Where I Lived

Nestled somewhere in this jungle field is my parents' house, which they have lived in the past twenty years and for which the mortgage has been all payed off, yay! I lived here too, but for a much shorter period of time, aged 13 to 18. Only five years, but I can distinctly remember junior year of high school, with the scary senior year and the even scarier college and the Big Bad World looming, talking to my friend Michelle in the kitchen and together wondering how long, once we left home, we would be able to last on Taco Bell and Coca-Cola before dying.

Goldfinch picnic in the backyard.
In the backyard is also buried my dog Beau and my cats Pepper and Tammy, may they rest in peace.

But la. We flew the coop and did survive out in the big bad world afterall, and with finer nurishment than that of canned beans or soda thankfully, and it's been a very long time since we've referred to our houses as "my house" or "your house." It's now my parents' house, and I am just a guest.

Right now my parents' house is pretty much empty inside. It is the exact opposite of what it's like outside, with the masses of rose and azalea bushes, wisteria and camellia trees, peonies and irises bursting from every corner. There is a thick row of rose bushes growing and spilling along the brick courtyard in the front of the house that has not even yet bloomed. Once it does, watch out! It will be a bumblebee's favorite playground. My mother sent me a small stump of this same rose variety up North when we bought out first house 6 years ago, I stuck it in the ground, where it remained stunted at 6 inches tall for all that time. What went wrong? Besides the fact that clearly I have inherited both my parents' messiness but not their green thumbs? Life isn't fair, I'm doomed to not pick after myself and kill plants forever.

My mother wails everyday how much she's going to miss her garden and her backyard wildlife. It's been a long while since I've missed this home myself, but I understand how she feels.

Comments [2]
Filed Under: Travel | Atlanta | Wednesday is for Where I Live

Happy fun time

We're having a jolly time here in the South. After a weekend with the parents, Duck and I headed to Savannah for a couple of days, then to Jekyll Island, then to Okefenokee Swamp, and then we got tired of driving around and headed back to Atlanta a few days early. I meant to update here more regularly but am trying to make headway in my very neglected photo album. So far I've only pics up of our trip to Jekyll - take a peek.

This past Friday for Cinqo de Mayo we headed with my high school peeps to some bar in Buckhead for some Mexican food, but all they were serving were drinks. Margaritas all night + no food all night = Tim puking out the car window on the way home. Ha ha ha! This is funny really only to me because in all the years of partying, I have never ever once seen him lose equilibrium even slightly, while he has seen me more than I would like to admit. And always with a gleeful, self-satisfied glint in his eyes. So yes I was rather enjoying myself watching him sick out the front seat, even though the mess came back and splattered my side of the window. I have pictures of this too but you probably don't want to see it.

Happy Cinqo de Mayo!

The night ended with a late late dinner at Waffle House, a greasy sort of joint that you'd only voluntarily step foot in if you were 1) a truck driver, 2) really stoned, 3) really drunk. Hashbrowns smothered in cheese at 1 in the morning never tasted so good.

Ah yes, we are all in - or approaching - our 30's. The fun never ends.

There has been some knitting. Some. Mostly the only person getting any quality play time with yarn is the cat. Mouse loves to play with yarn. And rabbits too. She brought one home the other day, much to my mother's displeasure. She's really sprightly for a middle-aged cat.

"Did you know I crochet too? Claws make for great hooks. As do incisors."

Comments [3]
Filed Under: Life | Travel | Atlanta

Seafood

Our first two days in Atl has so far predominately featured marine life, both the living...

Scenes from the GA Aquarium: School of sting rays, a leafy sea dragon from outerspace, and a whale shark (a fellow Taiwanese!)

...and the not so much...

Cajun-boiled blue crab, salad with mango dressing, linguini with little neck clams and basil, and strawberry shortcake (my contribution, along with the mojitos)

I will eat anything and everything my mom cooks up and ask for thirds. She's probably an odd bird in the world of Asian mothers in that she does not cook very much Chinese cuisine. I have however commissioned her to make five-spice beef noodle soup. But then also her signature chocolate profiteroles for dessert ;)

Tomorrow we're off to Savannah!

Comments [6]
Filed Under: Life | Travel | Atlanta