We managed to book a flight to DFW with a departure today at 5:00 pm. Judy finished up her school planning for a sub late last night. She’s packing today, and planning for her classes when she returns. I chased errands today, getting ready for our absence. I needed to adjust the schedule for our Ayi while we’re gone. I also needed to make sure we had supplies in the apartment for Judy’s return to Beijing. She’s coming back on Tuesday. I won’t be back until Friday.

We make it out to the airport easily. After checking in we eat dinner and work our way through security and immigration. The flight boards and departs late, but we arrive in Chicago close to our scheduled time after a 12hr. flight. They’ve improved the immigration arrival area at O’Hare and with our Global Entry clearance, it’s really quick to get through. Then we drop off our luggage at the transfer drop area, and begin the journey to the new terminal and our gate. There is lots of snow and it’s cold while we move in and out of terminals and trams. We arrive with an hour to kill before our flight.

We arrive at DFW right on time at 9:50. Our trip has been smooth, but our luggage didn’t arrive? Something funky was going in Chicago. Most of the people on our flight with checked luggage didn’t receive it. We’re told it will be delivered tomorrow morning to our home in Ft. Worth.

Courtney meets us at the airport. We meet Brad and Glenda at a Rosa’s Café, swap cars, and then head home. It’s nice to have a place that feels like home when we arrive.

Not much sleep last night. I was eventually able to talk to mom. She was sad, but coping.

Dad was 89. He was the son of a Methodist minister, living an itinerant life in West Texas. Methodist ministers moved from church to church annually in those years, and my dad attended lots of schools. He served in the Army during WW II, and was stationed in Japan for a short time at the end of hostilities. After the war, he was an engineering major at Texas Tech where he met and married my mom in 1950. They lived several years in Tahoka, TX, where he worked for a telephone coop, and farmed cotton. Mom taught school until I was born in 1953. In 1954, they moved to Fort Worth, where he worked in the Test Lab for General Dynamics for over 30 years.

He enjoyed building and wood-working, designing and building his own camping trailer. He built lots of things around the house, and did most of his own car repair and maintenance. My parents began to square-dance and it became a big part of their lives. They both played an active role in activities at their church in Lake Worth, including singing in the choir.

When my parents retired, they began trailering across the country, square-dancing as they went. They traveled extensively, and had a great time. They participated and held national offices in the Avion Trailer organization. The big truck and trailer finally became too much, and they settled back into their home. They enjoyed their quiet neighborhood and watching wildlife in the backyard. Health issues ultimately led to a need for assisted-living and they moved to Baton Rouge, where my brother Robert, and sister-in-law Susan (both doctors) could play a role in their health care.

I spent time today working on how and when to get back to Texas. Scheduling a memorial service involves so many people and schedules. My sister’s family is centered in Houston. The brunt of the scheduling and planning fall to Robert & Susan, because of their proximity to mom in Baton Rouge. Only after the date and site is settled can final travel plans be made. Judy begins planning for her absence from school, not sure how many days to plan for or when. By the end of the day, we’re pretty sure the service will be Sunday, Feb. 8, in Fort Worth.

The alarm goes off at 5:00 am. I’ve got to get out of here early for my Super Bowl experience at Tim’s Texas BBQ. I walked out of the apartment at 5:40 am, and grabbed a taxi. The traffic is light, and I’m walking into Tim’s at 6:05. There are probably 30 people already in the room. Since I’m by myself, I end up sitting at the bar with several other “singles”.

The breakfast buffet (60 rmb) is ready at 6:40, and the crowd has grown. The food is really good, with bacon/eggs/tortillas/sausage/salsa, etc. At kick-off (7:30 am), both upstairs and downstairs areas are full. There is an older crowd (40s & up) downstairs, and a younger crowd (college?) upstairs. Seattle fans are in the majority, at least downstairs. There seems to be a lot of “Deflategate” anti-Patriots sentiment in the room. As the game continues, the “rowdiness” level goes up. It’s a lot of fun!

I left a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter. I just wore out. I’d been sitting on the bar stool for four hours. What a finish to the game (that I missed). Back home, I took a nap, trying to get it in before our Ayi comes in to clean.

