I forgot my blogger password so I was locked out for awhile but now I'm back! So... a recap on what's been going on lately:
Valentine's Day: On the 14th we all had dinner at Ev's since it was Wednesday dinner night. She made a yummy lasagna and deeeleecious brownies for dessert. I also made chocolate covered strawberries in honour of the holiday. Later that night, I went to Gerwyn's house and gave him Valentine that I made, straight out of grade school with doilies and everything! I had told him that I thought we should "make" our gifts this year so we don't spend any money. So what does Vinder give me??? First, a pillow that he bought with a picture frame in it which of course he used to insert a picture of us. (I swear, ANY item with a picture frame in it and Gerwyn will find it.) AND for the "homemade" segment of the gift, he decided to "make" me feel good. Now ladies, get your minds out of the gutter, by that he was going to give me a much needed massage. I always massage his shoulders and back before we go to bed but for some reason, the favour is rarely returned so on V-Day, it was my turn to collect! And it was worth the wait, I got almost a full hour of good shoulder and back focussed massage. The great part about it was that when I usually go to the spa, I'm shy to tell them if its too hard or soft and where I really need them to focus so with Gerwyn, I could just tell him what I wanted. It was a great gift and definite points for creative interpretation!!
Last weekend we didn't do too much, Saturday we went to the gym to work out and Sunday I celebrated Lunar New Year with my family and pigged out.
Yesterday we had Wednesday dinner at my house. It was Vinder's turn to cook and he decided to treat everyone to Swiss Chalet instead. We even had a special guest: Victor Ricafrente (Gerwyn's best friend). Mel and Norm also brought their Wii and we finally got to try it out. Needless to say, we're hooked! Our favourite game was boxing. Even though everyone got a very good laugh at my boxing technique (or lack thereof,), it was still a great workout! It took me 3 rounds to knock the guy out and by then I was huffing and puffing and so tired. Who needs the gym when they have the Wii!!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Fight, FIGHT!
All couples argue. I know its a normal part of every relationship. But with my limited relationship experience, I had no idea how hard it is to communicate when you're angry and what effect it can have on others.
Gerwyn and I have had a few disagreements and they always work themselves out but most recently, our latest disagreement ended up with us not talking for a few days. It was the first major argument I've ever had with a significant other and quite a learning experience. Mel says being in a relationship is about working as a team. And even when you disagree, your focus should be on resolution and learning, not necessarily to make them feel bad or point a finger. Easier said than done, especially for me since I always "thought" I was trying to help by pointing the finger in the first place. (ie. pointing out what they did wrong.) I didn't realize what kind of effect this can actually have on someone else. Susie, who also gives great advice, says that there are four key ingredients to every successful relationship: Commitment, Trust, Communication and Respect. You don't realize how true this stuff is (or how much you may lack it) until you come into times of trouble.
Things are obviously better now, but boy, do I still have plenty to learn...
Gerwyn and I have had a few disagreements and they always work themselves out but most recently, our latest disagreement ended up with us not talking for a few days. It was the first major argument I've ever had with a significant other and quite a learning experience. Mel says being in a relationship is about working as a team. And even when you disagree, your focus should be on resolution and learning, not necessarily to make them feel bad or point a finger. Easier said than done, especially for me since I always "thought" I was trying to help by pointing the finger in the first place. (ie. pointing out what they did wrong.) I didn't realize what kind of effect this can actually have on someone else. Susie, who also gives great advice, says that there are four key ingredients to every successful relationship: Commitment, Trust, Communication and Respect. You don't realize how true this stuff is (or how much you may lack it) until you come into times of trouble.
Things are obviously better now, but boy, do I still have plenty to learn...
Monday, January 29, 2007
Ron holds a baby and pets the dog!
On Friday night I went out for dinner with all my cousins to Wah-Sing. My cousin Joon-Sook from Korea is here for 6 months or so learning English so to welcome him here, I arranged an impromptu dinner which everyone was able to come to which was great! There were 8 of us in total which meant we could order 2 orders of the lobster and 2 orders of the Cantonese Chow Mein. Everything was so tasty! I even got to have my green beans too. It was nice to see my cousin again, he said I looked exactly the same as when he saw me last which was almost 10 years ago I think. After dinner we went to my cousin Madeleine's house for tea and just talked. I felt bad for Joon-Sook a bit since we were all talking too fast, I could tell by the look on his face he couldn't keep up. But its good for him to be "thrown in" to this kind of environment. What a better way to learn right? And my cousin Mad was able to translate all the interesting parts. It was nice to catch up with family, so rare for me!
