Slumber Party

I spent the weekend in Alameda this past weekend for my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately Dean had to go to a wedding in Mendocino which was a huge bummer because all my extended family members kept asking about him. I actually had to get on the mic during the reception and explain to a couple hundred Filipinos why my hubby was missing such an important event. But since Dean was out of town and it was just me, I decided to stay with my mom and dad in Alameda and rent our place to the tune of $500 which I transferred over to my parents’ account for their present—looks like they are heading to Brazil and Argentina on their next vacation. Good choice, folks. Love those countries. Whenever I think back on my vacation there, I remember fondly all the steak and Havana alfajores I consumed.

But back to Alameda. I seriously felt like I was a 16-year-old, living at home with my parents, driving a car around town to get my nails down, stopping by Jack-in-the-Box for crispy chicken tenders, and chomping on scoops of ice-cream at Tuckers. I have an extreme ice-cream addiction. At Tuckers, I looked around and thought, oooh I can have my birthday party here, as if I were in elementary school. Ever since returning from Honduras, I’ve eaten ice-cream every single day. I’m hoping this daily sugar ritual ends when the frigid San Francisco weather returns for good.

Dean is the launderer in our household. He also cooks and cleans. I clean fanatically and handle the finances and bills. We always bring our laundry to Alameda (since it’s free). While it sat in the garage, I figured I might as well take care of a load since I was home alone with nothing to do. I was so proud of myself for figuring out how to get the washer and dryer going I patted myself on the back. Yes, that’s how low-tech, minimally-domestic I am.

I do get rather nostalgic for my childhood driving around Alameda. It is a great place to raise a family and fortunately Dean loves Alameda, but I’m also such a city girl that I am torn. Where will we decide to live permanently? I am desperate for a couple of puppies–two bulldogs: one french to be named Napoleon and one english to be named Churchill.