Monday. Five inches of snow fell overnight, and after brushing off my car, I drove to Anchor Grill for coffee and scripture. I spent the afternoon with Ashley, then went to Ams' apartment to do some writing while watching 60 Minutes. Ashley and the girls came over to her apartment, and we had a sleepover. Ams fixed pork roast and broccoli, and Ashley brought bags of candy for the girls. Coloring books were laid out, stuffed animals abounded, and Zoey made herself dizzy running in circles. Chloe's still feeling sick, so she was in a foul mood most of the night. Zoey's fallen in love with my stuffed koala, carrying it everywhere she goes. "Bear baby me!" she screams. She likes to throw her stuffed animals onto the ground and yell "Die! Die!" I taught her how to stomp on animals to put them out of their ministry*. "I shouldn't let you around my kids," Ashley said as Zoey kept stomping and laughing in glee.
Tuesday. Breakfast at Ams' apartment was bacon, eggs, and waffles. We spent the morning cleaning up from the night before (kids have a tendency to operate like wrecking balls), and I hurried off to my 2-8:00 PM in Blue Ash. After work I cozied up in my Hobbit Hole with the heat blasting, snow clinging to the stained-glass windowpanes, and oil lamps burning. I did some scripting for The Procyon Strain: Book Two and talked with Ashley for about an hour before bed. I told her how I've been feeling overwhelmed these last couple days, what with the constant social interactions, and I needed some alone time. "Alone time to Anthony is writing time," Ams told Ashley; the two of them stayed at Ams' until about 6 PM. "I love your girlfriend to death," Ams said; "Sorry I'm so obsessed with her! She is seriously amazing, and so inspiring!"
Wednesday. I woke at 7 AM and went to Anchor Grill to do some writing: I've started on Book 2 of my six-book saga, and it's coming along splendidly (note: use less adverbs in actual writing; but on my blog, I don't give a damn). My front left tire had a slow leak, so I decided to refill it with air before going to see Ashley and the girls. I pulled up to the air pump at the nearest ghetto gas station and ended up getting a nail embedded in the tire. I sighed and jacked up my car, took off the flat, and threw on the spare. Smug in a job well done, I got back on the road only to have the spare blow out. Ashley, Ams, and the girls came down to help me out, and we went to Wal-Mart where it took three and a half hours for them to fit a new tire on my rims. Once we got it done we went back to the Hobbit Hole, put on a movie for the girls, and hung out in the kitchen fixing dinner and drinking ciders. When I went back out to my "living area," I saw Chloe had stripped my sofa and my bed and had built a fort. "Play with me, Anthony! Play with me!" So I played with her and Zoey for a while before they headed out. Zoey refused to give me hugs and kisses before going home, and Ashley reported that when they drove away, she started losing it, reaching back towards my apartment in a desperate gambit to see me again. "She'll learn not to refuse kisses one of these days," I mused.
Thursday. Today marks One-Month for Ashley and I being "official." I woke early and went to Anchor Grill for coffee and a great bible study on Ephesians 2.1-10. I worked 8:30-4:00 PM in Blue Ash and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with Ashley and her girls before going back to The Anchor to do some more writing. "Writing really chills me out," I told Ash. Ashley came over in the evening, and we watched TV and cuddled on the sofa and drank vodka and talked about faith, spirituality, and us. I was open and honest about things I've been struggling with (read: my resilient love for Mandy, fears in lieu of our unknown future, the complicated nature of the relationship due to dating a woman with kids), and she was really sympathetic and understanding. She really chilled me out. "Even more than writing?" she quipped. Yes, even more than writing.
Friday. Ashley met my parents today: we loaded the girls in the van and drove them to the Chuck E' Cheese in Miamisburg. When Chloe saw where we were going, she about flipped her lid in excitement. The girls played games and Ashley got to visit with my parents for a while. She really likes them, and they like her. I tried to shake extra coins out of a game and set off an alarm; how embarrassing. Zoey saw a little black girl in a leopard outfit and tried petting her; likewise embarrassing, but also awesome. Mom is obsessed with Zoey and was absolutely thrilled when Zoey let her carry her. "Are you going to marry Ashley?" Mom asked. I really don't know why she asks those questions; just because I was so eager to marry Mandy doesn't mean I'm that way with everyone. Really, Mandy has been the ONLY person I was ever all about marrying. I told Mom that we're just dating, that we haven't even talked about that (Ashley knows I don't want to talk about that, given how the first half of 2014 went), but I made a point to add that if I saw marrying her as an impossibility down the road, I wouldn't be dating her. She seemed content with that; really, I think she just wants grand-babies and wants to steal Chloe and Zoey. She even got them Dumbo elephants (I insist on calling them 'Dimbo the Oliphant', much to Chloe's chagrin):
Saturday. I went to Anchor Grill to do some writing before spending the afternoon with Ashley. I helped her reorganize her room and do some very late spring cleaning, and after a Thanksgiving feast of mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni & cheese, and sliced turkey with cranberry dressing, Ams came over to see us. She and Ashley hung out for a while longer after I headed out to Blue Ash for my Overnight. Jason was gone most of the night, and Ben and I went to Graeter's Ice Cream where I devoured a pumpkin sundae topped with whipped cream, butterscotch syrup, and walnuts. Ashley and I talked on the phone for a while before bed.
Sunday. I woke at Blue Ash and went to Anchor Grill for coffee and scripture. No church today: now Ashley and Zoey are sick. Some drama at Ashley's house has her at her wit's end, so she's going to be staying with her sister Ashley for a while. I went over to Mason to see Tyler for a while, and I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Ashley and the girls at her sister's place. Rachel made chili, her husband Keith seems pretty cool, and Nathan brought his girlfriend by.
Saturday. I went to Anchor Grill to do some writing before spending the afternoon with Ashley. I helped her reorganize her room and do some very late spring cleaning, and after a Thanksgiving feast of mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni & cheese, and sliced turkey with cranberry dressing, Ams came over to see us. She and Ashley hung out for a while longer after I headed out to Blue Ash for my Overnight. Jason was gone most of the night, and Ben and I went to Graeter's Ice Cream where I devoured a pumpkin sundae topped with whipped cream, butterscotch syrup, and walnuts. Ashley and I talked on the phone for a while before bed.
Sunday. I woke at Blue Ash and went to Anchor Grill for coffee and scripture. No church today: now Ashley and Zoey are sick. Some drama at Ashley's house has her at her wit's end, so she's going to be staying with her sister Ashley for a while. I went over to Mason to see Tyler for a while, and I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Ashley and the girls at her sister's place. Rachel made chili, her husband Keith seems pretty cool, and Nathan brought his girlfriend by.
* I meant "misery," but I'm leaving it at ministry cause why the f*ck not.
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