Later that night, Gerwyn stopped by after a night out with his old high school friends. I could tell he had a great time because he had a big smile on his sleepy face when he got in. Saturday, we took Hanna and David (who was spending the weekend at my condo) out for breakfast at George St. Diner and then suited up for some basketball! Gerwyn was nervous that he might not be able to keep up with a 14 year old but he managed to hold his own and even beat David at all the games we played. (He was relieved.) Just give him a couple more years Gerwyn, then you'll be in trouble!!
After b-ball, we headed out to Mae's to catch up with everyone and hear about Ev's trip to Thailand. I ended up drinking 3 glasses of wine so I was pretty tipsy. Gerwyn kept throwing Kahlua on Ron's lap (knowing he was afraid of dogs). I have to admit, it was pretty funny to see his arms thrown up in the air while he was shrieking every now and then. He didn't actually PET the dog, but it was on his lap which was close enough. (A first for him I think.) Then came Andrew Jacob, Mae's newborn who wasn't even one month old. Of course all of the girls took turns holding him while the boys watched. I decided to pass him to Gerwyn who then passed him to Ron who had never held a newborn in his life! (Check out Sally and Mel's blogs for pics. I have a great picture of Ron's scared face as he's holding the baby. Hopefully it'll get posted soon.) After the dog, baby and 4 cups of coffee using Mae's new Tassimo coffee maker (which Gerwyn just couldn't get enough of!) we went home and I took a nap while Gerwyn bounced off the walls. He ended up watching a move until 3 am that night! That's what you get for drinking all that coffee! Needless to say, I was late to visit Grams in the morning.
Sunday was quiet, after Grams, I had lunch with my mom and took the train home to go to the gym and have a nice looooong bubble bath. I haven't done that in ages and boy was it relaxing.
Later that night, Gerwyn stopped by after a night out with his old high school friends. I could tell he had a great time because he had a big smile on his sleepy face when he got in. Saturday, we took Hanna and David (who was spending the weekend at my condo) out for breakfast at George St. Diner and then suited up for some basketball! Gerwyn was nervous that he might not be able to keep up with a 14 year old but he managed to hold his own and even beat David at all the games we played. (He was relieved.) Just give him a couple more years Gerwyn, then you'll be in trouble!!
After b-ball, we headed out to Mae's to catch up with everyone and hear about Ev's trip to Thailand. I ended up drinking 3 glasses of wine so I was pretty tipsy. Gerwyn kept throwing Kahlua on Ron's lap (knowing he was afraid of dogs). I have to admit, it was pretty funny to see his arms thrown up in the air while he was shrieking every now and then. He didn't actually PET the dog, but it was on his lap which was close enough. (A first for him I think.) Then came Andrew Jacob, Mae's newborn who wasn't even one month old. Of course all of the girls took turns holding him while the boys watched. I decided to pass him to Gerwyn who then passed him to Ron who had never held a newborn in his life! (Check out Sally and Mel's blogs for pics. I have a great picture of Ron's scared face as he's holding the baby. Hopefully it'll get posted soon.) After the dog, baby and 4 cups of coffee using Mae's new Tassimo coffee maker (which Gerwyn just couldn't get enough of!) we went home and I took a nap while Gerwyn bounced off the walls. He ended up watching a move until 3 am that night! That's what you get for drinking all that coffee! Needless to say, I was late to visit Grams in the morning.
Sunday was quiet, after Grams, I had lunch with my mom and took the train home to go to the gym and have a nice looooong bubble bath. I haven't done that in ages and boy was it relaxing.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Birthday Report...
So last weekend Gerwyn and I celebrated his big day! At 31 years old, we're still waiting for him to mature but at least he's well past his pre-buscent years (although there was that pesky pimple that just wouldn't go away for awhile...)
