from Asia in Switzerland
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kiene angst: Oh canada
There is always something disconcerting about how quickly the world moves while you are away...
Then again I wouldn't want to live in Pleasantville either.
We have been here almost two weeks already and I still feel displaced dislodged and disoriented.
And I still hate spending time with my family. After three days of visiting my cheeks hurt from the unnatural smile, my feet hurt from wearing heels, and my eyes were swolen from a reaction to mascara. And if you said why not just be yourself, you've never met my Nana!
She's 84 years old and still worries about her wieght - still gets fake pink claws filled weekly and still never lets my grandfather get a word in edgewise... then again he's too busy fixing her rye and waters to do much talking anyway. They have finally moved into a retirement complex (call it a nursing home and all hell breaks loose) with enough goings on to keep her active and full of gossip.
Aunt Mary is still going at 94 years old. She plays bridge four times a week and invited us for "Beef Pot Pie and Bingo" night at her retirement complex. I haven't felt such a competitive attmosphere since being on the swim team in high school.
After, we were in her unit for tea and she asked me what I wanted when she was gone. It was such a blunt statement and I had a hard time answering. She collects Royal Dulton figurines and various other chachkas. But the matter of fact - write your name on the bottom - free for all made me uncomfortable. In fact most of what she talked about was death and jokes about dying or being old.
Her favourite: A ninety-nine year old lady asked how she was replied, "I won't be here much longer, but where I'm going, the food'll be a lot better that's for sure!" She laughed fit to kill (so to speak) when she told us that one.
Stefan has escaped for some solo winter camping. I'm taking a breather in Vancouver before going back for the next round... in which I expect to deal with: "He's a good one, now you just have to get that ring on your finger" and "Don't wait too long dear, you looks start to fade after thrity" and "Gee you look pretty with make-up."
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