It’s been awhile since I wrote something so I figured it was about time to remedy that situation and give a little “life update.”
I would say nothing is new, but it seems like everything is new. It’s probably easiest to work in reverse chronological order so I can remember things. Most recently I have changed residences. I am now living with my partner in Murray. It’s not really a huge change because we were basically living together anyway—just in two separate places. Now we get to fall asleep and wake up in the same home every day. Like I said, it isn’t too different because I have already been helping make it OUR home. I mow the lawn most of the time. I am in charge of the garden. We’ve been rearranging to make room. It was already OUR home, but now all my stuff is here.
I had been moving things slowly for several weeks trying to ease the transition (I hate moving)< but once my property owners realized I really was leaving (that’s another story) they asked if I could be out sooner. “Sure,” I responded even though I was expecting to have another 20+ days to finish the move.
So, Mike and I pushed through and got everything moved out and the apartment cleaned in less than a week. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be living in the same house as the person I love. It seems like such a small thing on the surface, but it is huge for us. I am so happy.
That said… on a lower note (and not chronological order)… my dog passed away last fall. I say “my” dog even though she wasn’t living with me and I had seen her one time in the last three years. She was my dog. It was a very rough day when I found out she was not doing well and an even harder day when I found out she had died. I am so happy I got to see her one more time (on a good day) before she passed away.
Back to the reverse order… Once again we went to Zions in the spring. We got one amazing weather day where we hiked almost all day and wore ourselves out. Most of the trails were closed because of flash floods and other dangers so Angel’s Landing was the only real hike available. Ergo, the line to even get up to the viewpoint was ridiculous. So we decided to do the western rim which was awesome because I had never done it. Needless to say, by the time we got back to our room we all crashed.
This was the first Christmas Mike and I had together (since we met just after Christmas of last year). It was absolutely wonderful. I skipped out on some family activities that I haven’t missed in 40 years because it was OUR time together and we were able to spend time TOGETHER with his family. When it comes down to it, if I have to choose between and activity WITH Mike and an activity WITHOUT Mike, regardless of whether it is my family or his, I choose the activity WITH him.
Last summer we joined a large group of friends in a trip to Boston. I have never been there. I don’t think I have even stopped their on a layover anywhere so the the trip was a great new experience. Like Zions this spring, we had one day of great weather. We wandered the Freedom Trail and saw all the historical sights of Boston. Only one other person and I climbed the stairs at the Bunker Hill Memorial and it was totally worth it. We went to a Red Sox game which was totally cool even though that is not my thing. Just to be at a game in Wrigley Field was awesome. We also made a trek, for a couple day, out to Cape Cod and Province Town. The rest of the group went on a whale (not) watching cruise, but Mike and I decided to wander around the town which was a ton of fun. It was a beautiful day, but we didn’t get any beach time.
That basically gets the highlights back to meeting Mike.
It’s been a year and a half of joy. I know that sounds sappy and cliché but it is true. Honestly, I have been in several relationships before and I have been very happy in them. In my last relationship (marriage), I was willing to move mountains to make it work. I did everything I thought possible to make it last. When I finally got out of it (not by my choice) I realized how toxic it actually was for both of us.
This relationship, however, is completely different. From the beginning, we connected in way I never have with someone. Our first date felt like we had known each other forever and we talked without any awkward silence the entire evening. Again cliché, but I knew the moment he walked into the movie theater and was EXACTLY what he said he was, that he was the ONE. We didn’t even kiss on that first date, but I wanted to. He made me so happy and so comfortable I knew there was something there. Both of us, however, were cautious as we had been through long-term relationships before.
I don’t want to bore with all the details, but I do want to day that I am grateful to have Mike in my life.
So… there it is. That’s the quick rundown of my life the last year+. There is much more than that of course, but perhaps I’ll have to break things down into smaller posts because there is too much for one.