On Friday (the actual BIG day) I woke up to go to the gym and then went for a massage at Sutherland-Chan. (Gerwyn's birthday was a great excuse to treat myself!) Then I met Saadia for coffee and ran to the grocery store to buy my big boy a cake. By the time I got home I only had about 45 minutes to bake the cake and take a shower before I had to leave to meet Gerwyn at Finch station. Barely enough time to get the cake out of the oven and then out the door! After I met Gerwyn, I gave him his first present (homemade Toblerone shortbread and a Colgate 360 toothbrush) and then we went for Sushi at our favourite place Ginza. Then we went to Promenade for a bit of shopping before watching Babel and eating popcorn (with BUTTER!) After the movie, we headed downtown. I made Gerwyn close his eyes while I iced the cake and lit all the candles. Then when he opened them I sang him a song and he blew out his candles and then we GORGED on cake. I think we almost ate half of it that night. After cake, Gerwyn opened his presents (Kiehl's shampoo and conditioner, a red iPod Nano and a Chili Peppers Guitar book with play along cds to look good on his coffee table) and then I read him his card. It was 31 reasons why I was glad he was born. (I won't bore you all with the list.)
Saturday, we had waffles with ice cream and bacon for breakfast (apparently it was birthday WEEKEND) and then we played basketball (I lost again!) before going to Square One. Original plan was to go to Niagara but we hit traffic in Mississauga and changed plans.) One watch and a pair of shoes later, we ended up back downtown for more cake and a dvd. (Did I mention someone had KFC at the mall? It was like the boy had never eaten before, the whole thing was devoured in seconds!!)
Sunday was quiet. Just went to Grams in the morning and played with my cousin's kids (my cousin Cat from the States was visiting with her 2 kids too) and then went back home to watch the football game. Yes, I watched football. And I think I may have even enjoyed it. Which is good cause Superbowl is in 2 weeks and I have no choice but to watch the game. If you can't change them, might as well join them... I'm ready for some football!!
On Friday (the actual BIG day) I woke up to go to the gym and then went for a massage at Sutherland-Chan. (Gerwyn's birthday was a great excuse to treat myself!) Then I met Saadia for coffee and ran to the grocery store to buy my big boy a cake. By the time I got home I only had about 45 minutes to bake the cake and take a shower before I had to leave to meet Gerwyn at Finch station. Barely enough time to get the cake out of the oven and then out the door! After I met Gerwyn, I gave him his first present (homemade Toblerone shortbread and a Colgate 360 toothbrush) and then we went for Sushi at our favourite place Ginza. Then we went to Promenade for a bit of shopping before watching Babel and eating popcorn (with BUTTER!) After the movie, we headed downtown. I made Gerwyn close his eyes while I iced the cake and lit all the candles. Then when he opened them I sang him a song and he blew out his candles and then we GORGED on cake. I think we almost ate half of it that night. After cake, Gerwyn opened his presents (Kiehl's shampoo and conditioner, a red iPod Nano and a Chili Peppers Guitar book with play along cds to look good on his coffee table) and then I read him his card. It was 31 reasons why I was glad he was born. (I won't bore you all with the list.)
Saturday, we had waffles with ice cream and bacon for breakfast (apparently it was birthday WEEKEND) and then we played basketball (I lost again!) before going to Square One. Original plan was to go to Niagara but we hit traffic in Mississauga and changed plans.) One watch and a pair of shoes later, we ended up back downtown for more cake and a dvd. (Did I mention someone had KFC at the mall? It was like the boy had never eaten before, the whole thing was devoured in seconds!!)
Sunday was quiet. Just went to Grams in the morning and played with my cousin's kids (my cousin Cat from the States was visiting with her 2 kids too) and then went back home to watch the football game. Yes, I watched football. And I think I may have even enjoyed it. Which is good cause Superbowl is in 2 weeks and I have no choice but to watch the game. If you can't change them, might as well join them... I'm ready for some football!!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
9 more days until Gervinder's birthday: Any ideas?
Gerwyn's birthday is next Friday (the 19th.) We'll finally be the same age. For 6 months anyway. I'm not sure what to plan. Should we just go out for dinner, should we try a short weekend getaway, should I get him PS3? HA HA HA, as if I'd actually get him a PS3!!! But I'm sure Gerwyn will read this and for a split second he'll think his dream has come true.
Any suggestions ladies?
On another note, I really wish I had pictures to post with my blog entries...
Monday, January 08, 2007
Weekend Update!
Last weekend was surprisingly busy for not having any real plans. Friday night was Josh's (Susie's boyfriend's) birthday party at their place. Gerwyn came down after work and we were planning on heading there together. Just as we're about to leave my place, my phone rings and its Susie. Here's a quick transcript of the conversation:
Susie: When are you leaving?
Di: In a few minutes.
Susie: Well, you just missed the main event?
Di: What happened, did you guys play a game?
Susie: I'm engaged!
Di: EEEEEEEEK!
