Islands of fun

With the housing situation resolved, we can finally relax and settle into summer.  J and I got to IKEA last week to look at some things to help improve our space.  We are also looking into some new kitchen gear for me, since I’m learning and adapting to our little living space to maximize it for fullest potential.  

Since we do have a month left and haven’t done much of note so far, we set about changing that.  A few days ago, J and Kiddo went to a place called Get Growing Community Farm.  It’s a learning and play place.  It’s also located on a man made island on the river, named Bang Kachao and it is a place that is set up for nature lovers and people who want to enjoy the outdoors.  

Kiddo and J went and it was a bunch of muddy playing and sliding.  Rope pulls on rafts over water.  Balancing.  Learning.  Playing.  Kiddo had a great time and slept like the dead that night.  Parent win!

We also made potions.  She knows not to drink and that it’s all play stuff, but she had a blast making them.  And, of course, the doctor was in.  Poor Poley has had bad medical luck.  LOL

We’ve also set up a trip for a few days to Hua Hin (wha-Hin) for some beach time and family fun time.  However, to mix things up a little, we have invited Beer.  She can drive, she’s a native so she can help with language and any areas of interest, and if she around, it might offer J and I a little time to… well, adult together.  Even if it’s just a convo and cards.  Anyone who has kids, I’m sure, will tell you that a five year old is fun, but a damn lot of work and energy everyday.  If it works out that Beer just wants to drive us but then do her own thing and do whatever a late 20s single Thai woman would do… then power to her and have fun and we at least got a friendly face and person we know and can chat with to drive us the 90 minutes instead of a random car service guy.  Besides that, we are talking about going to an Elephant sanctuary up north in the fall and Beer knows the area and did her Uni in the area, so it would be really cool to know that we can travel with her comfortably and having her for that would open so many doors and experiences; especially for Kiddo.  

With today being Tuesday, it was Kiddo and Dada lunch at the mall.  It was hot and so we found a patch of shade and waited on a Tuk.  It was a 3 minute wait.  Kiddo loves sitting in the back of the Tuk and looking out the back to comment on the cars, people, bikes, life, etc.  As you can see, she’s completely comfortable and just doing her thang.

During lunch, though, she really brought out the cutes.

We were talking about how when she’s in school next year we won’t be able to do Dada and Kiddo lunches.

“Don’t worry, Dada… We can do a Kiddo and Dada dinner.  Also, you can always do the Dada and Kiddo special lunch with just Dada and you can think about me.  OH!  And if you find a PS5, you can get that so I can see you play the new Ratchet and Clank and have my own special pink PS5 controller.”

I did promise her a pink PS5 controller once we found the PS5 here.  So, that’s exciting as well.

Other than that, we’re just having a summer.  Pool time.  Market.  Flower walks.  Playing.  Friday Family Fun Nights (Kiddo decided on the name change).  And all the rest.

Lastly, a thought.

I tell J and Kiddo “I love you” at least once a day.  We have some inside jokes and little things like that between us that is short hand for “I love you” and that is frequent as well.  I’ve told friends, both men and woman, that I love them, because I do.  I think that’s important.  Because I get frustrated, feed up, revolted, angry, and disgruntled plus a few other feelings towards the world right now.  We are going backwards in a lot of ways.  Also, we are a little more than half way into 2022 and ALREADY, there have been enough school shootings in the US to fill 52 school buses.  And that is just the dead children.  Not the wounded.  Not the teachers and staff dead defending those kids.  Not the parents who had a child stolen from them (pro-life what now).  Not the kids who lost a brother or sister.  Not the kids who saw their friends and classmates shot.  Just dead kids.  52 school buses.  But, MAH FREEDUMBZ and MAH GUNZ.

So, I tell the important people in my life I love them.  Especially J and Kiddo.  Double Especially on Kiddo.  Because I want her to know love.  “Even when I don’t do good or don’t listen?”  That’s when I love you most Kiddo!  Because I need to love you the hardest then, because that’s parenting.  So, to J, Kiddo, Doc J, Schmittah, Jesters and crew, Branka and crew… all you folks that we text, talk with, and reach out to see us here; We love you!  As our kid, partner, friend, person, sister or sister-in-law, or just as someone in close contact with us in life.  We would notice if you are gone.  

If you can, please help me in this and tell those that are important and that you would notice gone that you love them.  Maybe, if we keep it up here.  You start it there.  Spread it to friends, have them spread it, and go from there… Maybe we can put a little light and love into a world that gets dark and cold sometimes.  We are in those dark and cold times, I fear.  

Let’s go, Kiddo… It’s time to love.

PS.  Kiddo informed me, before I started writing this, that today is the day of Peace (yes, she invented that all by herself) and so we need to have a stuffed friend parade and give them Day of Peace cards with their names so they know peace and love.  Yes, that’s our Kiddo.  Day of peace and love… I think we’re doing ok, J.  Love you, too!