but you can’t take the video games out of the kid. Something like that. This week, I’ve realized why it’s fantastic that I haven’t bought any video games for years now. If I did, I would become woefully unproductive for a while (as I have been this week). They’re like breakfast cereal: fine in small doses, but I am unable to consume either in small doses. But at least I know that, which is why I don’t (usually) buy cereal or video games anymore.

I just cooked for 11 people and it turned out perfectly! Granted, the menu was uninspired (chicken, burgers, corn, fruit, salad, bread) but the timing was impeccable, if I do say so myself, and everything turned out well. It was all done at the same time! The chicken was particularly tasty. And, well, timing is at least 50 percent of cooking. My uncle (who is a great cook) says he might* be able to show me how to cook a rack of lamb this weekend… sweet!

*Might, because both his real mom and his foster mom are dying this week. I think that’s who they are. Both really nice old ladies, especially his foster mom. She’s incredible- I only met her a few times, but she was this old black woman, the nicest person ever. I guess she became like the social hub of her nursing home even. Everyone knew her, everyone liked her. His real mom (I think that’s who the other one is) was also really nice, I guess, but I knew her even less. Anyway, they’re both very at peace with the world right now, which is a topic for a much longer and heavier post, but it is also very good. It sounds like they’re both ready. Which is pretty incredible. Offer them your well wishes as they cross on into that Greatest Adventure of All, death and/or afterlife.

On lighter topics: I got a blender, too! I, uh, picked it out. And bought it. My grandma (who is not the best at getting around to places) said, after I mentioned I wanted a blender, “How about if you go pick out a blender. And then you can just buy it. We can pay you for it later. Do you want me to give you the money now? Or later. Either way.” So I did. I make her sound very insensitive, and that’s not fair. They’re sweet. Just sometimes a little out of touch with reality.

I’ve been spending some time with them both these last couple weeks, which is good. They are very nice people. Again, sometimes a little crazy (for example, my grandma wants my dad to re-stain her deck. He built her this deck like 2 years ago. It was a herculean effort. Restaining it would be equally ambitious. And unnecessary.). But as grandkids, we don’t have to deal with all the pecadilloes- to them, we’re golden! They love us to death, right? So it’s nice to be able to spend some time with them- playing golf with my grandpa, going to lunch with my grandma, etc.

She also has the best sayings. The way she delivers them. She’ll be unable to find the right words, so she’ll just say whatever pops into her head. Tonight, she called me a ball of fire. “Dan, you’re just a, ah, uh, … a ball of fire!” Last weekend she called my dad a “brat from China.” It’s great.

Comments:

Brian - May 4, 2006

He is kind of a brat from China.