Once a Mom, Always a Mom

He went to fill his tank before his girlfriend arrived. I stood by the road in front of my house in the dark watching as his motorcyle tail-light disappeared around the corner of 6th street. Brief thoughts of my youth with his dad ran through my head. How I held on tight as we drove over the causeway on his little motorcycle, scared to death as the wind taunted us.
My thoughts automatically jumed to the worst case scenario. As big rain drops sporatically hit me, I wondered if I should bury him immediately or provide the works. He is so very happy with great anticipation of the fun he will have in an hour or so at the bike rally. My words of caution did not phase him. He assured me he would be safe. His girlfriend arrived in a hissy. She thought he came into town to see her, not the bike rally. She recovered and hopped on the back of his bike and he is now complete with a biker babe to show-off. I pray they stay safe and sound tonight. I won't be sleeping until I hear that motorcyle in the driveway. Just the other day, it seems, my mom was waiting to hear the sound of her children's safe arrival. You would think, by the sound of this journal entry, that my son was a teenager. He is 23. Once a mom, always a mom.

Louisiana

I spent last weekend in Louisiana. The sugar cane was ready for harvest. Big and beautiful. I attended an 80th birthday party for a woman that B grew up next door to on the plantation, Miss Violet. I was introduced, with great respect, to "Mr. Niger," and later I heard a young boy calling his "Uncle Niger." An old neighbor to the relatives we stayed with is called "Niger Boy." By the way, all these people with the name "Niger" are white. I wonder if this phenomenon is unique to this south Louisiana territory. T.G.M., a Texas lotto winner, nephew of the birthday girl, was at the party strutting around with his short stockie (fat) self, wearing a white summer hat to match his starched white shirt. He and his wife arrived in their new Infinity for which they traded their yellow Hummer. All Put had to say was, "It ain't a pretty thing." There was a nice spread of food at the party including a homemade Jambalaya. The ladies at our table were looking forward to going to the Bonchance (a really OLD bar) after the party to go dancing with the old men. The old people were amazing in their physical abilities. Men and women in their upper 80's were dancing as if they were in their 30's.
We over-ate the whole time we were there: crawfish stew, potato salad, cake, fried shrimp po-boys, catfish, biscuits, etc. Even the Pug got bloated. He sh_t all over the yard, front and back, and drank and drank the water. Even the dog food has too much salt in it. And just like us humans he preferred their food to his own.
It's good to be home, but I miss the food already.
It looks like my chances of working at NASA are going up. I have mixed feelings about it. I'm ready to get out of T-Neg's hair, but I'm not looking forward to the drive and the hours. The money will be better. But money isn't everything.
I'm getting a blister on my lower lip. Yuk! and I burned it with a piece of fried chicken.
Later...

Biggest Swimming Pool in the World

Visited Nasa yesterday with my boss and his intern. We had lunch at the Hilton first. I witnessed some of the actual flight crew training for the next mission which will be in March or April. I learned that the tile problem has been fixed (stuff shouldn't be flying off and hitting them anymore) and room has been made in the shuttle to carry four more astronaunts if need be. Then we went on to another location miles away where the 4o ft deep and over 200 ft long pool with a mock space station inside resides. I got to see two astronaunts coming to the surface after having been under water for 6 hours. Previously we saw them on a tv screen at another location. I was disappointed in the atmosphere there since I may end up there soon. The people were rude and grumpy looking, and their work spaces were tiny/grungy cubicles. Then on the way home we got into a traffic jam. I told my boss I changed my mind about wanting to go up there (in a light-hearted way), I like my work space and my commute (1 minute), and he said, "Too late."
I'm looking forward to a long weekend. Tomorrow B and I are going to test drive a used car up the road at Monteque's station, then to the doctor to get B's knee exrayed and his bone density tested, then we will go to Cleveland for the weekend. R and J said they were coming too. I hope I remember to take the blow-up mattresses.
I made chalupas tonight and now I'm burping them.....I'm burning......
Later.....

Porpoises, Sunset, and Uncle Bunyan

We met Uncle Bunyan and Aunt Evadeane at the O Garden and enjoyed a wonderful salad with warm bread sticks before our main dish. Evadeane entertained us with her world travel stories of whale watching and polar bear watching, and Uncle Bunyan watching. He got caught in an esculator in France and took a bad fall that knocked him out for a while and broke his thumb. She watched from the top of the esculator and yelled for someone to help him. She couldn't leave her baggage unattended you know. Uncle Bunyan and I exchanged smiles across the table as she was rambling. I wanted to hug him. When I did hug him, it felt warm and comforting. He has soft skin like Mom had. We all enjoyed a wonderful sunset ride on the fairy, and the porpoises graced our presence with their darling selves. Evadeane befriended a lost soul and gave him some money; she almost cried at the realization that not everyone lives like she does. Bunyan and I had a short moment alone at the front of the fairy. Some salt water made its way into his eye and burned him a little bit. We pointed to a distant fire on Bolivar, pilot boats, Seawolf Park, the lighthouse, the other fairy......then she returned and mumbled something about not doing her own nails. She did a good job driving over there. She only ran one stop sign. We made our way back to TC and said our goodbyes. I enjoyed their visit.