I scared Gerwyn when I screamed but I couldn't believe it. First that it happened, and second that I missed it. Josh proposed just after he blew out his candles in front of everyone. I'm so happy for her and can't wait to start planning!! Just when I thought I had run out of weddings to go to...
So the rest of the night was spent congratulating her and celebrating. Gerwyn really needed to unwind after a crazy work week and I think he accomplished his mission as by the time I got him home, he was having trouble standing, focussing and even breathing. (Ok, that part was a bit scary. I kept putting my hand on his chest while he was sleeping to make sure it was moving.) But he had a good time.
The next day was supposed to be our "lazy day" but it turned into "active day" when Gerwyn decided he wanted to try out my basketball court. I think he just wanted to re-live his highschool days by doing all these crazy lay-ups and even attempting his famous slam dunk. (That one didn't go over so well, turns out its a lot harder to do after 15 years. He's still hurtin' from that one today.)
After he creamed me in basketball (its hard to focus when you're trying to steal the ball off someone trying to recapture their youth, he was totally cracking me up!) well, I managed to get a few points by the end but he always won. After b-ball, we went to the mall and tried to return his sweater at Abercrombie and Fitch. If anyone has heard me talk about this store, its to tell you how much I hate it. And Gerwyn made me go in there TwICE! Once to return his sweater and a second time to return the pants he bought after returning the sweater. However the second time I couldn't bring myself to wait in the store so I waited outside.
After shopping I headed to Scarborough for my gram's 90th birthday. It was great, she was so happy to see everyone and I know it means a lot to her to be part of the group instead of cooped up in her room in a bed all the time. She even started crying while we sang happy birthday. It was hard not to cry too.
I pigged out like crazy (had 3 helpings) and then chatted with my cousins for a bit before going home with my mom.
Sunday, I visited Grams again (she slept for most of the time) played with my cousin's kids (baby Stephanie cried in my ear for an hour straight! There was no calming that baby down. I finally got frustrated and gave her to her 9 year old sister to hold which actually worked. I think she just wanted a familiar face. I guess all us Koreans aren't the same afterall.) and then went back down town to meet Gerwyn for Abercrombie visit number 2 followed by dinner at his friend's Mexican restaurant. The burritos were yummy! I'm going back on Wednesday with MelandNorm again.
Then we watched Bend it Like Beckham (Gerwyn hadn't seen it before) and in the spirit of the movie gave each other Indian names. I gave him Gervinder and I'm not sure what he came up with for me but I'm sure it wasn't as clever as mine.
Susie: When are you leaving?
Di: In a few minutes.
Susie: Well, you just missed the main event?
Di: What happened, did you guys play a game?
Susie: I'm engaged!
Di: EEEEEEEEK!
I scared Gerwyn when I screamed but I couldn't believe it. First that it happened, and second that I missed it. Josh proposed just after he blew out his candles in front of everyone. I'm so happy for her and can't wait to start planning!! Just when I thought I had run out of weddings to go to...
So the rest of the night was spent congratulating her and celebrating. Gerwyn really needed to unwind after a crazy work week and I think he accomplished his mission as by the time I got him home, he was having trouble standing, focussing and even breathing. (Ok, that part was a bit scary. I kept putting my hand on his chest while he was sleeping to make sure it was moving.) But he had a good time.
The next day was supposed to be our "lazy day" but it turned into "active day" when Gerwyn decided he wanted to try out my basketball court. I think he just wanted to re-live his highschool days by doing all these crazy lay-ups and even attempting his famous slam dunk. (That one didn't go over so well, turns out its a lot harder to do after 15 years. He's still hurtin' from that one today.)
After he creamed me in basketball (its hard to focus when you're trying to steal the ball off someone trying to recapture their youth, he was totally cracking me up!) well, I managed to get a few points by the end but he always won. After b-ball, we went to the mall and tried to return his sweater at Abercrombie and Fitch. If anyone has heard me talk about this store, its to tell you how much I hate it. And Gerwyn made me go in there TwICE! Once to return his sweater and a second time to return the pants he bought after returning the sweater. However the second time I couldn't bring myself to wait in the store so I waited outside.
After shopping I headed to Scarborough for my gram's 90th birthday. It was great, she was so happy to see everyone and I know it means a lot to her to be part of the group instead of cooped up in her room in a bed all the time. She even started crying while we sang happy birthday. It was hard not to cry too.
