Ang Thu- The Giver

    

The Giver

           

                 

 

“ In this world there are two types of people: the giver and the taker. The giver gives generously until it hurts. She does not know how to take and gets embarrassed if she does so. The taker takes all she can from the giver. She does not know how to give and gets upset if she has to.  They say opposite attracts: the giver attracts takers and vice versa. I realized long time ago that I am a giver. I made friends with a lot of takers who left me when I have nothing more to give. You are a giver. I knew that when you handed me your cell phone when I was at the airport because I was upset about leaving my camera at home. Later, you shared with me the food you bought at the airport concession. I offered you some money to pay for your phone minutes and the food but you refused.  I was embarrassed to take from you but I was also relieved. It is nice to meet another giver. That is why I kept your phone number and called you as soon as I returned to the US. I want to be your friend because I know I can give you something and you could too.”

                                                                                                         ~Ang Thu

Happy Mother's Day

                Happy Mother's Day!

 

 

"Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not."
                                                                                 -- James Joyce

 

 

Mother o’ Mine
Rudyard Kipling (1891) If I were hanged on the highest hill,    Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine I know whose love would follow me still,    Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! If I were drowned in the deepest sea,    Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine I know whose tears would come down to me,    Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! If I were damned of body and soul, I know whose prayers would make me whole,    Mother o’ mine, 0 mother o’ mine!

 

 

Summer Dreamin'

 

" A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless.  We find after years of struggle that we do not take a journey; a journey takes us." 

                                                  John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley

 

It had been a while since I last updated. I have been slow in visiting other blogs too. I blame Tabby for this. Her slacking is contagious. LOL. Kidding aside, I have been really busy trying to balance my life. A job, a part time business, a home, a garden, and a family to juggle have not left me with a lot of time to update and visit lately.

 

I have made a lots of non virtual friends of  late. I recently came back from Asia and met a Vietnamese lady at the airport. She is from my Florida hometown. She calls me regularly and I often drop by her store. She has a gas station/grocery a couple of blocks away from my son's school. She is 20 years older than I am but she finds me interesting and I am fascinated by her wisdom. I also have my lovely neighbors who I often share my surplus veggies with (and them, their plants and wines). This is our second year in the neighborhood and I could not ask for better neighbors. I also made friends from work and from the programs and events that I manage.

 

I am planning on throwing a little party next weekend to welcome summer and get together with some of them. I want to have a Spanish theme. I am thinking of making paella, sangria, sardines, and flan. I'll try to order a jamon serrano online but I doubt if they can deliver it that fast. I have other goodies to round up the meal such as kalamata olives, caponata, almonds, cheeses, fruits and other tapas. I also have plenty of riojas for extra libation and I will be downloading some suitable music to complete the atmosphere.

 

Lately, I have been thinking of going to Spain a lot. Madrid and Barcelona in particular. My mother is part Castilian and part Irish. I grew up eating Spanish food and hearing about my great grandparents' old life in Madrid. I also heard about all the fascinating sights of Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville; the brilliance of Gaudi; the genius of Goya, Velazquez, Miro, Picasso and Dali; and the delicious foods. Hubby and I were planning to visit there this summer but our son has commitments to attend the Nationals for his school's Medical team and a campus visit/interview in Notre Dame, Indiana. Hubby and I can't take too much time off for vacation to squeeze in another  trip. I am heartbroken. No, not really but it would have been nice.  

 

If I get to go to Spain in the future,  I want to be able to stay for at least a couple of weeks to visit all the places I have been hearing about and try all the strange tapas I could get my hands on. I am not squeamish. I had frog legs, snails, beetles, horse meat and other foods that you might find bizarre but I find exotic.

 

I also want to go to Greece. Athens and some of the small islands in particular. I want to see the marvelous Greek antiquities and architecture. Of course, I also want to eat plenty of Mediterranean cuisine and drink lots of retsina. Maybe indulge in some Greek Adonis' gazing too. Why not? I'm old enough to contain myself and my hormones are almost extinct.

 

How about you? Where do you want to go and why?