Italian for Chinese New Year

Queens and New Jersey

The kids had week off for winter break and I also wanted to see my mom as well as A-MIL, but the only day that worked for everyone was Monday.

So, I rented a car and we all piled in and headed out to see my mom first out in Queens.

Sara and I dropped the kids off with my sister first because we had to return some things that we ended up not using for our cocktail party.

But this was a good thing because it was also my nephew’s birthday and Sara’s kid wanted to show him how to hack something together with a Raspberry Pi – which my brother and I got for him – and they did they did.

Sister: I can’t believe it…he finally has it!

It was a huge hit.

Seeing how big all the kids are getting is a big kick in the head. Very bittersweet.

Because Sara and her kid were there, my mom insisted on cooking some of my favourite dishes.

I told her not to go to any trouble – especially because we were driving out to see A-MIL for dinner – but she did anywho.

The real issue is that my mom’s an amazing cook and I can’t say no to her food.

Sara: Should you really be having more of that?
Me: No. (taking more food) But I’m doing it anyway.

My favourite thing about that day with my mom, however, was spending about an hour going through old pictures with her and asking questions – questions that I never asked my dad but should have.

Me: Wait, you lived in Manhattan when you first came to the US?
Her: Yes. For just a short while and then we moved to Queens, and the upstate.
Me: Wait, what?!

I found this picture online of where they moved to.  I never lived there but my brother did.

It was torn down 11 years after I was born.

There’s a lot more I wanna tell you about that, but I’ll tell you some other time.

Afterward, we all piled into the whip and headed west to NJ to see A-MIL as the kid wanted to spend the week chilling with his grandparents.

We made it out there in pretty good time and then headed out to this really great Italian restaurant that I’d never been to.

A-MIL was really awesome with Sara’s kid, which I knew she would be; good souls are good souls, and you should always keep them around.

Me: This place is great – 15 years, mom, and you’ve never taken me here!
Her: (laughing) Well, I’ve never come on a Monday – didn’t know about the lobster special.

Which is exactly what we ordered…

The kid ordered a huge adult chix parm and killed the whole thing – this is AFTER he had a full lunch at my mom’s.

He’s def my kid but I do worry that I’m a bad influence on him.

I do eat quite a bit, but I also work out constantly – he’s ok because he’s so active as a kid but that’s not gonna last forever.

But I suppose there’s enough to worry about as a parent.

Afterward, we made the trek home, with the kid staying in NJ. Already miss him.

Have a new project I’ve been working on – I’ll tell you more about it once I make some headway on it.

Location: Chinatown (again – look, it’s the holidays)
Mood: stuffed
Music: One good day of the week and I’ll be up again (Spotify)
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