Friday, January 4, 2008

Balboa Island 2007






Hello! Owen and I took a trip with our friends Veronica and Efrain, and Veronica's sister, Francis, to my mom's house in Balboa.


Francis is 33 and has down syndrome. She is the most affectionate and sweetest little woman. Owen and she were constantly asking for Santa. As well, Francis was Mommy number 2 for Owen. When walking around the island, I would always have an echo yelling at Owen to "Hurry up!"


We had so much fun! Owen remembered Efrain from Sanibel Island. Efrain was such a sweetheart that he bought a football for he and Owen to play with on the beach together. By the end of the trip Veronica and Francis were known respectively as "her" and "that girl", but Owen always remembered Efrain's name.


Only once did it seem the whole team (Owen, Veronica, and Efrain) threw me under the bus. On their last day there - Monday - We went over to Newport Beach. After some sun and beach, we had to go to Jane's Corndog for ice cream. Everyone got some, but Owen refused to sit with his bff Efrain and Veronica. Instead, he was drawn to sit down on a bench next to the mumbling homeless man that was snarfing down two corn dogs.


So, I tried to act like I wasn't guarding Owen from the homeless, but nonetheless took a seat right in between them. The homeless man yells at me, "He's just fine! I taught kids for 26 years!" Some dogs come up. Owen says, "look mommy - like Bridget!" Homeless man starts bawling, "My dog just died! Whaaa!!!!" No joke. This is really happening to me.


And Veronica and Efrain are not that far away. Like 20 feet. So, what do you think they do? They come up and tell me they are going shopping. They leave Owen and I to the homeless man. No supervision required I suppose.


Once they leave, homeless man - quite a generous offer I may say - offers to buy me a corn dog. Seriously - a homeless man offers to buy me food. I should be seriously flattered.


Finally he goes on his way. Veronica comes back and I say, "hey next time, how about you hang with the homeless man while I go shopping?" She's all, "what? - Oh, I thought that was strange. I thought you wanted to hang there."


Seriously.