Counting Our Blessings In Tucson

I am missing my man and the monsoons, but it is gorgeous here in the Pacific Northwest.  The temps are in the high 70’s low 80’s, I am told.  All I know is, I need a light jacket in the morning and evening and short sleeves during the day.  I can snuggle up in the blankets at night and enjoy the blue sky days.  And, I am enjoying Sojo, in yet another environment of her little life. 

She was a hoot to travel with: And, was a pleasure to travel with.  She is a good traveler.  The plane was loaded with little ones and they were not all quiet little ones.  She was the best little traveler of all. 

Settling into life here in Port Townsend; a small Victorian town that comes alive in the summer with all sorts of things to do.  The E Family lives in “uptown” and through the trees you can see the water.  We do a lot of walking to the cafes and small shops in uptown and walked “downtown” this morning.  More shops and places to eat and right on the water.  We can walk to the library, the park and the farmer’s market.  While the E Family is visiting D’s sister and family, I was on my own.  I walked to the Wednesday afternoon market and bought all sorts of goodies for my dinner.  No pics…I was overwhelmed and simply forgot with all the delicious delights abounding everywhere.  I bought zucchini, Walla Walla onions, potatoes, cucumbers, spinach, romaine lettuce, a salmon fillet from Alaska and a fresh loaf of bread.  That is my dinner tonight.  I will be sure to take pics of the market on Saturday. 

Did I mention there are all sorts of activities going on too?  A Fiddler Festival and Fireworks on the 4th.  A jazz festival coming up and a writers conference.  T and I plan to attend an afternoon workshop for that.  Dale is doing a week long jazz conference.  Nice place to spend a month in the summer.  The best part is this:  But, still missing this:  Sojo keeps asking me, “where’s Gong Gong?”.  I say, “He’s in Tucson”.  Sojo asks, “he’s waiting for us to come back?”.  I say, “yes, sweetie, but he will be coming here to see you soon”.  Soon…

Sojo loves to have treats and it is hard to find ones that don’t create more issues with her skin allergies.  We found Tofutti Cuties which is ice cream made from tofu, not dairy.  She loves them. 

We think of her as our little tofutti cutie and she is our daily treat.  Her presence her is the best treat we can get.  Beats any other treat out there for us. 

Fearlessly jumping off the diving board into the pool.  Just an FYI…that head below the board is her Baba waiting to grab her when her little body bobs up from the water.  Her Gong Gong proudly watching her feat.

Mojo (that is a variation of jojo for uncle with the M for Matt…only our Matt would come up with that) reading the book “Chicken Butt” that her Mama bought for her.  She thinks the best part is the “chicken butt” or “chicken underwear” part.  How is it that kids think those things are so funny?  Of course, we all decided this was the kind of book Matt would enjoy reading to her.  Yep…he did.  He loves his little niece.

A happy hippy mama and daughter.

Just a few of the treats in our day….

It’s easy to see how much fun we are having filling our days with Sojo.  From early morning swings, to wagon rides and feeding the birds.  Or, a trip to the zoo or an afternoon swim.  Whatever it is…we are in heaven and enjoying the days filled with Sojo fun.  We fall asleep tired but filled with the joy a sweet grand-daughter brings into our home and our lives.      It even includes an Uncle Seany having fun at the zoo pretending to be a turtle.

Upside down or rights side up…we are having fun.

You know how you wait for Christmas all year long when you are a kid?  Well, that’s what it is like when you are a grandparent and you are waiting to your your precious grand-daughter all year long.  You see her get off the airplane and it is just like the best Christmas morning ever.

Sojo has changed so much.  It is hard to imagine that she was a tiny baby when we met her just two years ago and now, she is this little girl who talks in sentences and you can carry on a real conversation with her.  I was fixing her lunch and she said she smelled Tom Khai Gai.  I told her I was making her Tom Khai Gai for lunch and she was so excited.  She loves this Thai dish and it amazes me that she knew the smell.  It is a distinctive smell, but to think that a 2 year old would recognize that smell just tickles me. She then announced to me that it wasn’t too hot to eat and then she announced that she was “baby bear” and I was “popo bear”.  And then, “I want more mushrooms please” and “I want more juice please”.  Such manners for one so young. 

We have done so much together already and I can’t wait to repeat those things and do new things. She is quite the swimmer.  She likes to swing. She likes to watch the hummingbirds eat and bunnies hop, hop, hop through the desert.  I think she likes the desert.  She knows that the cacti have prickly prickers that we cannot touch.  We want to explore Tucson with her a bit.  Maybe visit a friend who has chickens and another who has goats.  Maybe a trip to the Children’s Museum and the Zoo and maybe a trip to Millard and Dillard’s toy store.  Whatever we do, we know we are in for lots of fun and that feeling that Christmas morning brings all over again and again.

Her mama and baba are out running errands and it doesn’t seem to bother her.  She asks about them and I tell her they are out shopping and she is fine about that.

She just told me her Tom Khai Gai goes down her throat and into her belly.  The girl tickles me constantly.  Having her here is the best kind of summer play one could ask for.     Taking swing after her nap…still in her jammies.

