A Long ride to Travis, AFB

My day started out like most of my days, wake up, coffee, play "pet rescue", out to the garden to water my plants, feed the goldfish and enjoy what is left of a warm fall day. Fortunately, I got the day off from work and would be taking my son to his training reserves weekend to Travis, AFB in Fairfield. As the day carried on later and later, i was mostly dreading the commute due to the BART strike that took affect today. We finally decided on leaving at 8:00PM figuring the traffic would be somewhat better, Wrong, traffic was still backed up and we dealt with the chaos. I had called Manny two days ago to make sure that he was still on his reserves weekend. Because of the government shutdown that ended some days ago, I wasn't fully trusting that his information was reliable nor the information that the Air Force was giving my son. Based on his email, his reserves weekend was still a "go". I picked him up and we were on our way. The ride was fairly long but as most rides go with my son, our conversations are lively, direct and for such a young man of 20 years old, he is too smart for his britches but smart! He is soft spoken, most of the times he has good manners, knows a lot but not enough and he is still a little rough around the edges. But like most gems, a good polishing and in time, he will become a reputable man of wisdom. Two hours later, we reach Travis, AFB and he calls the Hilton to reconfirm his reservation, they have no reservation for him. He then calls his Hotel, Air Force Inn and they tell him to come in because there is a lot of room. Now I was really worried, they're usually full. We arrive at the base and we say our goodbyes and good luck in PT. I usually wait there anyway but for some reason, I stayed a bit longer and it was not more than 10 minutes that he came walking back, opened the door to the car, sat down and said, " training is cancelled" I got upset with him and pretty much said, I told you so! His argument was that he hadn't received an updated email. My argument was that I spent all day waiting, took the day off from work and drove up and back when i didn't need to, it was time wasted and a big thank you goes to the good ole United states Air force "paper pushers"! I know I shouldn't have let him take the blame so hard but he needed to know that he needs to double and sometimes triple check himself on these matters. The drive back was short because i drove faster and didn't not want to speak to my son anymore on the way home. It was awkward but i didn't need be more upset than what i already was on the drive back by arguing more with him. I dropped him off with hardly a word or goodbye but to take the rest of his belongings in my car out and into his home where he is staying with his father. He said that he would be by on Monday for the rest of his things. I needed time to cool down and drove home slower to what the speed limit is. I was too hard on him and started feeling remorseful. Lord, give me strength. Amen

Hey Mom, I'm getting married

That's what the early morning text read when I woke up this morning. It was from my oldest daughter Nani who has been estranged from me for many months. She is currently living with her boyfriend in Pacifica, California. The text reads, "Hey mom, I'm getting married next year. I love you and would really like you to be there" That text came in the form of a Facebook message. The message was unclear but it offered a chance to finally, maybe talk to my daughter whom I have been missing for quite some time. So far, no other contact has been received other than calling her phone and speaking with her fiancee and letting him know to give her the message to call me back. I wish she would have called me to give me the message of her joyous news and not by Facebook message. But this is the digital age of social media and a form of communication that will soon be lost. I know that I would have called and given the message personally through phone or in person. I do hope to catch up with her soon and share the details of her event.