WEEKEND OF BLAHHH...AND STILL BRRRR!

It is still cold outside...at least I am sure that my plants are going to make it this Spring...only the leaves got hit and they are dry dry-crisp right now. I have a big job tomorrow trimming.

Wednesday morning when Kai and Tisha arrived, I had been stoking the fireplace. I know that Kai would love to see the fire since we hadn't had the fireplace lit since the same time last year. I had some twisted newspapers for him to throw in the fire. I have to hold him while he aims at the fire. Sometimes he missed, but there was Umpha to the rescue.

Every time he comes on Wednesday, I expect him to have his "Turtle" backpack. In this he carries his favorite toys, or any toys of the day that he favors, but mostly his cars that he is very much attached to.

I was told that he cried real hard in the park when his playmates decided to go home earlier. He does not want them to go home. Umma had to explain to him the the situation and was able to calm him down. I think he is beginning to get attached to other kids, because he is practically by himself with Tisha all day. With the cold weather, Tisha can't bring him to the park as often as he would like.

My time with him is usually after lunch...we play or watch TV together. He still likes to jump all over me, riding on my back or when we are laying down just, sort of play house under the blanket. He bumped my head last week, hard that he felt it too. "it is ouch!" That was what he said. Pretending I have an "ouch" too, I told him that he gave me a "bokul-bokul" on my forehead ("bokul" in Tagalog is bump - "bokul-bokul" is bumpy). So he kissed my forehead and I kissed his so the "ouch" will be gone. Last Wednesday, he bumped me but very gently and said; "I "bokul-bokul" you Umpha." He kissed my forehead and said; "it's gone now." He remembers the words and even told Tisha when I put him on his car seat...very retentive boy. Once in a while I will tease him. I will pretend that I burned my fingers or I hurt my elbow...he will be to the rescue! He will kiss the supposedly hurting area so the "ouch will be gone."

There are more questions from the "UMPHA TELL ME YOUR MEMORIES" that I can answer, but won't do it on this entry. I think most of the questions will be related mostly during and after WWII and my years in the US Navy. I am still gathering my thoughts lately. I think this will be interesting to recall them and let Kai learn them later. I am sure that Tisha does not even know about some of my experiences from back then.

Lately we have been going to the Marine Corp Base, Miramar for movies at the Bob Hope Theater. The movies that they show there are newly released that one can see in the local movie houses, for $7.50, senior discount rate. At the base we pay only a $1.00...isn't it a bargain? We saw "DeJa Vu" last night which was shown before but we missed the earlier date showing. Next week, I would like to see "Apocalypto." The base was formerly, a Navy Air Force Base, but gave it to the Marines to use. They have an outside Airplane Museum open to the public for free. Once we brought Kai there with us to see the different Marine airplanes...he really enjoyed that one because he really could get close to the "very big airplane." The second time he was with us and passing the Airplane Museum (which is visible from the road to the base), when he saw the airplanes, he commented: "we have to go there again." We did not go there again but went to the Exchange...which we seldom use because sometimes it is cheaper in the local stores. We buy only big things to save paying the tax. Everything at the Exchange does not required any taxes.

This week I had been making some "Hopia," A Chinese version of a round turn-over. There are two layers of dough to be prepared, placed on top of the other, rolled and shaped as that of the puff-pastry method. The filling is peeled mung beans, boiled and mashed, I add vanilla extract - not normally in the recipe, sugar is added to make a paste like consistency...this takes me two days to cook because I don't want a quick cooking time...afraid to burn it. This paste is wrapped in the dough, shaped into rounds, brushed with egg yolks and baked for 25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheits. I made four dozens and most of them were frozen. They sell for $1.50 each at the oriental store. While in the mood of baking I made extra dough for "empanadas." We had some left-over Italian sausage (without the casings) in tomato sauce...added some diced carrots, garbanzo beans and white raisins, simmered to reduce the sauce and was wrapped like a turn-over. This is for snacking!

This year we were really sated to the gills with persimmons. I had found a recipe for cake and have made them twice now. I have some in the freezer of the persimmons for later use. Twice we went to the Escondido "roadside market" to buy them. We discovered that place while we are driving on the way to the Valley View Casino. Mind you, we don't gamble! We went there to see the place and also the case maybe, was we that had a free lunch coupon to be redeemed there. For a regular price of $12.50, the buffet lunch is worth the long drive there. Of course our lunch was free. Their spread is very sumptuous - you name it and they have it. They have ethnic food like Vietnamese and Mexican. Desserts must be a hundred or so that one can choose. I gorged myself with king crabs from Alaska and prime roast beef. Ah! crabs that is one of Kai's favorite food.