ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED

Sunday, March 22^nd, 2009

Colt’s *Day by Day*

Tiger’s spring break and our vacation has come to an end. We returned home on Saturday afternoon and today spent the day at the beach. This was a double benefit for us, Tiger enjoyed the play in the gulf waters while Gunny and I sat and enjoyed the college boys on spring break. The beach trip also included a picnic lunch with grilled items such as hamburgers and hot dogs. As always, we bring extra snacks for the (one day) friends Tiger makes each time we visit the beach. This day was no different, when lunch time came Tiger brought along three other boys from the beach and all the boys were properly fed.

I guess I should highlight a few moments from our past week and to separate out the good moments from one emotional meltdown I suffered during our trip. First the highlights, I guess the best part of the trip was the travel time we spent together in the Ford. I was very surprised to experience just how mentally adjusted Tiger is in spite of his history and his age. He never once complained about the need not to ‘romp’ around the inside of the moving vehicle and he never once whined about the long distances and hours spent inside the Ford. If anyone complained about the many hours of sitting with nothing more to do than to play time passing games, it was me. The second and third best times we had were times spent pool side at the hotels we were staying at. Tiger is an accomplished swimmer now and made lap after lap in the pool then Gunny would have the boy play a game of underwater hunt and seek.

These past few days have been a relaxing and revealing time as well. This trip around the gulf states in the Ford allowed time for me to observe Gunny’s never ending patience. No matter what the situation, whether it was downtown traffic, a grumpy person on the street or my emotional meltdown, Gunny would rise to the occasion and not allow a cross word or misguided action to be heard or seen. I guess he just has a different view on life than the other guys I have had in my life, one of his quips is “I never sweat the small stuff” and I suppose keeping that mantra handy is how he is able to disregard other’s slights and out right stupidity. Plus I was reintroduced to Tiger’s kind and generous personality. The boy’s shear goodwill always comes through some how, he never ceases to amaze me in how he is more of an adult than most of the people I have met in my life. I have asked Gunny several times about why the boy acts the way he does and as time has proceeded even Gunny now admits that this is the way the boy acts and not some emotional front the boy has.

I guess Tiger has a good role model in Gunny to copy from. I wish I had the inner strength my two men have, but alas I do not. I allow other’s comments and perceived actions to affect me more than what they should. Even when I attempt to allow a rude remark to pass, I relive the moment over and over again in my mind till I simply blurt out a negative remark to Gunny. This brings up my failure to control my emotions and allowing words to slip from my mouth I more than regret a moment later.

Monday, March 16^th, 2009

Colt’s *Day by Day*

Our traveling holiday: Post Weekend

The weekend flew by so fast and with so much activity, I must admit I was to tired to write the page for the weekend. But with a pause today in activity while Gunny and Tiger are off on a golf outing together, I finally have the time to sit down, relax, and drink a glass of warmed red wine.

Well, to start the weekend we picked Tiger up from school on Friday afternoon, drove home and while Tiger cleaned up and changed his clothes, Gunny and I finished our light dinner prep. Tiger appears from his bedroom fully dried, clothed and his pants are zipped up! Ok, a little to much drama there, but hey each time he remembers this dressing technique is a small victory for me. We sit at the breakfast table to enjoy the pasta, salad and garlic toast dinner. As Tiger finishes his dinner, he helps clear the plates to the kitchen and waits while I tie up the bag of trash for him to carry to the garage. Of course our housekeeper will be by while we are away, so I am busy cleaning up the kitchen…

Our trip begins with the evening drive up the coast, well actually the road is no where near the coast when leaving South Padre. So for the first part of the trip, I take the wheel till we reach the first pit stop. This is a scheduled stop for the boy’s sake and to allow Gunny a moment to walk and loosen up his leg muscles. As with most places it seems, Gunny is recognized by the guy behind the cash register and they have a conversation while Tiger relieves his bladder and I search the snack aisle.

Back on the road, we have a round of songs Gunny seems to have ready to entertain Tiger while we drive the mindlessly long and open roads of Texas. The songs are something I would imagine Gunny singing in his youth and I also notice he obviously has cleaned up some of the text. One of the songs is something we heard the other evening on the late night show with Craig Ferguson, something about “the man’s hair being old and gray, and something, something… but he’s ginger down below boy’s… he’s ginger down below”. Tiger gets a real long laugh about this song about how manhood changes a boy’s body and I just sing along a roll my eyes (pretending not to enjoy, of course).

