Zaire, The Slugger

A Phone Call Answered

I had not heard from, seen, or spoken to, my grandson, since July of 2012.  I have been locked out of all communication, by my daughter.

In an effort to bridge the gap, I reached out to my daughter a few times these past couple of weeks.  I knew Zaire was here for the spring break, and was hoping to at least talk to him.  My daughter just blew me off.

Then, I thought about contacting the father directly.  So, I called him on Wednesday.  I was prepared to defend myself in a number of ways, but to my surprise, he greeted my telephone call with an apology for not having Zaire call me!  To say I was stunned is an understatement.  I just took it all in, and I called today like I was told to do, and Zaire answered the phone!  We both screamed!  Seriously, we did, like two old friends who had not talked to one another for ages!  I was so overwhelmed by his reaction to finally talking with me after seven months.  I am so elated.  I don't know what brought about the father's change of heart, but trust me, I am going to go with it and get all that I can from it.

Happy birthday to me (on April 9, but celebrating early, amen!)

My Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day was a solitary event for me this year.  I had a Marie Callendar's turkey pot pie, with a salad, and a Marie Callendar's peach pie with whipped cream for desert.  There was no family in attendance, nor was I invited to any family get together(s).  That, in and of itself, has not been unusual for me as I generally do not celebrate the holiday with extended family.  However, my immediate family, consisting of my daughter, my grandson and I, always had some type of dinner together.  Sometimes we would have other friends over, and sometimes we would just go out to dinner.  This year, I did not hear from either my daughter or my grandson.

Par for the course, I guess.

I put up some of my Christmas decorations.  While I did not decorate the house, per se, I did put up my rather elaborate and growing Christmas village collection, and brought out my Christmas dinner ware.  Aside from that, I added a few decorations here and there, put out the welcome mat and the door hanger, and the Christmas kitchen towels and pot holders.  I do not anticipate getting a tree this year.  It is not in the budget, especially since I don't have funds to buy anyone a gift.  Food is generally a priority (and of course, toilet paper).

Even though I am not sure if I will have my rent for this month, or will be in the apartment come Christmas, I put the decorations out, as a show of good faith.

Halloween Cute?

Awwwww, even as "Freddy," Zaire is still cute!!!!

I Worry About My Grandson's Life In Chicago, Murder Capital Of U.S.

Police say 13 people were shot and wounded in a 30-minute spate of violence in Chicago, including eight gunned down on a single street.

Authorities have been battling an increase in homicides in the city where some aldermen complain gangs have no fear of the police.

More here:

It's well-known that gun violence is an issue for many inner cities across the U.S. But Chicago, in particular, has the most alarming rates, almost double that of New York City.

Since 2008, 80 percent of the 530 young people under the age of 21 felled by gun violence lived in the city's South, Southwest and West sides, which are heavily populated with African-Americans and Latinos. Ironically, only one-third of the city's population lives in these areas. Englewood, an area in the city's South Side, stood out the most. Their murder rate is five times that of the rest of the city.

To think that my grandson could be a casualty of a random shooting scares the shit out of me. Please help bring him home and donate.

I Am Tired Of Pretend Friends Posted By DBD On Facebook As Zaire's Real Friends

You know, I had Facebook up a while back but then deleted it because I was tired of the few friends that I did allow to "friend" me who would use up my space with stuff like posting their new friends, their new status, or stupid links and stupid pictures. So, I didn't need it and cancelled it. But then, my daughter, who takes lots of pictures of Zaire, never got around to actually e-mailing me the pictures, plus, she was linked to the DBD's Facebook page such that pictures of Zaire in Chicago were available to me through my daughter. So, I reinstated my account so that I could at least download current pictures of my grandson.

I find it very sad that there are no pictures of my grandson in Chicago that show him with "real" friends. He has no school friends, he does not have sleep overs or go to sleep overs, and the only pictures of Zaire with other children are actually pictures of Zaire with his babysitter's kid and her nephew. (Sigh). Zaire spends 80% of his time in the care of some woman that the DBD used to sleep with and now his "best friends" in Chicago are this woman's kid and her nephew. How sad. At a time when Zaire should be making great friends and experiencing his childhood, he's forced to live at the DBD's ex girlfriend's house (he even spends the night there on most occasions, while DBD actually goes home, how shitty is that?), and to top it off, Zaire's situation makes him a "target" at his school, yeah, he get's beat up. You know, all of my friends that hail from Chicago warned me that my grandson would be the target of bullying if he were to re-locate to Chicago, and as much as I hate to say they were right -- they were right.

He needs to come home where he has friends. Real friends. Not made up friends. Not children of the DBD's ex lovers (and that includes those that make up his so called "half brothers" whose mom left the DBD years ago). With a parent like that, shit, even I would need therapy.

