Hey, that’s diffferent…
Things I noticed right away being back in the states.
Graffiti on the sides of Interstate 5.
Homeless people with signs on street corners.
Litter on the streets and sidewalks.
Whatever, those things are not great, but I have people here that care about me and we're excited to see me. I feel the same.
Got to spend the last two days largely with Ted, Brian, and Tony. We had dinner at a great BBQ place in town and then sat around a table drinking too much wine (well, they drank wine) discussing many topics from world affairs to dating to other things going on in our lives.
Going to meet up with Dave Brannon tomorrow morning at a place downtown before we hit the bank and get him added to our union account. We tried today unsuccessfully and needed to make an appointment. Fortunately we both have flexible schedules.
Got together with my mom for a couple hours this afternoon and had a great visit. She's consistently having the same complaints, one of which is her frustration with not remembering how to play card games. We tried Uno today with a regular deck of cards. It felt successful and it felt like she was happy to spend some time together doing what she wanted to do. Credit needs to be given to Ted's son Milos for inspiring me with the Uno idea.
We also spent some time looking at pictures on my phone from China. She struggles to navigate her computer so reading my blog isn't in the cards there. She really enjoyed seeing pictures of Aiyun and commented that she was very pretty. However, she like any other parent and just wants me to be happy. She could see that I was happy to tell her about our dating experience so far.
Plan is to also hit the golf course tomorrow and get in nine holes with Brian, Ted, and Milos before Ted has to depart. Was happy that our schedules lined up and we got to spend some time together before he and Milos head back to Puerto Rico.
I'm here only two days and I'm making solid progress on my list of chores and supplies. Got a package mailed for a friend from China to her friend in Idaho. Bought some specific supplies to take back to China like deodorant, toothpaste, and pens I like. Just things that I couldn't find easily in a China. Also got a copy of my will signed and delivered to Moira. Doing something dumb and nearly getting myself killed a week ago was solid motivation.
Lastly, I'm not a Facebook user so I'm missing out on following Steve and Nancy's adventures in France. I used Tony's phone today to read about their visit to Normandy and really looking forward to seeing them both when they return later this month.