Recently, though, we had a special event. We visited a couple who lives about 60 miles away. Yes, we visited K and her husband.
We wanted to visit them over the holidays, but, with our jobs, it was hard to find a night when the four of us could get together for a relaxing night. When we finally selected a day, it coincided with a snowstorm. Wouldn't you know it!
So we chose another day one week later. This time Mother Nature cooperated. While there was snow, falling temperatures and wind, it wasn't as windy or snowy as the week before. Everything was "go." And we went. A little shopping--can't let our cat food stockpile get too low--and then we pulled up at their place.
In case you lost track: I am polyamorous. My wife is not. Both K and her husband are. So what wild and exotic things did we do together?
Of course. First, we watched the news about the effort to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker--this was the day when the recall petitions were delivered to the government office in Madison. Both her husband and I are paying close attention to this, and so is K. I may live in Michigan, but I have many good friends in Wisconsin, and the state line is just 10 miles away.
Then it was time for supper. K had made a crockpot full of chili and put it on low so all the tastes could cook together. I like chili, especially when the weather is cold and getting colder. Any Texans out there? You would probably turn up your noses at our chili, since it includes pasta--usually elbow macaroni--and it isn't hot enough to ignite paper. To each their own. None of us are from Texas, so it was fine with us.
It was warm and good and made my tummy happy. We crunched up some crackers on it and put some shredded cheese on top. Two big bowls. Yum. My wife had made a dessert, but let's not rush things. Dessert went into the fridge for the time being.
Then it was my turn. I'm going to make an extemporaneous speech. Something I am not good at. But we are friends, so what the heck? "As you know," I started out, "K and I first met each other last spring, and you know we have become very close friends, and it has made us very happy. But we both know that there are two others to thank for this, and we consider ourselves very lucky, and we are very grateful to you for your understanding and cooperation and kindness." That's a paraphrase, but that's the thought behind it.
With that, I brought out a plastic shopping bag in which I had placed a gift for K's husband. I think it surprised him ...
On the covers, from left: Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, all members of the NFL Hall of Fame
Both K and her husband are devoted Green Bay Packer fans. As am I. When I was in my teens, I invested some money in several Packer yearbooks. The first two, from 1963 and '66, cost me $1. The other, from 1968, set me back $1.50. This was at a time when my net worth could be measured in quarters and dimes. I think I bought yearbooks four different years. One disappeared over the years, but luckily I still had three of them. I must have known this day was coming.
This was the heyday of the Packers' Lombardi era, and I thought K's husband might get a kick seeing them. Whether he wants to keep them or not, that's up to him. Maybe he can make some money on Ebay.
After that, we sat down around the kitchen table again and got out a game my wife found at a resale store. It's called "Vices," and it uses a Trivial Pursuit board and tokens, which they had. You answer questions based on various vices. Don't be terribly surprised, but I had earned four tokens on my disk before we decided it was getting late.
And we still hadn't had dessert. Now it was time. The night before, my wife had made a cranberry cream pie, and that's what we took down with us. It was very tasty--everyone enjoyed it ...
K and I had one final thing we needed to do: She led me down to her computer room to show me the printer where her cat likes to sit. After about five seconds of looking at the printer, we had a few moments to cuddle and embrace away from the others. Because of our schedules and the threat of winter storms, it's difficult for us to get together in January or February. We'll do the best we can for now as we wait for spring and summer, when we can make up for lost time.
After that, my wife and I got back into our car and went home, with half the cranberry cream pie. I think the last two pieces are still in the freezer.
K and I are planning to go to the neopagan camp in southwestern Wisconsin in early July. I have been there several times, as you may remember, but this will be her first such experience. She is asking for three days off work. I'll write more about that in the weeks and months to come.
Also during summer, we are talking about going camping in the national forests in this region. K enjoys camping but hasn't been able to do that for years. In fact, we are talking about all kinds of things, both this year and beyond.
How beyond? The topic of retirement has come up more than once--what we could do once we don't have to work full-time. For me, that is still a ways off. As of today, 1,419 days. Counting down, one day at a time.
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