Cristina Moments

Cristina Moments: Things I do or situations I get myself into 

that make my life more difficult.

I feel like my life is full of Cristina Moments. I am somehow always getting myself into some situation or other that causes me grief, time, or money. My one aunt claims it's because I am a Ryter, a trait most evident in my father, where we get ourselves into some sort of shenanigan because we don't listen, think we know it all, or just make poor choices. I agree, it's because I'm a Ryter. My brothers, my cousins, my aunts, my dad, it's in our blood, we're goofs. However, no matter what situation we get ourselves into, we somehow always manage to escape by the skin of our teeth. We may get into trouble, but it does provide for some quite amusing stories (or blackmail) shared around the dinner table.

This week's edition of Cristina Moments are brought to you by Thai weather and Thai cats.

On Monday, I decided to head out to Big C (a Thai version of Walmart) to refill data and minutes on my cell. Thailand's weather is similar to Florida's weather during the summer, where it rains around the same time each day during rainy season. My roommate was using the car so I took my moto into town. I saw dark clouds forming in the sky but like any other typical Floridian, I assumed the sky just looked intimidating. I mean, I've got tons of time before it rains, if it's even going to rain, right? I make it to Big C easily and dry, get my errand done and do a little light shopping. I found some really cute headbands that I couldn't live without, bought a rubber mallet, and then decided I was done. Of course, as I hop on my bike, the clouds are darker and moving fast. I shove my purchases into my side bag that doesn't have a clasp or zipper. As I'm riding back into town, I'm calculating how much time I have before it starts raining as the first drop lands on my visor. Clearly I didn't have enough time.
I do not like getting soaked. When I'm at the pool or even the beach, I'll lay by the water, maybe even dip my toes into the water if it's super hot, but I. Will. Not. Get. Wet. I'm like a cat. And now I'm in the middle of a rain storm being pelleted by furious rain drops seeking blood, specifically mine. My first thoughts were, "I'm getting wet, I hate getting wet" followed by "I'm getting soaked, now I'm really getting angry". As I'm driving, I look ahead and see clear skies that look visibly close, but my definition of close and the actuality of closeness were quite different because it was 20 torturous minutes riding in torrential rain. As I'm zipping in and out of traffic, I hear a whoosh and realize my bag of headbands that I couldn't live without was now in the middle of the rain soaked highway. I was faced with a difficult decision, do I stop on the side of the road during a category 5 hurricane to run across lanes of traffic to fetch headbands dancing in the wind or do I count my losses and just continue on?
I stopped. There was no way I was abandoning my headbands, leave no band behind.
Running in flip flops on slippery roads is no easy task, nonetheless chasing headbands and dogging vehicles at the same time but I was victorious walking back to my parked moto, soaking wet with my trophies in my hands. I made it home, miserable and wet but safe, washed my headbands and called it a day. Of course, two days later I realized I had a rain poncho under my seat for times like these when I'm caught in the rain. Face palm.

The next day I began teaching my first group of house parents and helpers. I teach in the main room downstairs were children eat dinner, do homework, and play games. It's spacious with doors that show what's going on outside. A few times during my lessons I saw a tiny tail by the door frame but didn't think much about it until I heard the faintest squeaks of meows. I peeked outside and saw a kitten no bigger than the palm of my hand sniffing around. If you know me, you know I. Love. Cats. I've already accepted my fate of being The Crazy Cat Lady when I am older. Don't judge me.
I picked this kitten up and one of the helpers told me that the mom and litter of kittens had passed away recently. They think they were sick and this was the sole remaining survivor of the family. I won't even try to act tough, I started crying. The kitten looked no bigger than 3 weeks old (it's definitely older but malnourished). I asked them what they were feeding the cat and they said cow's milk and rice. I almost died. I explained that cow's milk was the worst thing to feed a cat, especially a malnourished kitten and called my boss's wife to ask her where I could get this kitten the food it needed and what to do with it. I couldn't keep it at our house because my roommate is allergic and the house we're renting doesn't allow pets that aren't hypoallergenic (again, I started to cry because this cat was homeless and I had no idea where it would spend the night) and the children's house didn't want the cat, one more responsibility it didn't really need. She told me about a pet store in town and what kind of milk to get it and so I rushed to get the right food because, well this cat's life depended on me and I wasn't going to let little Squeaks (unofficial name) die on my clock. I get back and fill his little tummy with nutritious vitamin packed milk and he turns from starving scavenger to playful kitty within minutes. He's rolling around my feet, chasing his tail, and jumping up on my lap super cheerful. Again, I start crying because he's still homeless. It's been a super emotional day for me. I'm calling around trying to find someone who will take him or know of a place that adopts kittens (in a country where cats and dogs roam the earth, its highly unlikely there's a place that adopts) and finally, the light at the end of the tunnel, one of the international workers say's he'll take the kitten. Hallelujah, baby Squeaks has a home! Now, my biggest dilemma is how to get baby Squeaks from the old property to the new property. All I have is my moto that has a laundry basket bungee corded to the back and my side bag with no zipper or clasp to keep it shut. I pray that God keeps me safe on the road because this is going to be quite a ride. Before I even get off the old property, with its gravel dirt roads, baby Squeaks is crawling out of my side bag up my shirt onto my shoulders. I stop my bike, losing my footing, and the bike begins to fall to my left. I have no upper body strength and a kitten that has just jumped off of me onto the ground, possibly going to be crushed if I drop the bike to the ground. At this point I am sweating furiously under my helmet because baby Squeaks may possibly get squished and then all my work would be for not. Not on my clock, Squeaks, not on my clock. I manage to get my bike up, snatch Squeaks from under the tire, which he is now attacking, pick up my basket of English supplies that have been strewn on the gravel ground, and get back on the bike. As I'm starting to head out, I lose my balance and my bike tips over, again. Maybe this isn't the smartest idea. Round two. My basket contents spills all over the ground and I'm not saying very nice things in my head, but this time Squeaks stays in my side bag and just watches me, sweat and anger, pick up my items and set off for a second time. What usually takes about twenty minutes, is now a forty minute drive to the new property because I'm going no faster than 10 miles an hour on my moto for fear that the kitten will jump out of my bag and face plant into the ground.
As I'm driving, Squeaks crawls up my shirt onto my shoulder twice and I have to pull over as motorist pass me by pointing and laughing because here's this crazy white girl riding down a country road with a kitten chill'n on her shoulders. I finally get him back in my bag and he's holding on for dear life with his front claws attached to my shirt, kitty whiskers blowing in the wind. At one point, he burrows his little kitty head into the v of my v-neck tee and appears to have fallen asleep. I wish I had a third hand to take a picture, but my words will have to suffice.
I make it to the house and deliver the precious cargo to his new home. Mission accomplished. Baby Squeaks is the newest member of the Remember Nhu family. Pray for his well being, he has a slight infection in his left eye. *sobs*

And so, these were the two most eventful things to happen this week in Thailand. I hope they brought a smile to your face.