Around noon, my brother calls to update me on my dad in Baton Rouge. He got sick shortly after our visit around Christmas, and has been rehabbing in a skilled nursing center trying to get back into shape. My mom has been able to visit him regularly from their place at a really nice assisted living apartment most days. He just moved back to their apartment last Friday, but his energy is still really low. I got a brief “Facetime” glimpse of him on Saturday, and he didn’t look strong. Audio and visual contact is great, but it doesn’t substitute for actual contact.

Around 11:00 pm (9:00 am Central time), my brother called to report that my dad had “passed”. My understanding is that the nurses came in to get him up for breakfast, and he told them he didn’t feel like getting up. An hour later, he was gone. He was 89 years old, and had a great life. We’re all going to miss him, especially my mom. My parents have been married 64 years.

Although yesterday was actually Judy’s birthday, we’re celebrating her 60^th today.  We meet Shannon and Dom at the UHN gate, and hail a cab.  I have the driver take us by the bakery so I can get the cake I ordered on Thursday.  After getting the cake, we head to Tim’s Texas BBQ, arriving right on time at noon.

Ready to celebrated Judy’s 60th Birthday!!!!

They have a table reserved for us, and we ordered stuffed jalapenos, potato skins, and chips and salsa while we wait for Alexis to arrive.  Alexis eventually arrives after a taxi detour, and we order food.  I order my standard “Border Burger” which includes a green chili pepper.  Judy and Shannon and Alexis order tacos, and Dom gets chalupas.  The Tex-Mex is really good here.  We had a fun afternoon of food and trading stories.

They set the cake up for me with candles (six, one for each decade), and brought it out while playing a recording of Happy Birthday.  It was a chocolate yogurt cake and really good.  We enjoyed the cake, and eventually left around 3:30. 

Everyone else jumped in a taxi and headed back.  I grabbed another taxi and went to my appointment at the Hong Kong medical clinic.  I actually scheduled it after we arrived at the restaurant.  I decided to get my ear checked out.  I could still feel something blocking my right ear.  The cost is really low, and there’s no sense waiting for bigger issues, just because I was stubborn or lazy

I walked in at 4:00, signed their paperwork, and was ushered to the room where the doctor was waiting.  I told him the problem, he scoped it, and decided to try and “vacuum” it out.  There was a little pain, and I really didn’t gain much relief.  He indicated there was minor swelling, and prescribed some ear drops.  I walked out at 4:20 with two bottles of eardrops, and was told there would no charge for the visit or the drops.  The taxi ride home took longer than my doctor visit.

Back at the apartment, we finished off the leftover cake we brought home, and watched several episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy”.  Judy prepped for her week ahead.  I got myself ready for an early trip back to Tim’s Texas BBQ for a Super Bowl Party.  They told me they we’re expecting a sell-out, with guests showing up beginning at 5:30 am?  They’re serving a breakfast buffet beginning at 6:30 am, and the game begins at 7:30.  This should be an experience, Beijing Super Bowl!

FRIDAY, 1/30/15

For myself, today started with my usual morning of stretching, breakfast, and swimming. Back at the apartment, I worked a little on the computer, and waited for Lilly’s mom to arrive to begin cleaning. When she arrived, I traveled over to Metro for grocery shopping and lunch. Lunch was at Subway. After lunch I made all my regular Metro purchases, lunchmeat, pasta, cereal, Diet Coke, etc. I caught a taxi back to UHN where I unloaded all the refrigerated items, then waited for Lilly’s mom to finish. The more room I give her, the faster she is. She does a great job!

Metro is decorated for the Chinese New Year!

Judy has musical rehearsal after school, then comes home, worn out after a really full day. We’ve already begun the countdown for Bali (two more weeks).

These are some flowers Shannon had for Judy’s birthday at school today.

SATURDAY, 1/31/15

Judy leaves around 9:00 am for the musical rehearsal. She’s looking forward to getting a lot accomplished, as well as getting it “over with”. It is a good rehearsal, and the students are beginning to realize it’s getting closer. Some of the elementary school students are participating in a scene or two. Today is their first day, and having waiting parents in the audience “raised the level” for the older students.

