A Winner All the Way Around
I just spent three days in Utah meeting and visiting with Jeff's family. I was nervous about this meeting. I know I shouldn't be. I have the Merit: Does well with parents, babies and animals. Still, meeting the parents was a daunting prospect that turned out to be a piece of cake. I was welcomed in with open arms from everyone around. The parents liked me. The siblings liked me. The family pets liked me. The friends liked me. The friends' baby liked me. Even the friends' dogs liked me.
In short: I won!
After the initial nervousness melted away, I had a grand time. I got fed some great food and got shone the baby pictures. Some stereotypical things are stereotypical because they do happen. We spent a lot of time meeting and getting to know each other. Jeff's parents are pretty darned cool. Open minded, fun and generally good people. I like his brothers well enough, even though I didn't really get a chance to really get to know them. I'm still waiting to meet his sister but that will come in time.
Other things of note about the trip:
I now understand why Jeff did not grow up drinking coffee. Beyond the fact that Mormons do not drink anything with caffeine, even when Jeff became his own man, he could not stand the stuff. That is because there isn't a decent cup of coffee to be found in the Ogden area. I tried to have some there and I failed. Big time. I believe him when he tells me that he never had real coffee until he got to Seattle. Only then could he understand why people drink it.
I could never live in Utah. The mountains are pretty but the air is so dry that I could actually feel the moisture being leeched out of my face and into the air. I put on moisturizer twice a day and my skin was still flaking. I can't tell you the amount of times I put on lip balm. I've been drinking water like crazy since I got back, trying to re-hydrate.
Jeff is the most awesome road trip companion. Averaging thirteen hours each way and nary a snark at each other. I drove the first half each trip and let him finish it up. We talked and laughed. We stopped when we needed to. We yelled at stupid drivers. He was his patience, entertaining, wonderful self. And even after thirteen hours in a car together, I didn't need alone time from him. It was just so nice to see.
Next time we go to Utah, we're going to fly. The road trip wasn't bad but it wasn't great. Most of the trip, especially through Idaho, was ugly. When Jeff called it "The Wastelands" I first thought he was indulging me and my love of the Dark Tower series. Yes, he was indulging me but that was just happy coincidence. It was a boring drive. Though, when driving back at 4am in the morning with a full moon, it did take on a mysterious and beautiful air that was just right for dreaming.
Now that I'm back, I've got a ton of things to do before the movers get here on the 12th. Fortunately, one of those things just dropped off my plate for a little bit. I am officially a NaNoWriMo participant and winner. I completed draft zero of The Little Finance Book That Could this afternoon at a word count of 50,700. It will obviously grow when I edit it for Draft One. Then, I will send it out to a 1st Round Reader group of about five.
However, I still have a last minute Amazon gig due at the end of the week to work on, a whole lot of house purging to do, a bunch of original paintings to move, my computers to move, TEoP to prep and my Chill contract to work on (it's due at the end of December). Also, my birthday dinners are in there. Dan and I are sharing a more casual dinner on the 7th and Jeff is taking me to Teatro ZinZanni's on the 9th. There are also a lot of miscellaneous little Christmas type things to do and moving type things to do (like wrap presents and schedule utilities to be turned off).l
I'm sure it isn't as bad as it feels like it is going to be but I feel like time is suddenly against me. It's funny, I can't wait to move in with Jeff but I also wish I had more time... sorta. I just need to hunker down and get things done. This is a move I want to make. I just got to work for it. Just like I've worked for and gained everything in my life.
All in all, it's a good life.
Tarot Card for the Day: The Six of Wands