Second Chance

Don't hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Whether life's disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
'Cause baby, you were born this way

Ooh, there ain't no other way, baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way
Ooh, there ain't no other way, baby, I was born this way
I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way

I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

                                                     Lady Gaga

This morning Aodhan decided he didn’t want a shower again, but only stayed outside an hour before he decided he would come in and have one. He took his shower with very little problems, and ate a big bowl of rice and beans and meat. I e-mailed Yesenia and asked if her boys would like to go go-karting again.

We took the purple combi down to Mercado San Camillo with my knives. I found the knife sharpening place, and he made my knives razor sharp. I was tired of squishing tomatoes instead of cutting them. We walked on down to Plaza Vea, the big grocery store that I used to shop at. I was looking for rice pasta, since the Wong grocery store beside me doesn’t seem to have it today. Plaza Vea didn’t have it either, and we took a combi. Aodhan remembered there was another grocery store up another street, and we got off the combi and walked up. It was way up the street, and I was annoyed to see the combi turn and drive up the way we had to walk. I had gotten off because I thought he was going to turn towards the center of the city. We finally got to the original mall that had been here last time with the Saga Falabella store. I found the rice pasta at the Tottus grocery store at that mall. Here, all big malls seem to have a grocery store attached. I’ve always kind of wondered why big malls in Canada never have a grocery store, and why big box stores like Home Depot prefer to stand alone too. 

Aodhan was really angry about the rice pasta. He said he wanted regular pasta, and that there was no way he was going on any kind of special diet. He was going to eat bread and wheat if he wanted to. I said fine, you don’t need to eat spaghetti then. No problem.

We went home, and Yesenia had answered my e-mail, that the boys would like to go go-karting. I called her, and she asked me to come over at five. I said I would bring supper this time. I cooked feijoada, and some nice rice made with chicken stock. I packed it all up and headed over to Yesenias. 

We decided to go-kart first and eat after. Aodhan wanted to go to the outdoor track this time. They wouldn’t let Jose or Miguel on the carts because they were too small. they have another little track, but it just has little Flintstone cars that go really slow. The kids said it was for babies and they didn’t want to go on them. The place was crazy busy too, with a giant line up. Aodhan did a couple of times around the track, and then we grabbed a taxi and headed to the indoor track.

The indoor track was quiet, we were the only ones there. I am not sure this track will last. Their soccer fields seemed to be filled, so maybe they make money from that. They also have paintball, but we didn’t check it out. I have an aversion to paintball. They went many times on the indoor go-kart track, and they even let Jose, who is almost nine years old, drive by himself with a cushion behind his back so he could reach the gas pedal. Manolo and I took turns driving Miguel around, and Yesenia even tried even though she has never driven a car or anything. She said that I was right, it is pretty easy, and not so scary, and she may look in to getting her drivers license now.

We went back to Yesenias and ate and watched some more of the cartoon movie “The Wild”. The boys laughed and had a great time, and Aodhan washed his dishes before he left like he promised he would. We walked home, and I told Aodhan that I was proud of him because he had been behaving so well. Alice was there to kiss and cuddle and jump into bed with Aodhan.

The next morning we went to the golf course. There was no one there to talk to on Monday, and no food being served. It was just like we remembered, but they have made some additions and improvements. We stayed there a while because it is so peaceful there, and then we went home. At 3pm, the ladies came to clean the apartment. Aodhan was upset. He didn’t want anyone to clean his house. He said cleaning ladies throw stuff out. He said cleaning ladies steal stuff. I knew this was going downhill. After several tries, and bribes, I got him out of the apartment. We went down the street and I bought him a popsicle (one of the bribes). He was angry because it wasn’t ice cream. He said popsicles have more sugar and are more unhealthy. I did not want to tell him that his special diet is the reason he can’t have ice cream too. I have let him think that it is because I am cheap, and the ice cream costs more.

We went down to Mercado Sigla XX (Sigla Vente), and I let Aodhan go look at the little trucks. I bought Aodhan some new boxer shorts, because I had brought all his old small ones with us, and they are just ripping to shreds. Then, I tried to find Aodhan. I walked up and down the aisles with the cars. There was no sign of Aodhan. I wondered if he had just doubled back and gone home to harass our evil cleaning ladies. I wandered back and forth several more times. I looked at a few more things. Finally, I decided it was time to go home and see if he was there. I decided to go down the aisle of women’s clothing. There he was, sitting watching television in front of one of the movie selling shops. He wanted to buy the movie, but the woman said that the one he was watching was on cable, and she didn’t have a copy. I bought him another movie that he wanted and we headed home. 

On the way home, we bought some strawberries. I asked Aodhan to let me untie the bag carefully, but he ripped the strawberries out of my hands and tore the bag. Was it just too much for him to continue being well behaved. He stuffed strawberries in his mouth and I took his movie away. 

We got home, and he ate and took his pill with only 30 second argument. Over all, not a bad day, but seems to be sliding downhill slowly. 

Aodhan's photo of Alicia. He refuses to call her Alicia, he calls her Alice.

Aodhan and Alicia sleeping. She is usually curled up under his chin with his arm around her.