I pigged out like crazy (had 3 helpings) and then chatted with my cousins for a bit before going home with my mom.
Sunday, I visited Grams again (she slept for most of the time) played with my cousin's kids (baby Stephanie cried in my ear for an hour straight! There was no calming that baby down. I finally got frustrated and gave her to her 9 year old sister to hold which actually worked. I think she just wanted a familiar face. I guess all us Koreans aren't the same afterall.) and then went back down town to meet Gerwyn for Abercrombie visit number 2 followed by dinner at his friend's Mexican restaurant. The burritos were yummy! I'm going back on Wednesday with MelandNorm again.
Then we watched Bend it Like Beckham (Gerwyn hadn't seen it before) and in the spirit of the movie gave each other Indian names. I gave him Gervinder and I'm not sure what he came up with for me but I'm sure it wasn't as clever as mine.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Holidays are almost over...
(Edit: This was a pic from New Year's at my sister's friend Melina's house.)Christmas is over. Not even any snow. Too bad, but I had lots of fun with my family and stuffing myself silly. This year the party was at my brother's condo. The first time we've had it outside of my mom's or aunt's house. It was actually at a "kid's" house. How weird. But funny cause we were all in a cramped condo just like the old days when all my aunts and uncles could only afford small apartments so we'd all cram in for the family parties. It so cool to see how life just keeps on revolving.. what's that saying.. "As the world turns, these are the days of our lives?" Wait a second, that's from a soap opera. Anyway, you get the idea. At the end of the night, all the adults went to my aunt's house and just the cousins stayed at my brother's to exchange gifts. Gerwyn and I also exchanged presents at that time which I was nervous about but it didn't seem too bad since we all kinda opened our gifts at the same time so everyone was distracted. HOWEVER, just as we all finished opening our gifts and the excitement died down, Gerwyn pulls out a small box from his pocket and says "one more!". Needless to say, the entire room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Then he says, "Relax everyone, I'm not getting down on one knee." WHEW! For a split nanosecond, my heart stopped. However, when everyone started breathing again, I opened the box and saw two beautiful diamond earrings. Nothing like a little bling to make the holidays extra special!!
Now its time to plan New Year's...
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
5 more days til Christmas...
Its almost here and I STILL haven't done my Christmas shopping. I remember when I was younger I was SO into the Christmas spirit, I don't know what it is but this year just doesn't feel like Christmas to me. I think I'm starting to get stressed about buying gifts instead of enjoying the things I love about the holiday like the decorations, the cookies, and the SNOW! Where is the snow??? How can we have a White Christmas without it?
Tonight is my turn for Wednesday dinner. I'm making an arugula and tomato salad, chicken parmesan with grilled peppers and polenta and a berry tart for dessert. I also have another dinner party tomorrow night so don't be surprised if you notice a few similar dinner menu items Saadia. Another great part about the holidays is getting together with all your friends and family, I love the parties!! (And of course I love the food!) If only work didn't get in the way, I could get so much more done with an extra 8 hours...
Speaking of which, I guess I should get back to work. I have my work Christmas party on Friday night and then brunch with Sally, Saad and my sister on Saturday followed by some last minute shopping before I head to Scarborough for family time. Can't wait!!
Edit: Here's a pic from my work Christmas Party (We played Deal or No Deal and I won $140!!)
Friday, December 15, 2006
Miami: Part 2
Just to finish up the trip to Miami, our last few days were spent taking Jackson shopping for new shoes and getting stuck for 4 hours on Alligator Alley with a flat tire. The tire actually EXPLODED so that we were left driving on the rim. It was pretty scary but we (gerwyn, Jackson and myself) were all ok. I just ended up with over 40 mosquito and ant bites but I guess that's what happens in swamp land. Can I blame them for being attracted to my sweet blood?
Our last day in Miami was sad, we had to say goodbye to Jackson who was leaving to spend some time with his dad. I was in the shower so I barely had time to wave to him as he was being carted off to his dad's car. I wonder if he misses his Auntie Dow Chicken? (Don't ask where the name came from, I was just happy he could remember me.)
Now its getting closer to Christmas and I still haven't done my shopping, barely started in fact. I go out at lunch every day to try to knock things off my list but I just can't seem to find the right thing. Maybe everyone will get socks this year???