Caveat - the opinions expressed are entirely of my own, and protected by my First Amendment Right to post. I don't care if anyone (and you know who YOU are) don't like what I have to say, the truth hurts, and it ain't my fault.

Star Wars Lego Cartoons

One of the fun things I discovered when my grandson came to visit (he's here for one month this summer, and I get him on the weekends, plus a few days during the last week), was that there was a Star Wars Lego cartoon series. It is actually pretty funny, and the episode I am watching this evening (yeah, my grandson is NOT here, and I AM watching Cartoon Network) has a Lego George Lucas character that pops in and out giving directions to the characters (mostly to Darth Vadar).

I have been laughing through the whole show!

SYTYCD Dizzy Feet Gala

Zaire and I will be attending the free portion of the day long festivities, with thousands of other Angelenos. This is the second year of this dance festival, and last year appeared to be so much fun, based on the news reports and stuff I read about, such that since it will happen on a Saturday that I will have Zaire, we WILL be going!

Zumba, hip hop and other forms of dance! Expect shitty photos from my cell phone, but at least I'll have some to share!!!!

Having Fun With My Grandson

Zaire painted these two plastic shot glasses for me. He is quite the artist.

Here we are waiting for the DASH to go to the Grove and then visit the "Big K" to buy toys (and some PJ's)

Zaire on his Sponge Bob bed playing with Power Rangers and watching some TV before he goes to sleep.

I have had such a fun time with him last night and today. We ate out at IHOP, bought toys, set up a large Hot Wheel extravaganza and we'll be hanging out some more tonight. I'm having a blast with him, and he's having a blast with me!

Zaire's Hot Wheels!

My Grandson Is Here!!!!

You know, the first thing he said to me was "I miss you so much, Grandma." I melted!

Zaire Screaming For Joy At Being Home!!!

UPDATE: July 4, 2012

It seems the video is not "available" to all people, even though I thought I put it on my "wall" and my "wall" is supposed to be "public." I really don't like these social media sites, and you'd think that I'd be an expert at Twitter and Facebook, but in all actuality, I hate them both. I only keep Facebook because that is how I can get quick photos posted by my daughter (and anything that she shares from the "father's" account), so at least I get to see precious pictures of my grandson.

Anyway, when my daughter sends me the videos, I can then upload them personally and put them on the site. For those of you that are already "friends" with my daughter on Facebook, then you can see these two cute videos.

PS I ... WILL have more to blog about regarding my grandson and the status of the custody battle. I find it a tad funny that the majority of the father's family have focused on "me" and not on the issues that relate to who should have custody, the father or the mother. Somehow, that side seems to think that calling me names (like "racist" and "anti-semite") will bolster the father's attempts to continue to maintain custody, when all it really does is make them look petty. I am not a party to this lawsuit. What I think and do is actually irrelevant to the Court, yet the father's lawyers, family and friends scour my blog to find anything they can to attempt to somehow discredit my daughter. I laugh at that because again, as I said, I am not a party ... it is not me seeking custody, and I am not relevant to this case. I thought it funny (ok, I am digressing a bit, but whatever) that at one of the evaluation sessions the father was all over the "your mother called me a dead beat dad," etc. I was proud that my daughter responded (in front of the evaluator) with a "well, you ARE a dead beat dad." Seems that phrase resonates with the father ... and he better get used to it, because a better definition of a dead bead dad could not be found outside of my post about him.
-----------------------------


Just watch this video over on my Facebook page, and you will understand how MUCH Zaire is glad to be home!

Check here to see how much fun the boys are having, and how much love is unspoken between them. Sigh ... It's hard when you know he doesn't want to live in Chicago.

See Ya Soon, Zaire!

Over The Rainbow ... Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue .... and the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true ...

I love you baby!

L.A. Marathon And Grandson

Today marks the 27th annual Los Angeles Marathon. I was here when the very first one was run. It zig-zagged through Hollywood, where I lived, so it was easy to just gout a few blocks, brink along some coffee, and watch.

Years later, the route changed, as did my address, but the run route was right down my main street such that I would simply go outside in the morning, sometimes still in my pajamas, and open up a lawn chair, have my coffee, and watch the runners.

When my grandson was about two years old, he was skittish and wanted to run all the time. It was usually hard for me to take him for walks and stuff because at that age, he did not understand "STOP" when I would yell, and I was always afraid he'd run into the big street and get hit by a car. But one thing was for certain, we could not stop him from running in the marathon!