Our first port of call appears on the horizon, The port city of Galveston. This city isn’t exactly on the way to where we are headed off to, but it is a good place to stop to enjoy the night and the morning before we continue on our way. With spring break going on, Gunny didn’t want to pay the higher prices the hotels were charging for a one night stay. So, we make a pass thru one section of the city to get the current rates then find the best deal. It saved us over half the internet pricing we had seen over the last month. Mostly because there are fewer college students going to spring break, at least so far. We find a hotel with a spa and unload our overnight bag from the Ford.

Oh, I have forgotten to mention, we are driving the behemoth on this trip. Tiger is always in a great mood when we bring the oversized SUV onto the highways and I am adjusting to driving this overgrown boy’s toy on wheels. There is something neat about driving it actually, but I would never admit this to anyone. I find being over and above all the other traffic on the roads to be comforting in a superiority sort of way. So, I occasionally whine about driving the Ford and secretly think with an evil laugh “muah, ha, ha; I’ll get you my little pretties and your little Prius too!” and growl the motor of the Ford for good measure.

We order a pizza from the local delivery store, clean up and change into our swim suits to go down to the whirlpool spa. When the pizza arrives, Tiger being helpful, carries the two liter bottle of Coke and the foam cups while Gunny carries the pizza down to the picnic table near the spa. Munch, munch, and a slurp and burp later, the pizza has been devoured by the boy and we head over to the whirlpool. Tiger sits at the edge with his legs dangled into the water and talks about the fun he is having so far on the trip.

The boy adds strength to our Lion and this night is no different. Even as he relaxes into the warm bubbling waters of the spa, our Lion is gaining strength from Tiger’s presence and the boy’s charm fills the night

Not to skip ahead, but it’s Tuesday night now… So a quick review of what we have been up to: 1) Driving the highways and byways in the Ford Behemoth; 2) Driving the roads and interstates in the Ford Behemoth; 3) sleeping; 4) eating; 5) Driving the… ok I think you understand we have found out that Colt is not to fond of traveling by car. Not to say, that Colt isn’t having a good time mind you, it’s just the traveling and riding and traveling and riding in the same space with very little to do. Ho hum.

Tiger on the other hand is having the time of his life. To date, we have count 341 Volkswagen Beetles and Bugs and have heard the air horns of uncounted tractor trailer cab operators. I do wish I had his enthusiasm, the boy is filled with so much joy and unabated happiness. So, having him happy and filled with joy has offset my own feelings about traveling by car. The past few days have been one fun or experienced filled moment after another. Saturday, for instance, brought Tiger’s first encounter with a deceased jellyfish on the beach. Lucky for him, Gunny was within arm’s reach to stop the boy from touching the gelatinous immobile blob and prevented Tiger from a terrible along with painful chemical burn.

Sunday, brought our first taste of French styled cuisine for breakfast. Well, that might be an overstatement because most of western culture’s traditional thinking of breakfast is actually French. From the several ways of frying up an egg, the bacon or sausage gravy, the biscuits to even having orange juice and milk to drink is of this origin. Am I drifting?

With our destination reached on late Sunday afternoon we arrive at the hotel in the Crescent City. I must admit when Gunny had chosen this as our vacation destination I was a little uncomfortable with the idea. We spoke for days about the not being an ideal place to bring Tiger to for his first spring vacation. But, he persuaded me with thoughts of allowing Tiger to see both sides of this historic city.

So we spend the evening in the hotel, resting and recharging our bodies with drink, food and after we put Tiger to bed, a long hot shower with my Lion. This is exactly what I needed, I needed to feel him inside me again and to know through this physical expression how much he does love me.

Monday and Tuesday are spent touring the wonderfully recovering and at times quite depressing City of New Orleans. The night life here is still very festive and the people are as always helpful and cheery when encountered. I guess the tour of the rebuilding projects was an enlightening moment for Tiger as well as for me. We rode along listening to the stories recounted by the tour guide of the people’s struggle for survival during the days following Hurricane Katrina. As this day comes to a close, I find myself in a better understanding of the struggle many of us face every day, I am always thankful for Gunny being in our lives. Without him, we would be lost.