This isn’t a new hike to me or probably this blog. There is this hike that goes from Ma On Shan to Sai Kung.

It’s an easy hike really. I think the worst part of this time was coming down the mountain down the stairs. That was painful the next day.

I’ll just say it again. I love my job. I went on this hike with my boss and a fellow teacher. My boss is absolutely incredible. She’s the one in the blue hat.

We left from our school which is in Ma On Shan to the village not too far away.

It’s been a while since I’ve gone on this hike. The last time I did it, I actually came at it from Sai Kung and then went back down into Sai Kung. My friend, M lived right near where the hike ended. We did it over the summer last year, and I think I almost had heat stroke. I was sweating so much I was cold. I’ve never experienced that before.

Now, the weather is cooling down a bit. Especially at the top of the mountains. This was one of the first times in a long time I have been out of communication with my kids. There’s a part of the mountain that there is no cellular service. Before going up, Monster was messaging me and mad at me. It was for something really silly. They think that I should let them casually use the F word. Monkey is 20 and also believes this.

Before going out of range, I had told them I didn’t like it. It was my house, and it was a matter of respect. If the adult wants to swear, the adult can move out and make their own rules.

So you can imagine the ridiculousness I came down to when we were finally in service. Monster thought I had been ignoring them.

No. I was on a mountain.

I was called toxic for citing respect.

I disagree. I pay the bills. I provide the house. I pay for tuition. I am the head of the household. I am the mother. I don’t like the F word to be every other word in a sentence. I don’t think that makes me toxic.

I knew the “right” thing to do was go home, but I stayed and had dinner with these two amazing women. I spent time being a person for a while instead of a mother. The older these kids get, the more I want to be a person.