November 4, 2008

• The surreal life…

  This last week was kind of crazy… I mean, most of my weeks are crazy, but this one…

  Steve’s cousin called last Monday to tell us that he wanted to take us on his private jet to Las Vegas for dinner.  I was assuming he meant sometime in the future, but Tuesday night I get a call saying it was all set up for Thursday.  This was not a good week for me.  I was going away for the weekend on Friday and had much to accomplish — so the idea of “jetting off to Vegas” was just stressful.

  I also was not thrilled because every time I’ve gone in a small aircraft I’ve gotten off and promptly barfed.  I was sure we were going to crash.  And, the thought of spending such an exorbitant amount for dinner was just down right head spinning (600 gallons of gas an hour to fly, limo, dinner, etc etc etc).  And Vegas — not my favorite place, not even close!  

  I had only met this cousin once.  He sells supplements, but his business takes him to places and puts him in contact with people I’m not interested in hanging out with – rather, I would avoid like the plague.  So I have not wanted to start any type of relationship with him.

  But he is longing for family and we Bartoschs are all he has (besides his dad).  This would be Steve’s 1st cousin by adoption (his grandparents adopted Robert’s mom, although I don’t know if it was “official” or not, but she grew up with them).  So very begrudingly, I went, as I know Steve has been wanting to share with him for some time.  Steve’s mom also went and Steve’s brother and his wife – and Robert’s (the cousin) girlfriend.

  I have pictures… but they were taken with my phone, so they aren’t so good.

  The airplane was plush.  A 13 seater — 10 big comfy chairs and a couch the sat 3.  Oh and the bathroom was cool — plush as well — nothing like the regular air plane, can’t move around in, bathrooms.

  
  

  
  

  
  Taking Off…

  I got to sit in the jump seat for the landing in Vegas which helped tremendously with not getting sick — I could see where we were flying and when we were landing, etc. Robert flew the plane.

  

  
  
  On the flight over, Robert came and talked to us a bit.  Bob asked how his business was going.  He casually says, “This year we made about a hundred million, and expect to double that next year.”  I was trying to look casual as well….  but I was on the inside.  When he walked away, my sister-in-law and me almost fell out of our chairs.  I mean, I knew he was rich, but I was NOT expecting that!

  He also casually says that they fly to Hawaii all the time for a few days and we should go with him before the end of the year if we can find some time.  Steve chimes in saying how busy December is for us — but I’m like, “My schedule’s totally clear.” hahahahaa…. Don’t know that I’d actually go, but the thought of it is appealing……….

  We arrived and were picked up by limo to be taken to the restaurant. I can’t remember the name, but I think it was called Joe’s Stone Crab or something like that. 
  

      
  The limo

  Robert
  ordered a couple of plates of crab for us for an appetizer.  I was
  thinking that I’d like to have crab for dinner as well — I looked at
  the menu… the crab he ordered was $79 a plate.   I had steak instead, but it was $69. 
  The pretty much tells the story of dinner… it had to be at least $100
  a person — because nothing came as a meal; you had to order everything.  Everyone ordered dessert (not me, but I did have some of Steve’s) — his girlfriend ordered 2 because she couldn’t make up her mind.  Later on the way out, she bought a pair of $800 sandals.  Dang.  That’s all I have to say. Surreal.  She did say that if she bought them she would wear them all the time cuz she couldn’t think of just having a pair of $800 shoes just sitting in her closet.  But still… dang, I can’t even comprehend.

  Because I couldn’t see out of the limo, I don’t even know where we were in Vegas, but this is a picture of the inside.

   

  Now, I’ve got to say… for all my whining and complaining — I did
  have fun.  It was hard not to.  Being pampered like that was a treat.  Sharing the time with my sister and bother in law was the best — don’t know how much “fun” I would have had if it has just been us and Robert and his girlfriend.  Coming home I did not sit in the jump seat and did get very nauseous — woke up the next morning still nauseous.

  The thought of spending so much money is still troubling.  I could see so many things to do with that much money — this was just so extravagant.  And surreal — it’s like it never happened.

  I know Robert is wanting to connect more with family, so I’m curious as to how this will work.   I don’t want him to think he has to buy us to be around him.   I don’t really want to expose my kids to him for any length of time because he’s lost, and his words are lost and actions are lost.  Yet we definitely want to share the Lord with him and demonstrate to him a family in love with the Lord and dedicated to purity.

  I’ll keep you posted.

  ~Di
  

  • 11:01 am
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