the 48th week

pumpkin carving on 10/19/14

Monday. I woke late at Mom & Dad's and spent the day cuddling with Sky and watching TV: Elysium and Criminal Minds. I headed out to Mason to see Blake & Traci (Ams was there, too), and Blake asked Ams and I to be in their wedding next October. Words cannot express how stoked I am to be asked to be a part of it; stoked and honored. Blake is definitely one of my best friends, and I love him like a brother. I wonder if he'll let me give a toast at the wedding that is nothing short of a dyspeptic string of Frisky Dingo one-liners?  

Tuesday. The morning began with coffee and scripture at The Anchor, and after watching District 9 I headed up to Blue Ash for my 2-10:15 shift with the guys. When I got off work I headed up to Ashley's place. The girls were in bed, so we went to IHOP for orange juice and coffee, and then back at her place we sat outside in our sweatshirts and talked for hours about all sorts of things. Towards the end of the night she was the one talking and I was the one nodding off in my lawnchair, at which point she politely told me to leave and to avoid falling asleep at the wheel on my drive home.

Wednesday. I had to run errands in Norwood, so I treated myself to a cheap, hole-in-the-wall Chinese buffet. Sometimes you get a craving for crab rangoon that won't go away until you give in. I worked 3-7:00, taking Jason to Ballroom Dancing, and then I headed up to Ashley's. I joined her, the girls, and her sister Rachel for ice cream at Minchi's. Chloe kept pretending to shove me into oncoming traffic. "You were slightly less aggressive when I met you as a newborn." Zoey came down with a 103 degree fever, so Ashley and I headed to Children's Hospital where they serve coke and graham crackers to anyone who asks. Everyone was wearing masks and I so wanted to joke about being in Nigeria last week and feeling "a bit under the weather," but I think it's still too soon for Ebola jokes. Maybe. With my luck I'd be quarantined and fined. We didn't get out of the hospital until after midnight. "We've had some pretty interesting dates," Ashley quipped: "We had one of the best concerts I've ever seen with Ben on guitar and vocals" ("You must not see many concerts," I said) "and tonight we got ice cream and went to the Emergency Room." I like things to be interesting.

Thursday. I worked until 4:00 with the guys. Ben disappeared for half an hour at Gorman Heritage Farms, and I almost had to call the police. I found him mingling with a group of kids digging a ditch by the hoop house, and I took his shovel from him, told him he was in BIG trouble, and he had a nice talking-to. I was pissed because (a) I almost had to write up a huge MUI report, and (b) the afternoon's potluck had pizza, which was cold by the time I found him. He was so put-off at being in trouble that he refused to sit at the table with the rest of us. "If he wants to make a fool out of himself because of his pride, I'll let him." Right after work I jetted up to Bob Evans in West Chester to have dinner with Mom & Ams. I made the mistake of going with them to Target "just to get some things", but at least Mom bought me some cool drink coasters and some taper candles. "Target doesn't sell paraffin oil?! Bullshit! It's getting dark earlier, and how do they expect people to light their homes?!" Ashley came over to the Hobbit Hole later in the evening, and we threw back cans of Angry Orchard and talked late into the night. We ended up passing out, and she woke up at 4:30 to head home.

Friday. I spent much of my morning at The Anchor, and I spent the afternoon hanging out with Ashley and her girls. We relaxed in the hammock and watched ridiculous YouTube videos. I showed Chloe "Crazy Frog," and I don't think Ashley likes how much she watches it now. I bid them farewell, and I went up to Fairfield to see Ams. We watched Gilmore Girls and talked intermittently. It's how it usually goes. We're not an exciting bunch. I headed home around 10 PM and spent an hour reading in the glow of oil lamps and taper candles, listening to the rain rapping on my stained glass windows.

Saturday. I went to The Anchor before hanging out with Aaron out in Delhi: we went to Hobby Lobby and La'Rosa's. I watched Riddick home at the Hobbit Hole and then met up with Ashley at one of her cleaning jobs in Blue Ash before my shift with the guys. I worked the Overnight for John B.; they're easy extra hours. 

Sunday. I woke in Blue Ash and went to The Anchor for coffee and scripture before heading up to U.C.C. I rocked things out behind the bar during the service. We were insanely busy: usually we go through about four coffee urns each morning, but today we went through twelve. They appreciated having an experienced barista behind the bar. I went by Winton Ridge to see a bit of the Bengals game with John, Brandy, Amos, and Missy before heading up to Ashley's. It was a great evening: Ashley fixed a delicious and cheap "poor woman's" dinner of cabbage, potatoes, and sausage, and then we carved a pumpkin with the girls. "You were worried about them liking you," Ashley said, "but it's pretty evident that they love you. I've never seen them warm up this way to anybody so fast." Chloe gave me a hug before I left for work, and Zoey gave me a kiss. It was the sweetest thing ever. I left West Chester and made the drive to Blue Ash, thinking about how... odd... it felt to feel such peace and joy with them today. I love hanging out with Ashley, and I love her girls, and they love me, and, well, I don't know... It makes me feel pretty damned honored and excited about what the future could hold. Time will tell; it always does. Here's a quote from Dan Dyke that just popped into my head:

Why do good things happen to people who have had bad fortune? Whether by life or by death we are His and have been blessed.