Mel suggested I shop first thing on Saturday morning so that's what I'm going to do. Pick up my caramel macchiato and shop til I drop. Tonight I'm going to Milestone's with the ex LBLers, Ken, Connie, Janet and Courtney. Then I'm off to Hemingways to meet up with more LBLers after their Christmas party. Tomorrow is shopping and Christmas parties (Saadia, Susie and Janet) and then Sunday is Bruce and Harita's housewarming. Wow, its going to be a busy weekend, but I love it. Who can complain about going to parties with friends???! What a better way to spend your time I say. Especially when you have friends as good as mine. Especially Mel, Sally and Saadia, they are by far, the best... hee hee.
Our last day in Miami was sad, we had to say goodbye to Jackson who was leaving to spend some time with his dad. I was in the shower so I barely had time to wave to him as he was being carted off to his dad's car. I wonder if he misses his Auntie Dow Chicken? (Don't ask where the name came from, I was just happy he could remember me.)
Now its getting closer to Christmas and I still haven't done my shopping, barely started in fact. I go out at lunch every day to try to knock things off my list but I just can't seem to find the right thing. Maybe everyone will get socks this year???
Mel suggested I shop first thing on Saturday morning so that's what I'm going to do. Pick up my caramel macchiato and shop til I drop. Tonight I'm going to Milestone's with the ex LBLers, Ken, Connie, Janet and Courtney. Then I'm off to Hemingways to meet up with more LBLers after their Christmas party. Tomorrow is shopping and Christmas parties (Saadia, Susie and Janet) and then Sunday is Bruce and Harita's housewarming. Wow, its going to be a busy weekend, but I love it. Who can complain about going to parties with friends???! What a better way to spend your time I say. Especially when you have friends as good as mine. Especially Mel, Sally and Saadia, they are by far, the best... hee hee.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Back from Miami...
Gerwyn and I got back early Friday morning (3:00 am) and have finally caught up on our sleep from the trip. (We slept in two twin beds pushed together so we each took turns falling into the crack.) Now we're refreshed and I'm ready to blog!!
Our vacation was SOOO relaxing, the sun was out, the temperature was HOT and Gerwyn's nephew Jackson was SO CUTE! Every morning we were awoken by a little voice knocking on the door asking for his "Uncle G". It was the sweetest thing ever. Then he'd jump up on our beds and give us a big hug and kiss to wake us up. And as hard as we would try to get him to lie down with us for a little nap, he would somehow manage to drag us out of bed and next thing you know we're in the living room watching cartoons in front of the tv.
We arrived in Fort Lauderdale around 8:30 pm on thursday night and Gerwyn's sister Cheryl met us at the airport. Jackson was already asleep in the backseat so we didn't get to meet each other until the next day but I admired his long eyelashes during the 2 hour ride home. When we arrived at Cheryl's place, we had a little nighttime snack and then went to bed.
The next day we all piled into Cheryl's car and she took us for a little tour of her town Naples. Picture a quiet, lazy retirement town with a beach. Just the kind of place for a nice quiet, relaxing vacation. We stopped in downtown Naples for lunch (sushi with kiwi and mango, very interesting...) and took a walk up and down the main street. It was really beautiful and even better at night! The streets are all lit up with Christmas lights, perfect for an after dinner stroll. Anyway, after lunch we went to the outdoor mall. Seeing as how it was "Black Friday" we thought we'd find some good deals but then we forgot that we were in a town with a bunch of rich retirees. They don't need sales. So we just window shopped at Tiffany's, Cartier, Burberry and Gucci. That night we went out for dinner with Cheryl, Jackson and her boyfriend Chris. The restaurant had live music (well, a guy playing a bunch of instruments anyway) so I asked Gerwyn to dance with me. Unfortunately someone was feeling a little shy that night so instead I got Jackson on the dance floor with me and the two of us gave the entire restaurant a little show. It was so much fun. (I even managed to get Gerwyn to dance with me for about 3 whole seconds before he ran off...)
Day 2: Miami Day! Saturday Gerwyn and I were planning on renting a car and driving to Miami for the rest of the weekend. We had originally planned on getting a Kia or similar (it was in our price range) but luckily the car they gave us (a Dodge something or other) had alignment problems so what did we end up with? A convertible! Whoo hoo! We drove out of that car rental place very happy campers.
Then it was back to Cheryl's to pack and head out to Miami. We managed to get to Miami without getting too lost, it only took us 1.5 hours along the highway they call "Alligator Alley". Apparently its dangerous and there is only one gas station along the entire stretch of highway so they say make sure you fill up before you leave. Gerwyn got to know this highway very well, but more on that later.
