Hello Sunshine

Hello sunshine
So glad to see you sunshine
Hello sunshine
Its been dark for a very long time

I cant explain what Ive been through
Trying to live my life without you
People say I act so strange
But you got the power to make me change

                                                              Aretha Franklin

We got up early and got dressed. Aodhan did not even make one attempt at leaving pajamas under his clothes, but just handed me is pajamas. “I think they’re still clean mom, I can wear them tonight”. He made his bed, and then ate chili con carne for breakfast. After eating, he, with a some prompting and perhaps a little negative encouragement (threats), he washed his plate and fork and cup. Later I cut up a mango for him, and he only balked a little when I cut up the last one for me. “But mom, we have to save some, they’re expensive”. “We’ll be ok”, I said.

We sat quietly for most of the morning. Aodhan played with Alicia and drew and watched television in spanish. I tapped and typed away at my computer. Aodhan and I pecked and picked a little; I had coffee, he had bits of chicken, I had soup, he had some cucumber.

Around eleven, Aodhan started to get more antsy. “We should go”. I reminded him that we were going to a nice restaurant with Yesenia and her family, and, again, we went over the manners and behaviours that would be required there.

At 11:30, I told Aodhan he should go across the street to the park to wait. There were other children playing there, and he was getting jumpy. He left, but actually only sat on our steps playing with Alicia and drawing.

Finally 12:15 and we left. We stopped at the bank to pick up more cash, just in case there was a problem paying with Visa. You never know in South America. We took a taxi way out to the countryside. It was about a 20 minute drive, and it cost 9 soles (about $3 or so). The restaurant is lovely. Greg and I ate in it last time we were here, with a couple of friends who were a dentist and her husband who is an architect. The road was being repaired, so we had to walk the last bit of the way. 

Aodhan wanted to pull the table right over to the window, but it wasn’t so bad, since we had to move the other table over to make a large table for all of us. The waiter gave everyone a little roll. I had briefed Yesenia about Aodhan’s diet, and we both caught the waiter and explained that Aodhan couldn’t have one. Aodhan was upset and wanted one, but in the end was alright without one. “I’m eating bread, I’m not on a special diet, tomorrow I will have bread”. “Yes Aodhan, I said, tomorrow”. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow...  Everyone ordered. It was difficult to get Aodhan to order, because he wanted spaghetti, and spaghetti is wheat, and off limits right now. Yesenia’s boys wanted spaghetti too, but Yesenia realized and redirected them. They ordered Hawaiian pizza. Yesenia and her husband ordered some kind of beef and potatoes dish that looked really good, I ordered a caprese salad and a stuffed rocoto pepper. After much discussion with Aodhan suggested that the spaghetti might be very expensive here and it might have mushrooms. I agreed. He ended up ordering ribs which came with fries and salad. We got a pitcher of “margaritas” for the kids, (ok, frozen lemonade), and pisco sours for us.

Everyone ate with gusto. Aodhan did not want them to take his plate away, and wanted to sit and draw while the other kids went on the little peddle boats. We sat there for many hours and several pisco sours. The whole meal came to 320 soles including tip, for six people and at least seven mixed drinks. 

When it was finally time to head out, Aodhan had to go back for a couple of minutes and check the restaurant in case he forgot anything, but he did come. We dropped Yesenia off at work, and went to the indoor go-kart place. Aodhan drove the karts, but they said the boys (7&8) were too young, so Manuelo drove them around. Jose wanted to go with me the last time, so we raced Aodhan. It was fun, and Aodhan and Jose loved it. Jose operated the gas pedal, and I operated the brake and we shared the steering. It worked out well. In the end, Aodhan did win. And ya, nobody even thought of wearing a helmet...

We took a taxi back home and said goodnight to the boys at the corner. Aodhan and I walked to the grocery store and got some things to make spaghetti at home. I had found long rice noodles the other day at the store. Of course Aodhan wanted to get a pre-cooked chicken. I really have to say, I miss the ones in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I think that was the best pre-cooked chicken ever. If you are ever there, or probably anywhere in Mexico, I would consider trying one. 

I cooked up the meat sauce in my one large deep pan, and discovered that you can indeed boil pasta in an open rice cooker. A rice cooker is one of the first things I buy when I move somewhere. Aodhan complained that the noodles were the wrong colour, but he didn’t bat an eyelash with his second helping. I tried them and they are ok. 

Aodhan really wants to go to Mollendo tomorrow. No one else can go. We will see. We were both really tired and we went to bed early. I woke up just after 1am and realized that I had not given Aodhan a pill. I shook him gently and asked him to take it because I had forgotten. He opened his mouth sleepily, took it, and went back to sleep. 

This may just be a lull, we will see. But for now, I am enjoying a reasonably dressed, reasonably behaved child. Please don’t get me wrong, he is still not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but he smiles a lot, and I can manage him.

Aodhan, Jose and Miguel outside the restaurant

The boys going in a peddle boat.

Miguel with his virgin margarita 

Aodhan in having a great time laughing and having fun

Yesenia and Manuelo

Aodhan and his virgin margarita and a giant cup

Jose and Manuelo go-karting

Aodhan goes super fast in his go-kart. He has decided that this track is too small - they did indeed make it smaller. He wants to try the outdoor track at the other go-kart place now

Miguel and Manuelo go-karting