Home Again, Part Two: A Day of Eats

Friday, February 29
I woke in the mid-morning, and Mom brought me a papaya in bed. Have I mentioned that I love visiting home? I lounged around for awhile, enjoying my cushy mattress and bedside television. By the time I was dressed to leave, it was lunchtime. The Japanese teachers ventured out on their own, and Chris, at home in Hawaii Kai, slept until 3 in the afternoon. Mom and I drove to nearby Kahala Mall, where we ate at Chili’s. We ate mini burgers with some kind of yummy sauce. I had the unlimited strawberry lemonade. We caught up and talked about plans for the future. Mom asked if I wanted to shop, but I wasn’t in the mood and only picked up a supply of good ol' American deodorant.

They're mini, but filling!

We returned home to find Scott on the backyard deck. He was home from school early and rather than studying, he was working the outdoor gym. When we first moved in, the deck housed a deteriorating Jacuzzi, and my parents had it removed. The space now holds an assortment of my brother’s get-buff equipment. I had him help me use the bench press for a bit before submitting to weak arms and heat. Filled with energy though, I turned to another activity: piano. I studied the instrument for ten years, but after six years of not a single finger to a key, I had to start from the beginning, re-learning how to read music. “Isn’t it like riding a bike?” Mom asked, on the sofa watching Korean dramas. “No,” I said grouchily, as I practiced my chord progressions. It took me half an hour only to make my way back to “Fur Elise.”

My burst of pep thus quashed, I sunk into bed to watch an America’s Next Top Model marathon, which is the equivalent eating a large tub of ice cream--delicious while you're enjoying it, but ultimately not good for you. For dinner, I let Scott choose the restaurant, and we ate at Bubba Gump's, where I had the crispy coconut shrimp with marmalade dip. And a strawberry lemonade, of course. We went home full. And I watched old Law & Order episodes on DVD.

The parents. Can you tell who I take after?

Unnecessary piece of Kristine knowledge: I once hated cole slaw, but now I love it.