Procrastination

Procrastination is the name of the game
Nobody likes it
Yet everyone plays it
Who am I to say no to it
It is an addiction
Though it makes me feel unfulfilled
I cannot help
But be a prisoner of it
It spins me around
Whispering sweet nothings in my ears
I am wrapped
In its intoxicating arms
I yield to it
Up to a point
When I wake up
From my slumber
I say let’s take a break
For a while
But I know I’ll be back
When I long for the sweet nothing whisperings in my ears

I Still Have a Mom - 100-word snippet

Jack in the show we were watching cried that he didn’t have a mom anymore. I said to myself I still have a mom. I felt good about it. I am glad to have a chance to take care of her. She is doing well for her age. Her dementia has not progressed to the point where she does not recognize us. I hope it will never get to that point. Sometimes she gets confused between her living oldest son and her deceased brother, but given some time, she’ll straighten it out in her mind and say their names correctly.

Life Is Good - 100-word snippet

Life does not always turn out the way you plan. And I have no idea if it would be better or worse otherwise. The list I drew up for myself of things I wanted to do or to learn when I retire includes knitting, swimming, singing, Spanish, French, writing, volunteering as an usher at shows, yoga, auditing university classes, photography, and gardening. I have not done many of them. Instead, I have picked up tap dance and pickleball. Life is full of surprises. I never thought I would have a granddaughter born in Hawaii. But I do. Life is good.

Collage #69

There is snow in the land where Ông was born
And also a magical place called Leavenworth
In that land we enjoyed a taste of their bratwursts
With all-you-can-eat cider apple kraut ‘til your stomachs burst
We learned how to ski gracefully down the glistened slopes
On the soft powder snow that was a March godsend
What fun we had basking under the sunshine
Yet still we bundled up in the chilled air on the mountains high
It is a shame we do not have Bà with us
To glide down the hills together as we did once more
We would love to hear her giggle and say
What a wonderful time we had in the northwest of the USA

Mochi

You are my Mochi,
Baby, and Cầu Vồng
Softness is your cheeks
Sugar’s in your smile
Your coos melt my heart
Your eyes are so bright
You are in danger
Of being squished up
Now I gaze at you
While you are asleep
The swing music stops
Your slumber stays on
I dread leaving you
Missing your next steps
But the day will come
When goodbyes are due
I sure will be back
To watch you grow tall
I will glow with you
When you are happy
I will console you
When heartbreaks occur
I will adore you
Throughout your journey
You are my Mochi,
Baby, and Cầu Vồng
You weave bright colors
Adding joy to lives

Bà gọi cháu Mochi,
Baby, và Cầu Vồng
Má mềm thơm mùi nồng
Ngọt nụ cười môi hồng
Cháu hóng chuyện bà vui
Bà thương cháu nhiều ôi
Chỉ muốn ôm cháu chặt
Đừng đi xa cháu nha
Bà nhìn cháu ngủ say
Trên cái máy đu này
Tiếng nhạc đã ngừng rơi
Cháu vẫn ngủ thảnh thơi
Bà sẽ nhớ cháu ghê
Khi Bà về Texas
Nhưng bà sẽ trở lại
Để trông cháu lớn khôn
Bà vui khi cháu cười
Bà buồn khi cháu khóc
Bà sẽ an ủi cháu
Khi cháu gặp chuyện sầu
Bà sẽ mãi yêu cháu
Cho nguyên cả cuộc đời
Bà gọi cháu Mochi,
Baby, và Cầu Vồng
Cháu tô điểm cuộc đời
Với bao màu tươi sáng
Cháu đem tình yêu tới
Làm rạng rỡ tim người

Collage #64

Collage #64 is for the period of January through May 2023. It is numbered correctly but was created out of sequence. I have excuses for not creating it earlier. It was a super busy time for us, but then we keep busy all the time. It was a time of a big change for us, but then we have changes all the time. It was a time of adjustments for us, but then we always have to adjust. We moved to a new home. At the same time, our household went from three-generation to four-generation. My mother did not want to move from her home in Virginia to Texas - and if she had to move, she wanted to be with one of her sons. Time settled things down and Virginia faded in memory for my mother who is now facing another change. She has another great-granddaughter in Hawaii. She is now in Hawaii living in another four-generation arrangement. There have been and will be adjustments to be made.

A new beginning awaits us

A step from Castle Greyskull we go

We embark on a journey

Of four generations under one roof

The Hill Country welcomes Cụ 

Our beloved nonagenarian

Who comes to us from Virginia

Over thirty years she’d called it home 

We have learned to love her quirkiness

Just because we adore her so

She enjoys being showered with hugs

She laughs with us on our movie nights

On the streets she walks with us

And comes to our school to tell us stories

Our lives are dearly enriched

When friends and relatives come to visit

At Snake Mountain we gather

And celebrate our lives together

Collage #68

Nine birthdays we had
In the last five months
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Tết
We observed them all
A baby was born
A cousin we gained
Mama, Cụ, and Bà took off
To the lush rainbow land
To be with Max Iris
Our newest family addition
We missed them at Sealy
But we had fun nevertheless
We were happy to welcome Mama back
And let Ông go visit Bà for a week
He promised when he is back
We would play catch on the street
Or at Armando Galarraga’s place
We can’t wait until summer
When Baby Max and we will meet
In the land of rainbows
Where the best vacations will be had