18 December 2012

The Rambles

So this happened:



Which means that this could happen:


I will have to admit we were sweating bullets there for awhile wondering if we'd be able to pull off Christmas at all this year.  For awhile we were thinking we'd be sitting on two lawn chairs in our living room Christmas morning with a crayon drawing of a Christmas tree to put Henry's presents under.  While it may have only taken two months for our things to go from California to the UK two years ago, the shipment from the UK back to California took exactly 3 months and 1 week.  The company we used this last time failed to put our shipment on the first available boat causing a two week delay.  Then Hurricane Sandy delayed us 4 days.   Then the fucking port strike in Los Angeles delayed it another 2 weeks.   The bullshit part of it (as if it wasn't enough), US Customs tried to charge us for the extra days our things were in Customs when they couldn't get to it (due to the strike).  Andy caused a stink and it was reduced, but still...fuck you very much.

But that's neither here nor there as we again have our things and it's brilliant.  It was like an early Christmas opening boxes of things I haven't seen in months.   Do you like our white trash box collection out back?  I have no idea on how to depose of all those boxes as I've yet to find a recycling center like the ones in the UK.  Some centers charge to dispose of goods (like the city dump for example) and others are very specific on what they will take.   The one I was looking at only accepts cardboard that is clean and dry.   Well, we've had few storms come through recently (will I ever escape the rain?) and it's more mush than cardboard now.   This is a really boring paragraph to justify our white trashness. 

Between the unpacking and the Christmas preparing and the child rearing, I've just been trying to pull together a feasible schedule for my life right now.  when you don't work at an office where tasks and projects are assigned to you and there's a deadline and all that bullshit, it's easy (fairly) to stay on schedule.   It's obviously completely different working as a (fuck, I hate this term), homemaker (I don't make homes!  I can barely repair them!).  I have mornings where it's 10 AM and I'm still in my pajamas willing myself to make an effort to get the child and I ready for the outside world.  In my two years of "homemaking", I have only twice fallen victim to a whole day watching tv in pj's, letting the child eat a packet of crisps for lunch as I just couldn't be bothered to put together a well balanced meal.   I'm not proud and I don't do it often mostly because I get pretty fucking bored sitting around all day... and Henry doesn't seem to care for it either. 

It's strange in a way because although I have lived in California on and off for 10 years, this is the first time I've lived here unemployed and with a child.  There are many times I'll take Henry somewhere child friendly and I'll point to a building and say to Henry, "Mommy used to get absolutely blitzed there every Sunday.  They have really great blue drinks."  "Mommy used to drink here a lot too.  Man, I could go for their buffalo wings right about now."  So instead of doing all those fun things I would be doing if I was out of work and not child rearing, I sigh and steer my child to the nearest playground.  In a way it's like living here for the first time.   I know my way around, sure, but I'll be damned if I know any activities besides who has the best happy hours.  Which reminds me, the $4 meatloaf sandwich at Memphis is absolutely to die for.   Someone, please go there for me tonight if you could.  Tell me it was terrible, even if it wasn't.

Anyhow, Mommy\The ole Ball & Chain needs to prepare dinner.  This was just an update.  I'll try to find my funny again over the holidays.

4 comments:

  1. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has no idea what kind of activities a kid would be interested in. We watch a lot of Sesame Street and go for a lot of walks, but there aren't many playgrounds in walking distance (or... any.)

    Box city looks intimidating. Have you considered illegal dumping? ;)

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    1. Thankfully there are loads of playgrounds near us and the weather is always nice enough for walks. There's just a limit of playgrounds you can go to before that gets old too.

      Box City IS intimidating. Maybe I'll just take a drive up all the alleys and dump one box in every trash can I see.

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  2. Boxes, boxes, boxes!!! Throw Henry in and let him jump on them. Make a HUGE fort!!! Race car anyone? or perhaps a space ship?

    Sounds funny to charge to recycle...especially in one of the more progressive states.

    Gald you got your stuff back and I see you got my card. :) Creative solution for the stairs by the way! The stockings are cute.

    You will find plenty of stuff to do with Henry that doesn't involve a Happy Hour. It is always interesting to realise how much your life changes.

    Merry Christmas!!!

    BH

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    1. BH: Those boxes are disgusting now after all the rain. And I already made him a race car box. The cat was more interested in playing in it than Henry.

      FAH, the stairs. My dad is coming out in a couple months and I'm making him put in railings.

      Merry Christmas to you too!

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