No Egg Nog and Forget About Tamales

Where the hell have I been?!

Truth be told, sulking and decompressing from the holidays. Yes that's right, I discovered this much while hosting a family friend at our house and she kept coming from work then washing my dishes. By the third night I was perturbed enough to think about why I was so bugged by someone else doing my house work, isn't that what I always dream of?

Unplanned events can do one thing or another and all sorts of combinations of things to one's mind.
Our holidays started off with the usual excitement in the air which steadily thrums louder with the passing of each festivity and all the in between; Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. We were pretty excited about this year. This would be the first holidays since 2006 to have SailorMan and us all together in one place, we were going to mark this occasion with an evening out to the ballet and fine dinning December 13th (fortunately a Bunko partner purchased all tickets from me full value). Then Thanksgiving came around.




Invited to the Home of LeFemme Aussie and her SailorMan, the IrishOne who was unfortunately out to sea, but we ate and were merry for him. After competely stuffing ourselves, we waddled home and in the three days afterward, made the familial holiday calls. During one of the many, we found out that SailorMan's step-father had been even more ill than the usual bouts and was under home hospice care. SailorMan and I decided to look into flying home. In essence, we were trying to beat that AmCross message and guilt over not really feeling guilty on seeing folks we have seen often enough throughout our stay in Monterey. $6.400+ to fly the family States side for 8 days. I get wild hair of adventure up the kisser and decide to see about MACing it, leaving a.s.a.p. to anywhere US. Looked good for us since me and the girls were leaving well before any DOD family with kids in regular school could leave. SailorMan worked his end, getting all the necessary paperwork done while I packed like we were leaving on foot never to return again.

When the Steal Mistress (who was in for the holiday leave period) coughed up SailorMan; the Cube was packed--one small suit case per girl, a regular rolling duffel bag for me, a backpack each-- and off we went. First try was a bust. We didn't know, due to force protection, that this was THE first flight smokin' after the Thanksgiving holiday; the original first flight was canceled. What that means for the poor souls in Category IV seating (which was us since our DOD sponsor was not traveling with us) is all those blessed souls from the canceled flight's Category I-V seating get priority along with this flight's original Category I-V passengers. We of course are Category V and have no love. We were doomed before we drove to Yokota Air Base and stayed the night (wish Navy Lodges would get with the program in rooms as nice as Air Force Inns).

Deflated but not broken, we drove the 2hrs back and repeated the process minus the stay over and first flight stuff and getting bumped by people, a few days later. Instead, driving up that morning, we were bumped by cargo nearly all 10 of us passengers. There was only room for 5. Once again; doomed before leaving our home. After StudMan saved the dignity and life of the very impersonal-needing-a-new-job MAC agent,
from the wrath of his wife who just wanted a straight answer regarding the POSSIBLE up and coming MAC flights for the next 48hrs--which is something he has an idea about and can tell if he'd just @*%&*$ look it up---deep inhale: let it go. Thanks to this, we came to the attention of one of the pilots of the plane we didn't make it on.

He gave us the gouge on what's up and in short, don't count on making it on any of the flights to the lower 48 within the week. That did it. Next thing the Unfortunates knew, we were sitting in the ITT office at Yokota and eventually forked out the $6,400+ (at least the price was still the same once military discount was added) for four round trip tickets. 36hrs later, the girls and I caught the train to Narita airport to begin our very long vacation, sans SailorMan.


We decided to fly the Unfortunates and I on a two-stop, round-trip to Denver then to Texas and back to Tokyo trip; it only cost an extra $200 total to spend 31 days in the States instead of flying directly to Texas for 10 days. We had a lay over in San Fransisco with enough time to allow one of my Uncles to visit with us till take off. That was cool.


Two hours later; us, our backpacks and three pieces of luggage are loaded into Grandmama's Accord, whizing down Pena Blvd, with snow all around--SNOW!!! I have not seen snow in eight years, the Eldest doesn't remember snow, and the CrazyOne never seen the stuff. Soon as we were out of the car and situated in the room we had at the house, the girls were out soaking it all in and learned what it is to have frozen fingers and the joy of cold water over hot, to one's cold digits.


We had a great and relaxed time in Denver with family and friends. For the first time in too many years, we got to spend a holiday with my family. We got to see my not so little but even more beautiful first cousins. I even got to see my dearly missed partners in crime from camp, which was an extreamly happy surprize for me. Its that Rocky Moutain High my Rook Buddies use to tease me with; once it gets you, its hard to ignore. I did try to see and hang out with as many friends as possible, that was a tall order since we didn't have a car and we only rented one for 24hr to see a great friend and her family. The only piss n' moans I do have over the whole 20 days in Colorado are:
I so badly wanted to be with SailorMan. He actually was home and we were not there to be with him.
Now I know what it is to be homesick.





