Dog Days of Summer

It's late August, and we're sweltering! The heat finally made it's way up to the Bay area, and while I would like to be fantasizing about cuddling up to a nice warm fire in the fireplace and wearing my favorite sweaters, I am dreaming about root beer floats, ice cream baths, and have already sneaked over to my old apartment complex to swim last night. Since the water was soooo cold (some of us brave souls went in anyway, some of us chickens did not go in), I voted for going to the local pizzeria and enjoying a frosty pitcher of micro-brewed Tied House beer, which we did, followed by pizza and garlic breadsticks, followed by yet another frosty pitcher of beer. Since I hadn't eaten all day, it was absolutely marvelous!

We have had a very busy, emotional, and decision-laden week. I went back to work, and Maeg and Krus took the train to the City one day, found Pho locally, which Maeg adores, and made the monumental decision to stay with us in Sunnyvale, rather than relocate to Seattle before the baby is born. I must say, I am very relieved, and also a little nervous. What will all this be like? Will Maeg get health insurance before the baby is born? How will Maeg and I survive under the same roof?

And Husband Makes Three!

With great anticipation (and much anxiety on Maeg's part, worrying about Krus flying for the first time, we once again trekked to SFO, to pick up Krus.

Time really crawls when you are checking flight arrival status screens, monitors for two customs exits, and you are visually scanning the ever-growing crowds for a face that may or may not look familiar to you. Is that him? No, hair too long. Is that him? No, hair too short. Maybe that's him! No, too big. No, too little. Not him, not him, not him. Wait, is that him? Maybe?

Eventually (after what seemed an eternity), Krus made a quiet and unassuming entry. I don't know that I have ever been more relieved to see someone I don't know in my life! After an extremely tearful and anxiety-ridden night (on Maeg's part), with almost no sleep for many days (Maeg, and in turn, me), the growing family is reunited.




In typical Krus style (from what Maeg tells me about his sense of humor), Krus announced on the car ride home, "I've been on this street before". "This is familiar to me". He was referring to American T.V. he has watched!

I, too, am very relieved, and very excited to get to know my very handsome and quiet son-in-law. Although we are missing Taylor (who lives in So Cal) and Little Johnny Fishing (on the annual "On Golden Pond" trip with Grammie), it was an extremely satisfying feeling around the dinner table last night, to see the faces of relief, of love, of comfort, of caring. Very cool indeed.

Hopping the Hound

We decided to take the bus to Trader Joe's, just for the experience of public transportation in Sunnyvale, as well as to familiarize Maeg with the joys and sorrows of hopping the hound in the Bay area. Maeg is very adept at getting around in any city, having mastered the transportation system in Seattle, as well as traveling to and from Jakarta (a 12-14 hour bus ride or 9 hour train ride from Solo) many times. So, I felt very confident that she would find our little transit system easy, relatively pleasant, and somewhat efficient.

We are within walking distance to the cool, hip, and historic downtown Sunnyvale area which houses the old Del Monte building, many drinking (so many Irish pubs) and eating establishments, as well as a great new and used book store, coffee houses, and the farmer's market. Murphy Street is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Hacienda. Trader Joe's, on the other hand, is definitely doable by bicycle, but may be a little strenuous for Maeg right now,who started her pregnancy as a high risk one, and who is concentrating now on eating every few hours and napping frequently (oh, the joys of pregnant life!). We also live incredibly close to the transit center, where one can catch Caltrain up to the City, or any number of buses.

So, off to the bus we go, with Maeg doing the mental math from rupiah to dollars (one U.S. dime is roughly equivalent to 1,000 rupiah, so even math-challenged people like me can do it), and hunting for words in English to describe how different our journey is than shopping in Surakarta (aka Solo), Indo (read easier).



After taking the bus successfully, not getting lost or even turned around, upon arriving home, Maeg announced that the trip was "okay, but not very exciting". Humm.
How very boring we must seem here.

Homecoming

Maeg has finally arrived! We picked her up from SFSO on Friday night. The anticipation was so great, and the waiting so difficult! She arrived, tired, hungry, alternating between ecstatic and tearful, but definitely glad to be on U.S. soil again, and happy to be hugged, kissed, fed, and generally fussed over. She is six months pregnant, and looks it!



Now, the waiting game continues as Krus picks up his permanent resident visa (green card), finishes cleaning the house they are leaving in Indonesia, and says goodbye to his family and lifelong friends in Indo. He flies to SFO on Friday, and has never been on an airplane. Ever. He's never been out of the country. Ever.

