Why my life story could never be a novella

Let's talk a little bit about my trip back from the holiday visit. I'll spare your friends pages the gorey details.

( Here there be travel horror! )

I got home at 7pm. Jennifer had the lights on and had turned the heat up. She was returning from the grocery store. There were presents. I forgot about the entire day in 2.2 minutes or so. And when we woke up together this morning, it was like there hadn't been any apart-ness.

(This is sort of interesting for me. I mean, most of my relationships have been long-distance, which means they have been full of long waits, overly-excited reunions, and brief couplings. I think I've finally settled into the pattern of the local relationship - the excitement was there, though muted somewhat because I didn't have to cram everything into the next 2 or 3 days. Unlike before, the /parting/ was the exception, not the time together.)

Christmas Swag!

I got a lot of goodies. I will try to remember as many fun things as I can. I am so very, very, very lucky. Thank you thank you thank you! In no particular order:

A candle in a candle holder and a picture frame from Coworker Sandra; a rubber duck wearing a Santa hat and two baby ducks from Coworker Jennifer; glass duckie ornaments, an Onion book, a little ceramic duck thinger, and a bestseller book whose name escapes me from my smurfbrother; a pair of earrings and money from my aunt and uncle; a gift certificate to a jewelry store from my cousin Tony; Hello Kitty slippers from Gretchen; a book about the Meow Te Ching, a 50th anniversary edition Mr. Potato Head in a collectible tin, a sweater, a humidifier, Stuart Little 2 (why?), scratch lottery tickets and money from my mom and her husband; a totally cool knitted hat and mittens from auntiesiannan; money, a flashlight, a PEZ dispenser and a combo hammer/screwdriver/saw/etc. tool from my dad; money from my grandparents; Real Genius from lorac; a hand-knitted scarf from laughingsal; a Dead Duck and a picture from Carina and the girls; a $300 travel voucher from America West Airlines; cool black and white photographs of rizzo41; and a naked picture of smithee (oh swoony swoony swoon!). I also got a whole buttload of cards. I feel so loved.

The Girl blew me away with a complete set of the Misfit Toy ornaments, a new animated Rudolph and Misfit Toys movie, a Playmobil playset that has knights AND a princess AND a dragon, a set of cutey cute flannel sheets with snowpeople on them, and she also framed and presented to me a stunning ink drawing she'd done a few years back.

I'm always floored with gratitude and honor when she gives me something she's made. juliann had said to me that the message for this second holiday season together should be "stability," and I can think of no better gift that would give this message than that piece of artwork. I know that she's had it for a long time, and that it means a great deal to her, so I know that she intends to continue to be able to see it for a long time to come.

kieron is one of the most amazing people in the entire universe. And I am one lucky bastard.