busy, busy, busy

I started brainstorming for a manga I want to create - pics, texts, plot - but I got side tracked by my dad's b-day (yay celebrations!) and then a trip to visit my grandparents on father's day (yay more celebrating!).
k, I ended up getting a cool present from my cousin Takami (who is my 2nd cousin but closer to my age than my dad's) which she sent along with my dad's present. my dad got a really old photo album (it had pics of my grandmom as an elementary school girl back in japan but a few of my dad as a little kid). The album is really fragile and I am having to scan all of them so that I can burn copies for other family members. Takami is so awesome!
She went to japan several times and tried tracking down pics so this gift is very precious and thought out. She has always been great at giving gifts and I want to be able to do the same.
oh, also, my dad wanted to go to a japanese steak house for his birthday (birthday people eat free) but I was all for it. Our waitress was great - she warned us about our would-be-neighbors (they where out smoking) being a little 'loud' so instead of being next to we opted to be behind. Oh, did I mention the sushi bar? They had a sushi bar with a large selection so....I decided to try conch. I have never had this creature before but now i can say "I DON'T LIKE IT". it could have been my dad commenting on how it was like a giant snail or how they were served warmer than room temp or it could have been or the slight slime on them (I've had snail before and they were not slimy) that made the skin slide. whatever it was...I still like yellowtail, salmon, and octopus more.
I was able to see my grandparents (something I am grateful and fortunate enough to do) and it was a few days after my granddad's last surgery. He hadn't been eating so I was happy that he wanted to go for steak. Only my dad was able to finish his...but the food was okay and my granddad was happy.
when we got back we talked about life (relative issues) then my grandmom started trying to pressure me into switch cars with them.
I don't understand why she wants to trade in her car again. she thinks I should take their newer car while they take mine and trade it in to get another car....>_< why???
well, anyway, we did the present thing (i gave my dad his already -he picked out some cds and I paid (there is one in the mail I bought anyway that I keep checking for that I hope surprises him ^_^)) I also showed my grandmom how to copy cds and burn cds since we had talked about the photo album and she was interested in learning. ^_^ "people can learn things at any age"
anyway, I have much to do tomorrow...