Zaire, at age 2:



Zaire at age 3:



A snippet of Zaire at age 4:



At age 5, with me running behind him (at age 56) - it was just a mile, but I was close to death at the end of that mile. Again, only a snippet:

Every Visit Comes To An End, Ciao Zaire, Until Next Time

Well, my grandson is on a plane back to Chicago. I got a text from my daughter that the pilot sent to her. He took a picture of Zaire in the cockpit! As soon as I can get it downloaded, I will put it up on the blog. But, come on, how cool is that? The pilot takes a picture of Zaire on his cell phone, and then sends it via text to his mother? Way fracking cool!

We had a great week with Zaire. He spent Christmas Eve with his best friend, Eli and their family. He spent Christmas day at my house with his mother, and later we went to a friend's house to share Christmas dinner with their family and ours. Monday, Zaire and I pulled out all of the Hot Wheels collections he has (probably about 13 different connecting sets) and played. Then we went to the Petersen Auto Museum to see more Hot Wheels, and view the Pixar "Cars" movie collection of die cast cars. We had lunch at Johnnie Rockets like old times!

Thursday, a few of us gathered at my watering hole (which is also a restaurant) and we hung out and had dinner, (and drinks for we adults) with Zaire. It was fabulous having him meet some of my friends that have heard so much about him over the past year.

Anyway, here are a few pictures.

This is at the opening of the Hot Wheels exhibit. Once you walk under this section, all the lights go on, and cars make sounds, etc. We bought two more additions to add to the Hot Wheels sets we already have. And it was fun to watch all the cars hit their mark.

I got Zaire these blow up balloons that can be crafted into objects, animals, etc. I made a poodle, and Zaire made a hat for him. He also made a hat for me.


This is Zaire opening up his presents. This one is a book by accomplished author John Grisham, who has written two books for children. Since Zaire has obviously been schooled by the father as to what is going on (don't ask, won't tell), I figured he needed a book about a kid who's father is a lawyer! LOL!


This is Zaire at the interactive part of the museum. There are many cars and motorcycles and other things that they let the people (especially children) play with. How does he look like a cop? Yeah, me too .... NOT!

Merry Christmas, Part Two

It was a great Christmas. I will post pictures tomorrow. We did our family celebration (mom, Zaire and me) in the early afternoon, then went to a family friend's house where we had Christmas dinner (turkey, greens, mac/cheese, yams with brown sugar, and cornbread stuffing) and wine. We were so stuffed no one actually ate dessert! And here I made two pecan pies. I took one home and left one for the other family.

THEN we played Scrabble! I came in second, but I might have won if I didn't challenge the word "qi" which although was not in the official Scrabble dictionary, which was old, it was on the online Scrabble dictionary, so I lost a turn. Oh well. But I told everyone I play a mean fucking Scrabble game!

Zaire had a lot of fun and like I said, there are tons of pictures.

I hope everyone had a wonderful day today. We are home now, and mom has gone off to her friend's house. Zaire will spend the night and tomorrow with me. We will be going to the Petersen Auto Museum to see the Disney Pixar "Cars" exhibit, and eat at our favorite diner, Johnny Rockets. It doesn't get much better than that!



Bryan Adams - Run Rudolph Run

Merry Christmas

Web shot of Zaire and me on Christmas!

Home For The Holidays

There are a lot of things I want to post about, but I will leave those for the days after Christmas before the New Year. For now, I am in the Christmas spirit and going to stay there. As I type, the grandson should be on the glide path toward landing at LAX, and he will be HOME for the holidays!

Carpenters - Home For The Holidays

"Where Everybody Knows Your Name"

There are those days that you just want to be at the local watering hole "where everybody knows your name." Today was one of those days.

As soon as I get the text confirming my grandson is on the plane to Los Angeles, I will be able to relax. Nerves got the best of me when I was suddenly confronted with the fact that neither father nor mother had a birth certificate of the kid so he could board the plane (he's flying alone) and it made me mad, especially since I bought the ticket weeks ago and TOLD the mother MAKE SURE DAD HAS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Although the kid was born in Los Angeles and I knew that I could send mom down to the county recorder's office to get a certified copy of the damn birth certificate, I was pissed that they BOTH waited until two days before he was supposed to fly here to suddenly realize neither of them actually had his birth certificate. Dummies.

Anyway, I told the mom to ask the dad how he enrolled the kid in school without a birth certificate, dooooaaah. So, dad was able to get a copy of the birth certificate, and I made mom confirm with the airline that a "copy" was ok. Whew.

So, here's my song for the night, as I had to go to a place to get some comfort!

Counting Down The Days To Christmas With Grandson

My tree is up, presents are under the tree, stockings are filled (even though I believe Zaire has finally come to the conclusion Santa does not exist, especially since he is 9 years old now - but hey, let's fill those damn stockings, right?), the parties are planned and I just cannot wait to have my wonderful little bundle of joy back home!

Alvin & The Chipmunks