GayDadsUSA

A new phase of the journey

2009-09-03T12:16:44-04:00

So, I haven’t written in a while. There’s a reason for that. One should always go with one’s instincts. They’re usually always right. When I stopped the blog back in June, my instincts were correct. I’m taking a break—whether it’s temporary or permanent, only time will tell. Too much time and energy has been spent by myself—and conversations with Seth—as to what to include and not include in my blog. How do I tell the truth as I see it about my life and balance what's in my family's best interests? I’ve also received scathing emails about the content of...

The miracle, times two!

2009-08-19T08:55:10-04:00

So, Mom is out of the hospital. Got back home last night. Turns out she took a pain pill on Saturday for her hip and that is what caused the horrible vomiting. It was the evil oxycontin. Even though her pain wasn't nearly as severe as before the surgery, it was still the most pain she had had in a week and so she took the last pill in the bottle. Big mistake. However, the good news is that as a result of all the tests while in the hospital, she did have a ct-scan of her brain and her...

Back in the hospital, times two

2009-08-17T16:53:11-04:00

On the same day that Cheryl’s Mom died, my own grandmother was admitted to the hospital because apparently she had a stroke. I say “apparently” because it is still unclear what happened. However, the PET scan taken shows the front part of her brain to be “cloudy.” Her voice is slurred and the things she is saying are all over the place. My aunt Ruby said she has talked a lot about me and my grandfather. I have spoken with Nana a few times and she sounds better now than when I first spoke with her but “better” is compared...

In rememberance

2009-08-15T20:47:46-04:00

I’ve known Cheryl for, gosh, over 15 years now. She is, and will always be, one of my dearest, most cherished friends. Thursday night, her mother passed away. She had moved back East from Los Angeles, where I met her in the early 90s, in large part to spend more time with her mom, to heal old wounds, and to forge a new understanding in their relationship. Happily, Cheryl and her mom accomplished that before Thursday. The story of her mom’s last days is a lesson to us all, if we’re given the choice as to how to die. Her...

Day three/four in London

2009-08-12T16:03:59-04:00

And so the London trip is over. However, we got a lot in over the weekend! Seth was filming most of Saturday and so Juli and I crammed in not one, not two, but three museums (all free)! First, we went to the British Museum, which was a hop, skip, and a jump from our hotel. (wow! I just remembered we also all managed to get in a visit to the National Gallery on Friday, where Juli sketched her own version of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers). Anyway, at the British Museum, Juli and I mainly focused on their mummy collection. We...

Day One/Two in London

2009-08-10T21:15:24-04:00

After a fun, quick train ride on Virgin from Liverpool, we arrived in London Wednesday night at 10pm. After finally finding the car the production company had sent for us, Seth asked the driver the magic question. “Can our daughter sit in the front?” Juli had been wanting to sit in the front seat ever since we both saw a girl about Juli’s age sitting in what is our driver’s side in Liverpool. To us, it was the total illusion of this 8-year-old girl driving her Mum around town. Taxis don’t allow anyone to sit in front. That’s where the...

Day four/five in Liverpool

2009-08-07T05:20:45-04:00

Our last two days in Liverpool (Tuesday and Wednesday) were jampacked. We all went to the World Museum, which is housed in the same building as the central library and art museum. The building was blitzed during World War II, so only the original shell remains. The inside isn't nearly as attractive but it was all free and fun. I read to her a few books in the children's section of the library. She already wants to find other books written by the author of "006 and a Bit." Sounds pretty British, right? The art museum had all sorts of...

Day two/three in Liverpool

2009-08-04T05:04:54-04:00

Ok, we've only been here for three days and we can't help ourselves from speaking in horrible British accents...well, except for Juli. She's got a great ear and is quite good at imitating the elevator. Yes, the elevator. The soothing female voice tells us when we get on it--I mean, the lift--"door opening...door closing..." etc. Juli imitates the voice perfectly. She may have a career option when she's older. While Seth was at work on Sunday, Juli and I made our way to the Chester Zoo...barely. It seems like every person we ask in Liverpool and its environs for directions...

Day one/two in Liverpool

2009-08-02T04:03:18-04:00

After we had a nice 5-hour nap, we went to explore the city center of Liverpool. We were still jet-lagged, after having not slept on the plane amidst the 60 movies and 100 television programs on the tv screen in the seat in front of us! Juli went from saying she hated to fly right before we got on board to her not wanting to get off the plane. Two hours into the flight, she asked me how much longer before we landed. I thought, "Oh, no, she's already asking me and we have four more hours." I reluctantly said,...

Getting ready to leave for England...

2009-07-31T10:35:10-04:00

We are getting ready to leave in a few hours for England. I will wrap up the bio dad story on the plane and then move on in the next several blog entries about our adventures abroad! It's time for some fun. This reality show that Seth is doing there is putting us up in a four-star hotel both in Liverpool, where we will be fore 5 nights, and then on to London for 4 nights. Next Thursday night we have house seats to "Sister Act." The former manager of Elton John and Freddy Mercury, among others, is a fan...