The Merry Month of May

My May really kicked into summer that first weekend with local music festival May Jam. The first night, I went with my good friend Grace and our kids. I was a little stunned that her husband decided to join us, he usually opts out when we hang out, but I'm glad he did. Those two acted like Uni students and it was good to see him relaxed and dancing, getting into the music.

Our kids were certainly in awe of the fire jugglers. We left before we could see fellow beachcombers  Dog Eat Dog rock the venue. The kids were getting tired and my ride was leaving.

Day 2

Here is Grace and I below and our kids (Day 1).

Imma's Bakery  and Tin Pan provided some yummy bites and beer. And it was good time to be had by all. The mosquitoes certainly were out for a good time. I saw some old friends I hadn't seen in a while.

The following weekend my former housemate Eric was in Taiwan and came down to Tainan for a visit. I hadn't seen him in maybe 2 years when he brought his wife and daughter. He and I go way back, we once squatted in a condemned building in Chu Wei, Tamsui around 2001. He is the illustrious founder of Happy Cow website an international guide to vegetarian and vegan eateries and lifestyle.

He  first came to Tainan many years ago before moving on and it was great to hear his stories of local mobsters. His first day in Tainan he found a job and an apartment in like 20 minutes. When he came back to Tainan this most recent time, I picked him up in Anping near the Tree House, and by then he had already made some beautiful female friends and other friendly locals were swarming him ready to take him home for dinner. He was grinning ear to ear and remarking on the hospitality of Tainan (its true.)

Eric, me and Z went to the beach before dinner and he said to me, "uh the water looks green , is it radioactive?" On closer inspection the beach was covered with a slimy, thick layer of seaweed. In four years I have never seen it like that. It did look like the water was green, breaking lime green on the shore. It was so nice to have him around, he is so "present" and he made space and time even in his short visit to really BE with me and Z, very enjoyable.

May was also Mother's Day, had a lovely morning w/my daughter followed by lunch and dinner with her best friend's family. Her mom cooked for us and we watched the kids catch fish in the pond. I was exhausted and then I found myself in an indoor playground (with AC) in some place in the Tainan City Council building affiliated with the YMCA. 



The girls were hungry and on our quest we accidentally came across a young calf to bless the opening of a tea shop (also had never seen that before). We had dinner at a local pasta joint.

 

The calf thing was surreal. Just before I had this insane dream about a bull that would jump out of the TV in intervals, each time getting closer and closer until this massive, powerful beast was literally sitting on me, breathing heavy in my face, eye ball to eye ball until we sorta merged (maybe the bull was part of me?) It was scary and exhilarating and one of those dreams that were meaningful in an unexplainable way. So it being Mother's Day I felt like I wanted to free this poor baby calf and feed it and bring it to some green pasture.

May ended with more festivities. That last Friday, Z's kindy class had a camp out at school, so Mommy could have a very late night. My friend Gregorio took me out to the new and improved Olga's Russian BBQ, near my house, followed by some salsa dancing.

Now June is almost halfway over, I'm trying to enjoy summer before it passes away like an easy breeze while also counting down until our July holiday.