Once we arrived in Miami, we checked into our hotel and got ready for our fancy dinner on Ocean Drive. We ended up at an outdoor patio of a place called Fox Cafe. It was very romantic and of course, Gerwyn asked everyone and their brother to take our picture.
After dinner, being the old people that we are, we changed into our comfy clothes and went for a walk along the boardwalk. It was a beautiful (yet windy) night and I wanted to go right out onto the beach but I think someone (and I won't mention any names) was a little scared (it was really dark out there.) so we stuck to the boardwalk and then eventually walked home.
Day 3: We woke up and enjoyed our "continental" breakfast after running out to feed our parking meter. (We got a ticket the night before for being only 5 minutes LATE! $18 later we learned our lesson.) Then we checked out of the hotel and went back to the beach to enjoy the great sunny weather. Gerwyn spent lots of time in the water while I baked on the beach. We saw a lot of interesting characters getting some sun and of course, someone made sure to get lots of pictures of them. (Yes, even the topless lady!!) Then we went for a drive to the outdoor mall called Bayside and enjoyed the sights after we ate a couple of big steaks at the Argentinian Fast Food place in the mall. On the way back, we got a little lost (couldn't find the highway) and got to see the "bad" part of town, it literally changed from one street corner to the next. Beautiful outdoor mall to rundown dirty street littered with mattresses and homeless people. I was nervous because we had the top down on the convertible and they looked like they wanted to approach us. We ended up getting stopped at a light and I was all panicky but Gerwyn just laughed at me. (Can you tell the romance is dead?) Finally made it back to Naples just in time to spend an evening with Jackson while Cheryl went out on her date. We took Jackson to McDonald's (like any good aunt and uncle would do) and then watched some cartoons before going to bed. Jackson didn't want to sleep alone so Gerwyn and I ended up in his King Size bed on either side of him. Every so often I'd feel a foot or some other tiny limb thrown on top of me while Jackson got comfortable. It was so sweet.
Day 4: Naples Day!
Today we started our day with Starbucks with Cheryl and then a trip to the Naples Beach where Gerwyn made us RUN (yes, I said RUN) for exercise. I finally had to stop before i passed out but gerwyn kept going and we met up halfway down the beach. It was good exercise while it lasted and made up for all the ice cream, pizza and chips we had ingested on the weekend. We got back to our car to find another parking ticket on our dashboard. Just as we're about to freak out, I notice its only a "Friendly Reminder" to pay for parking next time we come by. That's Naples for you, in Miami we get slapped with $20 for being 5 minutes late, in Naples, the ol' retirees only get "reminders". How nice.
Later that day, we picked up Jackson from daycare and took him to the local Farmer's Market where he and Gerwyn taste tested every fruit and vegetable they had. We ended up buying a big bag of tangerines and Gerwyn peeled about half of them in the parking lot while Jackson and I waited patiently with our mouths open.
That night we put up the Christmas tree and had pizza (yes, again) for dinner with a side of ice cream and chips. We were definitely on vacation.
Now I'm starting to get a little fuzzy on the rest of the week so I think I'll have to consult Gerwyn before writing again. Be back...
Our vacation was SOOO relaxing, the sun was out, the temperature was HOT and Gerwyn's nephew Jackson was SO CUTE! Every morning we were awoken by a little voice knocking on the door asking for his "Uncle G". It was the sweetest thing ever. Then he'd jump up on our beds and give us a big hug and kiss to wake us up. And as hard as we would try to get him to lie down with us for a little nap, he would somehow manage to drag us out of bed and next thing you know we're in the living room watching cartoons in front of the tv.
We arrived in Fort Lauderdale around 8:30 pm on thursday night and Gerwyn's sister Cheryl met us at the airport. Jackson was already asleep in the backseat so we didn't get to meet each other until the next day but I admired his long eyelashes during the 2 hour ride home. When we arrived at Cheryl's place, we had a little nighttime snack and then went to bed.
