I passed by to see her she didn’t mutter a word. Today I brought her a madeleine, and she said “Cảm ơn”. Baby steps.

There is no better way to start my Valentine’s Day than sipping coffee next to my Monkey, and then going to auntie’s house to replace all her light bulbs—yes, you read right, all of them! Coming home with a white chocolate mocha with extra whip for Horsie tops it off.

Each time I see me surrounded by “stuff”, mostly not mine, I must clarify, Mark Pilgrim’s “The Pursuit of Happiness” comes to mind:

1. Stop buying stuff you don’t need
2. Pay off all your credit cards
3. Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in your house/apartment (storage lockers, etc.)
4. Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit on the first floor of your house (attic, garage, etc.)
5. Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in one room of your house
6. Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in a suitcase
7. Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in a backpack
8. Get rid of the backpack

Last note of 2025. Happy new 2026, everyone! We watched quite a few movies and series during this break. I will try to remember and recollect some of them later next year. Time, as always, seems to have slipped through fingers; simply incredible.

For the first time the boy isn’t spending the new year’s evening with us. There is a time for everything, right? Still, it feels odd, and we miss him very, very much. We miss the girl too.

Thanksgiving was a success! We had 21 people joining us, so much food that everyone got to pack take-away at the end of the night. Afterwards cleaning is complete, all is well.

Today’s coolish, with 6°C earlier this morning, and sunshine. After coffee with mum, and an early 2 miles walk with dad, it is time to chill in the comfiness of my couch.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we are hosting, like we do almost every year. This time around we are expecting 22 people, all family. As you can imagine, it is going to be a busy day. I am on clean up duty, before and afterwards. Yay! 😅 Still, happy to see a bunch of the family at once, and share a meal with them. As Horsie said, elders have their time left counted—but, don’t we all?—and we never know if we will be able to share a day again with them.

Coming across Horsie’s many boxes and paper piles brings reflection. If it was up to me they would be gone long time ago. They are… attachments. I want to believe they are. Anyway, for that reason an old Mark Pilgrim’s blog post came to mind, and I had to go hunting for it.

“I had been waiting for the facts inside these boxes to change. Of course facts do not change; only people change. And with that, I dumped them in the trash and hauled them to the curb, still unopened after all these years.”

Will that time come for Horsie? I am going to work harder now to get rid of things I might have accumulated and left unused for years. If anything so that others—specifically loved ones—don’t inherit that burden.

Family elders engaged in petty fighting and family drama is so annoying! First because they do it; second because, as they are elders, there is no much I can do about it. We all have emotions, and make mistakes, and surely can get mad to each other. Now, holding grudges for as long as our elders do isn’t healthy.

Eating out is something that I am giving more and more thought, before I do it. We used to go out to eat at least once a week (weekends), but prices have gone up everywhere, and portions have shrunk, and quality has diminished. Yeah, “times they are a-changin’”.

As seeing in a picture a family member sent, after we were chatting—in the family group—about how the Grim Reaper was so busy lately. “Well, not busier than Quynh, but almost!”, to which she replied with the image of a coffe mug with the following written in it:

Re-tired
(adj.)
I was tired yesterday, and I’m tired again today.

I should have noted that the “well, not busier than Quynh…” was messaged because she has been very inactive in the group lately. 😂

Stayed overnight at an AirBnB in Cocoa Beach, and woke up without being able to beat the sunrise—which was the “plan” before going to sleep, LOL. Nevertheless, had a nice stroll on an almost deserted beach. Today’s “Father’s Day”, so off we go for dim sum!

Partner managed to break, for the second time, her SUV passenger’s side mirror. Granted, the mirror itself wasn’t shattered. Will it count for that “breaking a mirror brings back luck” superstition?

Just had a chè thái that mum made for me (because she knows I am sick, and that I like it), and I feel I had the entire month worth of sugar in just one drink. 😅

Wife getting sick is the second worse thing that can happen, right after kid getting sick. Me getting sick will be the third. And the timming of it. Oof!

The weekend begins for me now, and I have absolutely nothing to do (well, I am sure Kim could find something for me to do, but I am not going to let her know I am off. Haha!). I am leaning towards going to mum’s to pet and feed her chicken. Then just lazy around, because if that is not a great use of my free time, what is?

Son got a little melancholic when I told him I might not be around for the next total solar eclipse in 2045. “Come on, papá, take care of yourself, exercise, and be healthy. You can do it!” — he told me.

I live for the people I love, for the people I care about. I want to continue, I want to be around. If anything, for him, for my family, for my friends.

Alright, let the weekend commence. Within minutes I will be dragged to BJs by Kim. Then to visit Bố. By the time all that’s done, night will be upon us. Then nothing will come between the couch, and the telly. 😂

Nothing better to bring delight to an otherwise secular night: Arroz con gandules. To that recipe we add diced ham. Kim cooks arroz con gandules in such way that makes me forget diet, measure, or restrain.

Last night, after partner finished cooking, in, and on the side of kitchen sink: 5 big knives, 2 small knives, three cutting boards, three frying pans, two medium size pots, one large pot, two colanders, many chopticks and spoons. A full rubbish.

When I say “Don’t worry about the dishes, I will do them later!” I don’t only say it out of love, or out of duty (doing the dishes is my chore). I say it becase I do them better. You know, like really clean, not a sloppy job. 😂

“What’s going on with the WiFi? I can’t connect the iPad to it.” — “Nothing that I know off. Do you think the boy would be so happy playing a video game with friends, if there was a problem?” — “It isn’t working!” A minute later, “never mind”.

If at first you don’t succeed, you mustn’t quit! LOL.

Kim loves to buy plants, or she will gladly take them from people giving them away for various reasons. That’s the extent of her “green thumb”. Plants commonly perish under her “care”. She tries, though, but often is not to be. It’s rather sad.

Then she makes me feel guilty when she asks, “Have you watered my plants?” Like, really?! 😅

Came back from riding the bike with dad. Told Kim we rode around 5 kilometres. “Riding on the road is dangerous!”—she says. “We rode on sidewalks.” “It is dangerous”—she repeats, “Please, don’t do it again.”

Yet, if I don’t do it, she will say “You are too sedentary, need to move more.” Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. 😂

I just got my chores handed to me, so I must hurry up to beat the rain and bike, and then rush home, shower, and get to chop, chop, chop!

If only I was a Horse, and not a Monkey! Damn you, opposable thumbs! 😂

We survived the weekend, alone, without the boy. Now onto the working week. Got to mow the wilderness that is our backyard, this week. Soon after I will have to do the same for the front. It never ends!

Boy is leaving for a week to the Keys before classes start again. Here comes a week of worries.

If I want the whole family to know about something almost instantly, I pick an aunt, and preface the something I am about to tell her with “I am confiding this to you but, please, let’s keep it between you and me”. 😂

Here goes a Sunday of doing absolutely nothing. And it has been good, so far. Tomorrow I will have coffee with mum and dad. And that’s all I have planned. Though, come to think of it, it would be prudent to mow the backyard now, and not let the weeds grow too big. So, maybe there is something else that I will do after all. Maybe.

Mum’s 79th birthday was the last day I drank alcohol (one beer). I shall not touch alcohol ever again. Not a grudge against it, I just didn’t like it much to begin with.

After eating too much on mum’s birthday, and not doing any cardio yesterday, and oversleeping today, I felt guilty and went out walking/running. It was not fun, with 30°C temperature. Showered and fresh, I feel great now. Not for long, now Kim wants me on errands. Heeeeelp!

Mum is 79 years old today. Wow! I know it is not a super advanced age, but I wish I could get to her age, with her health.