We are imagining how difficult life might be for Krus, being thrown into a new land, new country, new customs, new culture, new language, new family, new home, new neighborhood, new absolutely everything. She has prepared a "I am confused" letter in English for him to carry while making connecting flights, in case he can't find his way, which explains his plight (no speaking or reading English, never been on an airplane before, you know, the stuff that makes you queasy and nervous and excited all at the same time). Apparently, the airlines don't extend the "under 17 years old" treatment to new immigrants (you know, being walked to and from transferring flights, getting the little wings as a prize for flying, maybe chatting it up with the pilot in the cockpit). She has called every leg of the arduous journey (close to 9,000 air miles and over 20 hours) asking that he be escorted to connecting flights, etc., to no avail. Hence, the "Help, I'm confused" letter.

For those addressing him that are younger than he (including his lovely wife, no less), Krus will be referred to as Mas Krus, following the Indonesian tradition. I, on the other hand, being the old fart and mother-in-law (I still can't believe I am a mother-in-law, much less a soon-to-be grandma) will simply refer to him as Krus.

We will be shopping for foods that are familiar to Krus (we are now the proud owners of a rice cooker), as well as introducing him to foods particular to the U.S.(what food is truly American, anyway?). I am going to make a peach pie later in the week; he's never had a peach, so we'll see how this goes. According to Maeg, American food is really awful in Indo, so it's no wonder Krus is not exactly looking forward to American food. He hasn't had any good American food. We'll change that in a big hurry. He also eats to live (as does Taylor), rather than lives to eat (like me, Little Johnny, Maeg, and Flannery, and sometimes Ryan, too, for that matter), so the focus is all about the food right now (I am feeding a pregnant woman, remember?). Well, the food and the culture shock. Maybe the food and the public transportation. Food and money. Food and jobs. Food and babies. Food and pregnancy. Okay, maybe just the food. Yep, that's it. Food. Lots of it. Healthy, nutritious (we've been to the farmer's market, and Trader Joe's twice in two days), delightful, satisfying food.

Batting a thousand, if anyone is counting

Three moves done. Whew! Flanny and Ryan are unpacking and nesting at their apartment, I am happily unpacking and decorating at the Hacienda, and Taylor arrived safely in So Cal at the De Soto domicile, via U-Haul with Camaro in tow. I'm sure he and Racquel are grateful to be together again, at last. So, using the baseball analogy once again (I promise not to do this much more), our batting average is beyond stellar; it's downright superb.

One more inning to go. Meggie and Krus and baby are anxiously awaiting the "interview" at the Embassy, and haven't been given the date yet. It's only 9 more days until Meg flies back to the U.S., with or without Krus, and of course, we are all hoping that he will accompany her on the long, arduous flight. Waiting is so tortuous!

One of my favorite things about unpacking is re-discovering treasured items that wouldn't fit in the apartment, but will spaciously grace the new abode.

Take these glasses, for example. These drink glasses, along with the ice bucket in the back, were given to me by my mother, and they were given to her by her mother-in-law many moons ago. Although I am certainly NOT a hunter, the pheasants pictured on the glasses make me think they would be great to use in a country estate after the hunters come back from hunting, thirsty, hungry, and ready to wet their whistles and whet their appetites.

Rumor has it that my grandmother received these as a wedding present. She married my grandfather in the late teens, or maybe 1920, and I definitely remember seeing the adults clinking these glasses together in celebration at my grandmother's house when I was a kid. They are the perfect size for many different types of libation, and I plan to use them a lot! They are proudly displayed in one of the built-in hutches in the Breakfast Room. I have a breakfast room and a formal dining room! Oh, the dining options are endless!

So long, Taylor

My son, my youngest, moved to So Cal today. We helped pack his truck and sent him on his way.

Bye, Bud. I will miss you. So very much. You moved out about a year ago, but that felt different. You were still in San Jose, just a phone call/short drive away. Close enough to swing by for the weekly or bi-weekly laundry and Costco drop off/pick up. Now, you are off, really gone, starting a new life with Racquel. I know you are excited to start this stage of your life, and I'm excited for you. Nothing screams grown-up quite like moving hundreds of miles away from your family of origin. I know you've been very responsible and oh, so grown up for a while now. But, it's more real somehow.

Glad we had time to do some camping together this summer. Glad we had time to play cards and hang out together.

Most of all, glad and so proud to call you my son. I love you, sure, but I really like you, too. I will miss you fiercely, and love you even more.