The next day we all piled into Cheryl's car and she took us for a little tour of her town Naples. Picture a quiet, lazy retirement town with a beach. Just the kind of place for a nice quiet, relaxing vacation. We stopped in downtown Naples for lunch (sushi with kiwi and mango, very interesting...) and took a walk up and down the main street. It was really beautiful and even better at night! The streets are all lit up with Christmas lights, perfect for an after dinner stroll. Anyway, after lunch we went to the outdoor mall. Seeing as how it was "Black Friday" we thought we'd find some good deals but then we forgot that we were in a town with a bunch of rich retirees. They don't need sales. So we just window shopped at Tiffany's, Cartier, Burberry and Gucci. That night we went out for dinner with Cheryl, Jackson and her boyfriend Chris. The restaurant had live music (well, a guy playing a bunch of instruments anyway) so I asked Gerwyn to dance with me. Unfortunately someone was feeling a little shy that night so instead I got Jackson on the dance floor with me and the two of us gave the entire restaurant a little show. It was so much fun. (I even managed to get Gerwyn to dance with me for about 3 whole seconds before he ran off...)
Day 2: Miami Day! Saturday Gerwyn and I were planning on renting a car and driving to Miami for the rest of the weekend. We had originally planned on getting a Kia or similar (it was in our price range) but luckily the car they gave us (a Dodge something or other) had alignment problems so what did we end up with? A convertible! Whoo hoo! We drove out of that car rental place very happy campers.
Then it was back to Cheryl's to pack and head out to Miami. We managed to get to Miami without getting too lost, it only took us 1.5 hours along the highway they call "Alligator Alley". Apparently its dangerous and there is only one gas station along the entire stretch of highway so they say make sure you fill up before you leave. Gerwyn got to know this highway very well, but more on that later.
Once we arrived in Miami, we checked into our hotel and got ready for our fancy dinner on Ocean Drive. We ended up at an outdoor patio of a place called Fox Cafe. It was very romantic and of course, Gerwyn asked everyone and their brother to take our picture.
After dinner, being the old people that we are, we changed into our comfy clothes and went for a walk along the boardwalk. It was a beautiful (yet windy) night and I wanted to go right out onto the beach but I think someone (and I won't mention any names) was a little scared (it was really dark out there.) so we stuck to the boardwalk and then eventually walked home.
Day 3: We woke up and enjoyed our "continental" breakfast after running out to feed our parking meter. (We got a ticket the night before for being only 5 minutes LATE! $18 later we learned our lesson.) Then we checked out of the hotel and went back to the beach to enjoy the great sunny weather. Gerwyn spent lots of time in the water while I baked on the beach. We saw a lot of interesting characters getting some sun and of course, someone made sure to get lots of pictures of them. (Yes, even the topless lady!!) Then we went for a drive to the outdoor mall called Bayside and enjoyed the sights after we ate a couple of big steaks at the Argentinian Fast Food place in the mall. On the way back, we got a little lost (couldn't find the highway) and got to see the "bad" part of town, it literally changed from one street corner to the next. Beautiful outdoor mall to rundown dirty street littered with mattresses and homeless people. I was nervous because we had the top down on the convertible and they looked like they wanted to approach us. We ended up getting stopped at a light and I was all panicky but Gerwyn just laughed at me. (Can you tell the romance is dead?) Finally made it back to Naples just in time to spend an evening with Jackson while Cheryl went out on her date. We took Jackson to McDonald's (like any good aunt and uncle would do) and then watched some cartoons before going to bed. Jackson didn't want to sleep alone so Gerwyn and I ended up in his King Size bed on either side of him. Every so often I'd feel a foot or some other tiny limb thrown on top of me while Jackson got comfortable. It was so sweet.
Day 4: Naples Day!
Today we started our day with Starbucks with Cheryl and then a trip to the Naples Beach where Gerwyn made us RUN (yes, I said RUN) for exercise. I finally had to stop before i passed out but gerwyn kept going and we met up halfway down the beach. It was good exercise while it lasted and made up for all the ice cream, pizza and chips we had ingested on the weekend. We got back to our car to find another parking ticket on our dashboard. Just as we're about to freak out, I notice its only a "Friendly Reminder" to pay for parking next time we come by. That's Naples for you, in Miami we get slapped with $20 for being 5 minutes late, in Naples, the ol' retirees only get "reminders". How nice.
Later that day, we picked up Jackson from daycare and took him to the local Farmer's Market where he and Gerwyn taste tested every fruit and vegetable they had. We ended up buying a big bag of tangerines and Gerwyn peeled about half of them in the parking lot while Jackson and I waited patiently with our mouths open.
That night we put up the Christmas tree and had pizza (yes, again) for dinner with a side of ice cream and chips. We were definitely on vacation.
Now I'm starting to get a little fuzzy on the rest of the week so I think I'll have to consult Gerwyn before writing again. Be back...
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