One down.....

A week has passed already, on sunday we leave this heavenly haven and head for Grandpa's, which will be..what? Not sure. At all.
This is bliss and I think I will remember the glorious feeling of returning every evening, weary and foot sore, to find a beautiful clean room, fresh beds, creatively folded face cloths and towels, that we left soggy and crumpled in the bath, new and clean, folded and waiting to be used once again.
every second of this hotel stay has been worth the money, the boys ( well and us of course but somehow it doesn't seem to be such a positive thing to admit that we adults are scarfing enormous meals at 7am) eat the hugest breakfast of fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, cereal and pancakes and we all head out on whatever adventure we plan for the day.
We have seen such excitement and joy over the smallest things, having planned on taking them to sea world, we went to Redondo Beach on tuesday and saw dolphins and sea lions playing right before our eyes....how can paying $300 to sea some captive creatures performing tricks ever top that?
We are, I think going to a wildlife park tomorrow. Things have been topsy turvy because of Rob's turning up, the fact that as soon as we left him at the train station he went right back to grandpa's house has messed it up more. He doesn't want to be with us, I think he just wants to be at grandpa's where he remembers being happy ( or at least free to be a bugger, who knows?) It is somewhat reassuring to see that despite appearances, he is still 'well' enough to do exactly as HE pleases and to hell with the rest of the world. Reassuring and incredibly annoying, he is still calling the shots from behind his slumped demeanor and, I suspect, laughing at us while he wins. Funny how, even in his paranoid and hidden world, he clings to his cell phone and uses it often ( does that smack of a little maybe not as paranoid as he may give the impression?) He said yesterday that he needs to head back today, very good, I hope they will exchange his unused ticket from sunday, or someone who is less sceptical will pay for it, my hands are staying firmly in my pockets holding onto my cash, thankyou very much. I paid for Sunday's debacle, that's enough from me for this trip, wouldn't you say?
I am feeling a little weird about this trip at the moment, being at grandpa's yesterday brought out a lot of the old H which never was particularly appealing to me, this house is one of bigoted and sexist attitudes where women are inferior and totally not understood. I found myself sinking into that old feeling of being worthless, how a 10 day stint will affect me is to be seen. I can't say as I am looking forward to it at all.
the room we are to sleep in houses a desk and computer, it has junk and more junk and a blow up bed in a box. It will be a sharp shock after this suite at our glorious hotel.
Elijah, at least has softened towards the dogs thank the Lord, yesterday he discovered that rather than savage and untamed beasts, they are actually fluffy and friendly miniature poodles ( and a dog that is uncannily like Santa's little helper on 'The Simpsons') he touched them and beamed with the pride at such bravery and then began to chase them. This could turn out to be a good, or a bad thing, we'll have to see. I rather enjoyed the carrying him in, sitting him in a chair and watching him sit still for 2 hours in case the dogs ate him. He somehow thought the carpet was a rabid dog infested area and must be avoided at all costs, if he dares to move he would leap from couch to chair, making the dogs think this might be a great game.....and jumping in to join him, oh the screams.
I am hoping that I can get to the house when the others are out, that way I can sneak over to Marilyn's and between us we can set up some kind of sleeping arrangement that will be a fait accompli......for some reason, everyone truly believes that this one blow up bed ( albeit a good one) is more than enough for 5 people. It is not. I look at the box and can feel the scorching hatred ooze from my mind and soul. A woman of my age and size should never, no NEVER be asked to even contemplate a blow up bed of any description, to have to share it with a husband and 3 children...WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY THINKING????
Marilyn has suggested once or twice that I just leave them to it and stay at her house, which is looking very appealing to me! The thing is, the blow up bed has no bedding, not even a sheet, are we to lie right on the rubbery topping and cover ourselves with a thread bare towel? What? Sleeping bag? I am even looking on craigslist for beds or sofa beds because I am not, absolutely
NOT sleeping on that bloody poncey lilo.
If I can get over there and Marilyn and I can set up a room that is acceptable I might start to relax about it, right now every time I walk into that room ( that must be about 12' x 91) and try to imagine how we will all fit, my stomach burns with the heat of a thousand ulcers ( peptic ones if they hurt more than regular)
Kara and I went through the fridge yesterday, we found lunch meat that expired in Oct 2005. H and grandpa were horrified that we threw it away because it wasn't even blown out or green, nothing wrong with that! I am on a losing streak here people.
I do know that we have it right, living in the UK and coming here for a doozy of a holiday is perfect. I am loving every moment of it but have no qualms about travelling home again in 2 weeks.
I hope H returns to his English living self quickly when we return, the American testosterone, selfish, arsehole version is not so much to my liking. He is slightly sheepish this morning after my pointing out the error of his ways last night, I'm sure after 20 minutes on the road later he'll be right back into arsehole mode. I shall worry not, I have the bank card and have no fear of using it, amazing how THAT can wipe the smile off a chauvinists face isn't it?
If there are a few things that make me turn into a snarling witch it would have to be these things,

Treat me as though I am stupid. Then duck, or hide because that WILL get you a smack.

Treat me as though I am inferior to you. Try it and see.

Tell me how to spend MY money when it is ME that has scrimped and saved and worried and managed to somehow do it all. Don't try this at home, or away-- because that's like daring me to spend money I don't have, just to show you.

Make plans that involve me but don't bother to tell me, then expect to have a nice day, with me tripping on silently behind. Ha ha....you think?

Ignore me when I talk to you.

There, am ready for the day now. we all know where we stand, don't we? Rolled my sleeves up and fastened on my bank cards, I feel some retail therapy calling me, a rather fabulous outlet place is the plan of action. Ahhhhhhhh, I feel myself relaxing as we speak.