Eating her Tom Khai Gai…still in her jammies.  Maybe it is time to sign off and get into some clothes.

I mean this girl really loves Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup).  She even eats it for breakfast.  And since there appears to be as many ways to spell this delicious Thai soup as there are different recipes for it, we decided we should maybe try it before her visit.  Our recipe came from the magazine Fine Cooking http://www.finecooking.com/articles/thai-chicken-soup-tome-kha-gai.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp. Our hope is that it is as good as others we have had at restaurants and in Thailand.  If so, we will freeze some in small Sojo portions so she has a taste of it when her cravings for it start.

And so…off we went this morning in search of Kaffir Lime Leaves or wild lime leaves, which I think are simply the leaves from a lime tree.  Some recipes even say if you can’t find them to use lime peel.  The other unusual ingredient is galangal.  My understanding is this is simply a mild ginger.  It looks more “wild” than ginger and doesn’t smell as strong. Yet again, if you can’t find it…they say to use ginger.  And then there is lemon grass that looks sort of like an onion top but lighter in color…kind of yellowish and “woody” in texture.  More weedy than grassy, if you know what I mean.  You have to take only the bottom part, peel away some of the stalk and “pound” it…to release the “juice”, I suspect.  And then we have scallions, coconut milk, chicken broth, cilantro or coriander as the Thai call it, fresh lime juice and Thai chiles. Oh, and don’t forget the mushrooms and chicken.  We may add some broccoli because Sojo loves broccoli. 

To get all of these things we went to a local farmer’s market, but no luck.  We knew that our favorite market…17th Street Market http://news.treasureshidden.com/ would have it.  They have everything and seem to specialize in Asian and Mexican foods.  They even have a large music room. Yep…every thing we needed was there. Side note…we also went to Roma Imports http://www.romaimports.com/ for some San Marzano tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce for Sojo parents.   We will make Sojo a couple little meatballs without bread or eggs.  If you like Italian, this is the place to go in Tucson. These two stores are definitely hidden treasures in Tucson.  They are nestled in the old warehouse districts of Tucson.  Near the railroad tracks and new trendy “loft” apartments, not far from downtown or the university.  We are on a cooking roll here.  Attempting to make things ahead so we can just enjoy the visit and pull out a dish or two when we need to.

Yummmmmm…..just tasted it.  Yep…it is good.  Yummmmm…..

Ooops….Gong Gong put some Thai chiles in his.  He even says they are too hot.  We will pass those in a dish for those who want them, but they will not go in the pot.  Yep…I think we have a good one Sojo, just waiting for you.  Breakfast, anyone:)

I was perusing a blog today of a young woman who lives and volunteers in South America.  It made me hungry for the memories of South American visits while Tara lived there.  I never even had a passport until she moved there and it was probably the last place on my list of places I had dreamed of visiting.  Yet, somehow that place grabbed me and has never let go.  I could go back to Ecuador tomorrow and walk the cobblestone streets, looking at the colorful buildings and people...gazing at the patch work green velvet hillsides.  How I remember the market in Otavalo.  An early morning trip to the "animal market" where the locals would buy, sell, trade or barter animals.  I remember watching them sit on a huge pig, opening his mouth to check out his teeth.  I remember the smells, the sounds ... the soul.  I remember walking later through rows and rows of vendors selling everything from raw wool to already dyed and woven pieces of art.  I remember wood, plastic, yarn, vegetables and fruits and everything in between.  I remember eating pie on the curb.  I remember a tiny woman begging with her tin bowl in our faces.  I remember taking a picture of Sean with her...bright eyed, toothless smile with her tin bowl in her hand.  I remember the color green, the vibrant shade I don't see in the desert.  I remember winding roads and meandering creeks.  I remember flavors that I don't taste in this country.  And, I don't mean just food.  I remember women washing clothes in the creek or river with cows standing near by.  I see and hear in my mind the pounding of clothes on the rocks.  I see the brilliance of the color white and vibrant colors laying on the rocks to dry. I remember the sight of the women at the end of the day, carrying the laundry home in baskets on their shoulders or heads.  I remember children running in the streets.  I remember bright colored clothes and I remember smiles on faces.  I never saw these people as living in poverty.  They lived with joy and had soul.  Why do we think we need big houses and fancy cars and easy living to find joy?

The soul of Ecuador lingers in my heart and I think this world all hungers for the simplicity of this small South American country and the kind of joy simplicity brings.

No pictures...long before digital came on the scene.  Yet, I can grab a picture from my mind anytime I want because the memories are so vivid and colorful.

Now I know the impression that most of us get of a "princess"...a bit over the top and wanting everyone to wait on her.  But this Princess Pinkalicious isn't like that.  She is a bit over the top at times, but in a good way and oh my goodness, we are all at her beck and call, but that isn't her fault.  This princess loves princesses and she sure does love the color pink.  Well...doggone it...she came to her parents dressed in pink.  Her Popo has been known to buy a few things in the color pink for her and even her Baba who isn't a fan of the color pink, painted her room pink (I think he really does like the color pink).

