Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Midway, Day 19

The other day I realized Adam's been gone for two weeks already.  I'm not sure if it feels like longer or shorter.  It certainly feels like a world away.  Not yet reminded of just how much distance relationships suck, but let's check back in on that statement again in a month or so.  That is, after everyone is back into a routine, after all the holiday mumbo-jumbo settles down, and after I feel like I'm totally caught up with life again.

New Year's Eve was mostly a non-event, although Gaia certainly tried to turn it into one.  We threw the bike on the car and drove up to Skykomish to hang out with Sile.  This in itself is an event because Gaia cannot handle being in the car.  So an hour and a half of whining and barking later, we arrived.  Then she discovered the snow and it was like that car ride never happened.  I was forgiven.  Even better when she found the tree branch which she whittled down to stick size and chased all over Sile's yard until she literally had no more energy and had to plop down on the spot.  In those moments, she is a reminder to really appreciate the small things in life.


Dog ninja.

That was kind of the end of the fun though.  Sile wanted to get paint on the walls of the second rental, so we opted out of the bike ride.  It got dark and Gaia got scared.  Fireworks started going off and all the bangs and pops sent her into an anxiety ridden panic.  She retreated to the bathroom where she spent the next six hours shaking uncontrollably.  I called Adam because I was getting worried and he assured me that there was nothing I could do to console the poor beast.  So I opened the champange, Sile made a fire and we tried to relax.  Gaia did not even pretend to relax.  We had ourselves a little snuggle in the twin bed, and by morning she was kind of sort of a little bit better.  A long walk about town and things seemed on the up and up.  Sile and I were all ready to kit up and get out on the bikes, but then we discovered a flat tire on Lexi and no pump to be found.  So much for that - back to the painting.  Sile exhausts me.  The woman goes and goes and goes and goes and goes.  I'll bet she's on speed.

Retreated back to Seattle and started tearing down the kitchen furniture.  I forgot to take a picture of the shelving unit with all the crap in it, but the picture I got should show how cluttered and dark everything was, although you'll miss the visual of the clutter.  Stand by a few days for a solid before and after picture and the progress.  Got everything out and even got the wall painted Sunday night.  And I did all this with pizza and beer.  Delicious, pineapple covered pizza.  That might be the best thing about Adam being gone - I can put whatever the hell I want on my pizza.  Even pineapple.

Took Danger Mutt to the dog park with Dana Monday afternoon - we made it there before the monsoon hit.  Dana called me a rookie since I didn't even know where the Magnuson dog park was.  And then I only brought one poop bag and zero tennis balls, so chalk two more up in the rookie category.  Dana saved the day with an extra ball and Gaia played fetch into Lake Washington for as long as I'd let her.

Happiest Dog Ever.


I had dinner with Ms. Turtle at a Mexican place called Cactus in South Lake Union last night.  She said Sam Henry really wanted to come along, but sorry kid - girls' night.  We had fabulous margaritas, fabulous cheviche and really fabulous butternut squash enchiladas.  And of course, fabulous company.  At the end of the night Mary mentioned again that Sam wanted to come out, and mused over what a hoot Tom would have had with one of her boys having a crush on his girlfriend.  And we had a really good laugh about it.  Because Tom would have tormented that kid to no end.  And it would have been wonderful.  And then I sat in the car and cried for 10 minutes before I could even think about driving home.  One more reminder that grief is always there right under the surface and it doesn't take much for it to jump out and knock you down.

Back at work today.  Paitently waiting for Adam to confirm which day he gets off the island so that I can a) start my official countdown and b) plan for the three days we're going to spend in some unsuspecting hotel in Waikiki.

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