Vinegar was my friend this morning. I used a dilution of warm water and vinegar to clean my linoleum floors. Damn if that didn't do a great job! Here I had been using commercial cleaners to a modicum of satisfaction. All I had to do was use a kitchen ingredient and warm water to get glowing results. Cleaned the baseboards by hand while I was at it. I recalled how the two Polish ladies my stepmother hired to clean her house would use the same vinegar dilution on the kitchen tile. Yes, the house smells like vinegar, but only for several hours.
In the middle of cleaning, I stopped to create my Twitter account. If you look on the right hand margin of my blog, right below the parasol picture, you will notice some notifications. You won't see these if you have me on an RSS feed. To see some quick updates or thoughts, you will have to go to my page and check. I didn't add this to my other online presence. What I love is that I can send a message from my mobile cell phone. It is that easy to update if I don't go online. I've been a bit reticent about creating a Twitter account, but recently read an article about someone writing a book with it -- 140 characters at a time which is the max on Twitter entries. That is not my goal; this application is something new for Sarah Sprinkles.
Between McCain announcing his running mate and the crazy hurricanes spinning from South Africa, I need some new news. (Side question: Does McCain think I should vote for his choice just because she has a vagina? --rolling my eyes--) I need something fun and not necessarily earth shattering. I have a little one. Let me tell you about that as I recount my evening at Vietnamese Michelle's house tonight.
Michelle from the Asian lunch mafia at work invited me to a party at her home about two miles from my own cousin's house in South Tampa. It was easy to find if the SUVs packed like sardines in the front lawn were not a big hint. I almost died laughing when I saw over two dozen pairs of slippers before the front door. My sneakers would have to come off when I came in which they did.
My entrance was one of those moments where I instantly knew I was different. All the guests inside were full Vietnamese. Here comes amazon AGOL at 5'8" making her way quickly to the kitchen where her friend was cooking. Everyone was extremely friendly and spoke English when they were around me. Michelle's husband made me a plate of appetizers right before I was invited to the table after being handed a bowl of Vietnamese style noodles. (There was a lot of food at this party!) As I was handed chopsticks, I was asked if I could eat fish sauce by the lady next to me. Yes, of course was my reply. I knew what they were thinking: This white chick is eating our food.
Michelle was soon bragging on my knowledge of Asian food while I interspersed tidbits about my own Asian culture. I could almost feel them breathe a sigh of relief. Besides her husband, I knew one other gentleman whose wife I knew, too. She wasn't present because she just had her breasts augmented and was in recovery at home. The other guests were looking at me searching for that Filipino side in my made up face. In no time, I was like part of the family and the attention was back on Michelle who apparently doesn't cook often. They said that I had to come to more dinners so they would get better food. Ha! About four sets of friends take turns cooking each Sunday.
Did I mention how loud this house was? Children of varying ages were like ants around the house. They played nice though. One captured my attention. Eva is Michelle's just under two-year old daughter. She was toddling in the kitchen. I looked down and she looked up at me. Out of their own volition, my arms came out in front of me and hers reflected mine. I couldn't believe it -- I just broke my vow to not hold a baby until I had my own. Eva immediately put her head down on my shoulder. OMG -- how cute!! The other guests noticed this and let me know I could take one or two kids on my way out later.
Yeah...I had a new friend the rest of the evening. Her mom was very surprised that she took to me so easily. Michelle teased me that perhaps she liked my big chest and that's why she was comfortable. Ten minutes before I left, Eva and I were playing a silly game. She was mesmerized by me and kept hovering her hands over my face and hair. Every time she touched my outfit and necklace, she kept saying "beautiful" in Vietnamese. I repeated the word quickly after she did which sent her into gales of laughter. When I would pretend to ignore her, she would bring her face and body around to my face and scream the word. I said ooh in really high voice and that sent her laughing too. Michelle urged me to take her home to see how far I could get out the door with her. I was halfway to my car when Eva realized something was amiss and began to say Mommy. Michelle opened the door and received her daughter.
My drive home was a reflection of my evening. I felt none of the painful pangs of not having my own family. I was not jealous, bitter or sad even when one of the gentlemen who was curious enough to ask why I didn't have any. To say I was stunned to hear this question coming from a man was an understatement. I didn't know how to answer. I asked Tab later in an IM how I should respond without sounding like a dork. After answering some of his own questions, he came up with I guess I really haven't found the right man to father my children yet. I can live with that as an answer for me to say in the future because it is true.
All I could remember before bed was that a trusting angel reminded me that everything was okay and I am still a complete person. There is nothing like a child responding to you in a laughter so free and so pure that it must have come from the greatest love well that is God.
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