| Current music: | The Tannahill Weavers -- Tae the Weavers Gin Ye Gang |
In weird news, Stace actually knows the guy in this icon.
Last night I made my first non-lj-blog-connection. I showered, threw on my new stripey shirt, gathered up the salad stuff, and headed over across the water to the Dayments'. Traffic was remarkably light and I arrived in good time. Stace was out front under the red porch light. "Before you grab your stuff, you have to see this," she said. Next to the driveway there's a small patch of land in which she's had limited success growing certain vegetables. At the end of this little garden plot was a towering thing covered in little yellow and black flowers. "This is a tomatillo plant," she said. "We thought the flowers were lovely until we realized that each one is going to become a tomatillo. WHAT THE HELL ARE WE GONNA DO WITH ALL THESE TOMATILLOS?" To be sure, the plant was massive. It was bushy and tall and sprouting all kinds of little papery buds for the future fruit. It was really funny to think of all these delicious vegetable plants struggling to survive and then this plant just going gangbusters -- a plant, mind you, yielding a fruit that she uses in the occasional salsa and that's about it. Funny haha.
I grabbed the salad stuff and headed inside where I immediately met the cats. Dominique, the strumpet, came up and started nuzzling me right away. Once I found out that Jalen only like to be pet on his tummy, we got along swimmingly. Later, when Hobbes ("The Asshole") deigned to see us, I learned the proper way to pet him, too (all back stroking, no head petting). As soon as I'd learned their names, I started to learn their idiosyncrasies. Jalen in particular is interesting -- he's a lap cat. He likes to be held like a baby. He also, apparently, likes to attempt to scale humans despite the fact that his claws do not retract properly. Fabulous! He's a lover and we became quick friends (once I transfered him to Stace's leg).
I got the tour of their fabulously painted abode. Bright green! Bright green walls! As much as the Ballard house was one gigantic whoops, I really loved the way it was painted. It made me happy to be back in a house like that. Eventually, dinner was ready and we sat down at the Custom Built Gaming Table to nosh. Sean had made a nummy pasta dish with a tomato cream sauce. With the toasty, buttery bread and the salad of awesomeness, it was a fantastic meal. I love it when I eat a good meal and then sit around, happy about having eaten. Awesome.
We cleared the plates and settled down for Settlers (groan) and some hot cocoa. The Dayment House Rules are curious and an interesting twist on the way I usually play. I played like usual -- nicely -- and it got me far. At one point I had too many cards and lots of a desirable commodity so I just gave one to Sean instead of trading. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Awesome. I managed to build a really sweet road across the center of the island and was far and away the longest road champion of the universe. I didn't end up winning -- but I was only one point away! Woohoo! That's all I want: to have a good time, to be friendly, and to keep up with the competition.
After the game Sean retreated to the bedroom and Stace and I chatted for quite a while. We spent a lot of time talking about our families which was cool. I got a bit weepy when we talked about my mom and her cousin, but in a good way. It was sad, though, because when I drove home I saw a freshly-thwacked raccoon on the freeway and just ahead I saw his little terrified raccoon buddy running as fast as his legs would take him. It made me overwhelmingly sad. I mean, we're talking really really sad here. I felt so bad for this raccoon who now has to go on without his pal, no time to figure out what the Hell has just happened, running for his life. Poor raccoon buddies. May the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace and light perpetual shine upon them.
I came home to find that Zach had done some shopping. I'll have to wait to see the main items in the style show because the pants are at the tailor and the shirt is a sumprize for tonight. He did show off his socks, though, and have me smell all kinds of fun products from The Body Shop to guess the scent. We had a peppermint foot spray war and hugged a lot which I needed in a big way.
All in all, a really rad evening. Stace and Sean are super-cool. I didn't get much chance to chat with Sean since he disappeared after a while, but Stace and I got along great. I mean, during the game I even sang little songs and did tiny dances. Obviously, I was comfortable. I like coming into a house and feeling like I can just help myself to a beverage or put my feet on the table. The house I grew up in was like that and, though infinitely cleaner and hipper, their house was like that, too. I'm really glad to have met them and hope we can get together again soon.
Today, work work work. Salsa lessons later (and the mystery shirt). The Tannahill Weavers are playing the Century Ballroom after we dance and I'd love to stay to watch but it's so expensive! Dumb! Instead, I suppose Zach and I will get supper and then hug some more. I'm needing lots of hugs lately. I think it's the weather -- I'm just feeling cozy and snuggly. Now I must get some hot chocolate (with coffee and teeny marshmallows).
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petit_chou) wrote,