A birthday cake from the faculty working on the musical. It provided a nice break.

I pretty much wasted the day. Water got in my right ear when I was swimming yesterday and I couldn’t get it out. I tried a blow drier, and then used some alcohol to help dry it out. I didn’t have much success. I may end up visiting a doctor over this. It’s probably wax buildup, and they’ll have to scrape and squirt water in to break it up. I’m not looking forward to that.

Today is officially Judy’s “60^th” Birthday! Because of the rehearsal, we’ll celebrate tomorrow. Some “Grey’s Anatomy” episodes, and microwave popcorn will have to suffice for celebration today.

My plan for today is to put together some ideas and do the legwork for Judy’s upcoming birthday. After my usual morning of swimming, etc., I headed over to the train. I traveled to Tim’s Texas BBQ, where we’ve decided to eat lunch on Sunday with some of Judy’s friends from BISS. I wanted to make sure they’re open Sunday, and make a reservation if I can. I used the visit as an excuse to get a really good chicken burrito for lunch. I visited with the manager and made a reservation for a large table for Sunday.

After lunch, I headed back to the train and rode to the Liangmajiao Station, so I could walk to the South German Bakery. I saw some nice cakes when I was there on Tuesday, and wanted to order one for Sunday’s lunch. As I’m walking to the bakery, I noticed the roads I planned on using to walk to the flower market were all blocked with police tape. The police and military were blocking all vehicle and foot traffic. This area is near several embassies, and my curiosity is piqued about what’s going on.

After ordering the cake, I took a taxi to the flower market. I wasn’t interested in walking the long detour around the closed roads to get through. The driver kept trying each possible route, but they were all blocked, and he kept muttering about it. After a long detour, I arrived at the flower market. I walked in and began looking for something to liven up Judy’s classroom. After my purchase, I walked out and got a taxi. I tried to tell the driver to make a U-turn, but he wasn’t hearing. We ended up making a long detour with lots of traffic (and lots of driver grumbling).

Back at the apartment, I picked up a vase for the flowers, and went back out. I grabbed a taxi and went to BISS, planning to put the flowers in Judy’s room so she and her students could enjoy them on Friday. I got lucky and she was in another part of the school, so I snuck in, left the flowers, and went back out, undetected. School was out, so no one noticed me. I taxied back home and began putting together some supper. Sure enough, she was pleasantly surprised so “mission achieved”.

My flowers, and chips and salsa from Shannon.

TUESDAY, 1/27/15

Since the pool area doesn’t open until 9:30, I kill time with computer work and Facetime visits back to the US. There is a guy who swims everyday that has begun to converse with me. His English is pretty good, and I’m enjoying the brief discussions we have. After swimming, I come back to the apartment, eat lunch, and then prepare for my afternoon activities.

Today, I have a haircut scheduled. Afterwards, I walk to the South German Bakery and buy several different loaves of bread. It’ll be a nice treat this week for our meals. On my way back to the apartment, I stopped at BHG market and bought a few necessities. When I get home, I put together a vegetable soup, with lots of fresh veggies that I’ve cut and cleaned myself. I’m actually getting better at this.

WEDNESDAY, 1/28/15

Lilly’s mom comes early on Wednesdays. She arrives about 7:50, and starts to work. I kill time, trying to stay out of her way until I can go to the pool. After the swim, I came back and began to dig into Turbotax. It takes time to figure out which 1099’s, etc., I can get online, and which I have to wait to be mailed. Brad’s checking the mail, and will scan and send what else I need when it arrives. I always dread this time of year, trying to find every possible deduction and making sure I get it right. Thank goodness for Turbotax.

Now I just have to worry that I can continue to access everything online that I need. We keep reading about how much the government here is hammering on the internet. Several of the teachers at Judy’s school have almost been shut down when their VPN’s have stopped working. I don’t know enough to know what’s really happening, but I know everything seems to have slowed down, or won’t load at all.