Here is a pic that shows her delight in the color pink while making pink cupcakes after reading "Pinkalicious" with her Mama.  Is that pure delight or what?  Her Gong Gong cannot wait for her visit in one day less than 2 weeks so he can get busy in the kitchen making something special.  Maybe it will be pink.

Here are some ways we are preparing for her visit:  A hand me down step stool waiting at the bathroom sink, that her Mama and Uncles used when they were little.

A box of books and her Great Grandmother Russell's Cabbage Patch Doll.

Raggedy Ann and Andy that a wonderful woman at church gave her Gong Gong because he didn't win a set at the church's raffle.  And she knew he had been trying for two years to win them.  She has a collection that she raffles off every year. 

Two Teddy's that always sit waiting on her Popo's childhood chair and her Mama's childhood rocking chair.

The basket of Stuffed Teddy's and a Javelina that sit all year just waiting.

And a "princess" towel and pink wash cloth waiting in the bathroom for a little princess at bath time. 

Hurry, hurry, hurry little pink princess of ours. 

I looked at the calendar today and realized that May is one amazing month.  On the 27th...my baby boy will be 31 years old.  Now how did that happen.  He's the tall one in the back in this Christmas photo.

Another milestone is that our little Sojo's entry into our lives came almost 2 years ago on the 28th of May.  Just a few pictures that show the difference two short years.  How blessed we have been.  These pictures make us look forward to the summer with anticipation and joy.

Gotcha Day or as they call it Forever Family Day. 

Recent trip to the beach.  Same smile on the Mama and the same sweetness of that Sojo.

The joys of being a Baba.  Same smile on the Baba and the same sweetness of Sojo.

The joys of being a Baba.  The same smile and same sweetness.

Okay...now...I am ready for the summer and some pictures to share of the joys of being a Popo and Gong Gong and that sweetness sitting with us.  Come on summer...hurry up!

Wow...I haven't blogged in so long.  Busy days, but thoughts of our Sojo fill me in spite of it.  We are missing her so much and wish the miles were not as far or the time away so long.  I hate to wish time away because it is so precious...yet, I find myself doing just that.  Hurry April...hurry May...hurry June and then go slow, real slow, so we can drink in that little one...soak her up, enough to last us until the next time. 

    Who can get enough of this girl!  Can't wait to hear her chatter and laughter.  Can't wait to have her find us in our bed.  Can't wait to run and jump and play with her.  Can't wait.  Just can't wait.  We have to wait.  Oh well...till then sweet Sojo...we will dream of summer days with you.

Everyday I check Tara's blog for updates on the antics of this loveable little one.  She delights me and tickles me in all she does.  I can't get enough of her.  How I wish we lived closer or had more money than the CEO's of the bank bailouts.  If I could, I would be on a plane every other month to see that little honey.

I love to see the many faces of this little one:

Be that one wild haired sweetie walking a labyrinth.  She is the only toddler I know who actually knows what a labyrinth is.  She lays out blocks in a circular pattern and "walks" around it telling you it is a labyrinth.

Or, be that little one reading on the potty and finally being successful in her quest to "pee".  Yippee for Sojo. 

Or, just a little fearful of her first "theme park" ride alone...looking for reassurance from Mama and Baba who are just a wee bit fearful themselves.

Or, someone all decked out in "pink" again.  Even that beige hat has a pink butterfly on it.  It's the determined look on the face with the larger than large guitar on her lap and her little fingers perfectly places on the strings to play you a song, that we love.  It is probably a Van Morrison song she has in her little head.  Maybe, "Brown Eyed Girl".  We love brown eyed girls.

Or the pure thrill of running nearly naked in a Winnie The Pooh towel that her Nei Nei gave her.  What is more fun?  Being the little girl ... or, the Popo and Gong Gong who go along on the ride of their lives with this little one?  Even if most of the time the ride is via blogs and Skype, it is a fun ride.  Until summer, that's as good as it gets.  We'll take it. 

Yes, it is another new year according to the Lunar Calendar of China.  It is the year of the ox and Sojo and her Mama and Baba went to downtown Bangkok for a bit of celebrating this past weekend.  There is a week long celebration going on in China.  They are missing the week long vacation and festivities, but enjoyed the bit of celebrating in Bangkok.  They especially missed the fireworks.  Sojo enjoyed the music, dragons and getting to dress in her traditional Chinese dress.  She knew it was a special day.  We know she is one very special little China doll.    Look at those cheeks and precious little rosebud mouth.  I just want to kiss those precious little cheeks.    And I want to just hug her precious Mama.    What a fun day for all.  The entire family is so happy that Sojo is getting to that age when she enjoys "ventures" and gets excited about going on one.  She enjoys the trip there and experiencing whatever it is from rides in tuk-tuks or boats or pink taxis to the festivities of Chinese New Year.  Happy Year of the Ox Sojo.  Did you get your hung bao?  (That is a traditional gift of $$$ in a red envelope)