Do not vacation without a car for over 7 days. It drags on the conscience when requesting a ride...AGAIN to somewhere. That is the fastest way to feel like a burden.
No Grandma, I am not in pain. I have very poor circulation and my neck is the warmest place on my body that in public I can place my hands with out askance. You should see my feet and hands after aikido training in the winter.
I didn't get to see my nieces.
I was good and didn't buy egg nog at home to drink all by myself knowing that I would finally get some to share during Christmas. Did I? NO!!! I was gypped!
Little Big Brother; I had been around for 20 days before you FINALLY decide to open up to me. I wanted so badly to just listen to you, push everything aside and talk with you over any and everything that came to mind; it has been years and once again I was cheated of that chance. Don't do that to me again! I am proud of you already, you have no need to feel anything less when we are together. You do not need to be your best to be with me... that is the joy of being family, don't you forget that!



20 days later Grandmama, the Unfortunates and I mailed off the winter clothes, hustled to Mistress Mam'ma's to drop off stuff and say goodbye. Four generations of the family's ladies together one last time. All too soon, it was back to just the Unfortunates and I landing in another airport. This time we were greeted by my sister-in-law CoolTwin--that's right, I said twin. The world was blessed with surprisingly, two souls on one day--The oldest is CoolTwin and the youngest is StudMan. It was great seeing her and QuinceañeraGirl. It has been about 2 years since we had seen them. I was really taken aback over how much QGirl's brother MrMVP had changed. I am so proud of my niece and nephew, they are great kids. We also got to see Aunt Sissy, SailorMan's older sister. Unfortunately we didn't get to see his older brother, perhaps this fall when we are on leave.

Finally, I got to see my Father-in-law. That man was FINE. In fact, he had gained weight since the last time we saw him; we flew him and my Mother-in-law to Monterey to see us and the west coast. He was doing so well that he didn't know what to do with all that healthy energy and was the best crotchety old man ever. He didn't really go off while the girls and I were there but from my sisters (in-laws) were spun tales of unbearable times. I really felt not just for them, but for him though; his wife was delayed from returning from the hospital, his house was full of family (that in itself can be one's breaking point) and he had been very ill for so long that he was afraid to go outside and do something in fear of getting sick again. The doctors and nurses did a fine job in scaring the heck out the man regarding this.

We also got to participate in the time honored Hispanic tradition of sitting in a hospital room for hours at a time keeping the family member ensconced thus company despite the lack of seating. Unfortunately, it was Mom (in-law) and she had been there for over 11 days by time we arrived. It was a very close call on how she came to be there for so long. Originally there for a knee replacement, she had taken her daily dose of aspirin the day of surgery and that was all it took. She nearly came close to bleading out on the table. Little did we know, we were rushing to the States to see Dad on the brink, when it was Mom who we almost lost. Not the best of feeling I tell you. Fortunately she was doing much better, very much in pain, so happily drugged (One evening I left my purse at the hospital and called that night to see if she saw it anywhere, she was most assuredly squared way in her happy place)



The next day, SailorMan flew in: oh happy day!!! He then got to participate in the hospital tradition for Mom and bring furth joy and annoyance to Dad's life. We stayed at Lackland AFB due to the cozy little two roomed house feeling a bit too cozy now with nine people inside--empty the place might be 700 sq ft. Add furniture, then people, see what were working with? After enjoying a few days getting re-acquainted with family and spending New Years with them, we found out it wouldn't hurt feelings if we skipped town and as Le Femme Aussie says, "nip" into the next town to invade nuestras primas' casa. That was fun and I got a great birthday party out of it. We eventually returned to the parents house and Mom was finally home from the hospital and we said goodbye to CoolTwin and her family so they could begin the long drive back up north.



Regardless of the good time being with family in Texas, time steadily marched to its end 11 days later for the Unfortunates and I, 10 days for SailorMan. We all flew out on the same day just hours between each other's departures. To have SailorMan fly with us, the cost would have been an extra $1,000--no thank you. My piss n' moans for this trip:
There was no immediate need to drop the the nearly nine grand to run and see family. Everyone in both States could have waited to see us in the fall when we vacation.
Despite all the eating we did, we never got tamales.
I wish we just once got Dad out and about.

What we gained from this very long vacation:
The chance to hob-knob with family and friends again.
The knowledge that there will be a time when I will stop smarting from the cost of this trip because my loved are priceless.
My skills in packing are quite impressive.
The Unfortunates got to see and enjoy winter activities.
My Partners in Crime are just as fun and crazy as before.
That my husband and I are adults with aging family members who are proud of us.
The reminder that you never know what is in store.
The lesson that one needs to buy their own damned egg nog and tamales.