Yes, yes, I know. It's been a very long time. But I can explain ...
You see, first, I went to Michigan, back in December. I spent a week hanging twinkly lights and decorating a Christmas tree for a friend who works so hard shi didn't have time, what with a recent hip replacement and all.
I came home, and that night had a "date" to a company holiday party ... At a fancy restaurant/lounge in downtown. I didn't really feel like I was wearing the right outfit, and I didn't feel like the prettiest grrl in the room ... Except that my date, wonderful butch shi is, made certain I was wined and dined and adored all evening. Such a lovely thing, a good butch.
The next night was ritual for Yule, a wonderful celebration of the returning of the light. Such a breath-taking experience, especially the Dianic Genesis and the "moonshine" light! And then, the weaving of the sun-catcher with intentions for the year. The joy those little grrls expressed while running under the sun-catcher.
Three days later, I receive the news that I am fully accepted in the Spiral Door School, and that wondering, that confusion, is lifted from my breast and I am able to prepare to leave for Washington with a light heart and a smiling face.
Thursday, Yule-night, Raven and I left for Washington, truck packed and provisions supplied. We had hoped to make it through the North route (Minnesota-NorthDakota-Montana) without much inclement weather, though the grass was frozen in spires by the time we reached Minnesota. A bit of ice through there, a bit of snow, but much better in North Dakota. A beautiful golden sunrise across the plains of rolling wheat, bitter crisp air whistling past a barely cracked window through to Montana. Slushy roads to clear mountain passes, round the bend where Raven once crashed; through the darkness to a truck stop in Spokane, where breakfast is served all night long by a womyn who just wants to go home. Sleeping a few hours at a rest stop near Sprague till a wake-up call from Goddess letting me know I need to drive. Wake up, put in gear, and pull out into whiteness which stretches on forever; finally, too thick for me to drive, we pull over and Raven changes seats, preparing to drive into another winter storm ... Barely making it over Snoqualmie Pass before the avalanche control begins (blowing up the snow so that the avalanche will occur, then cleaning it up before traffic can pass through again. How crazy is that?), in a two-wheel-drive truck, with 300 lbs. of sand, and no tire chains. To finally reach the other side, where green is the only color for miles above and around, to a hot chai and a warm shower and a rest.
Five days in Washington, one spent in Port Townsend/the Olympic Peninsula.
Then a drive home, my sleeping through Washington, waking briefly through Coeur d'Alene to spy eagles in a tree near lake Coeur d'Alene, then sleeping again through Idaho, into Missoula, and through to Butte and Billings. Waking briefly to see Raven's childhood home, hir cottonwood tree, the Blue Basket where shi would ride hir bicycle to buy candy. A shower in Beach ND, then ice, and snow, and blizzard, and 12 hours at a truck stop in Jamestown, stranded because the snowplows are not running and even the FedEx trucks have pulled over. Several semi's in the ditch, one even rolled, and a sideways snowplow. 24 hours in North Dakota is far too long to spend riding and sleeping in the cab of a little truck. Finally into Minnesota, then through to Wisconsin, and home, a day late, just four hours before New Year, and off to friends' for pudding cake and a warm shower and a bed for the first time in days,weeks,months to sleep upon.
Up in the morning for a drive-through hugging from a mothir and dear friend, then back again for coffee and conversation. Unpacking the truck, hauling scads of boxes up the steps to the porch, to the living room, up the steps to the bedroom, piled high and annoying. Slowly, slowly, the boxes are unpacked, first clothes and shoes, then knitting, then office supplies (pens! paper! notebooks! staples! why do I have 16000 staples?), then books (Oh! the BOOKS!). Yesterday I crafted bookshelves out of boxes carried halfway across the country (in a blizzard, and much rain, without getting the tiniest bit wet), then bolstered them up with paint stirrers gotten from the Homo Depot. A board from the basement serves as a shelf to hold the stereo on the bookcases, and a basket from the front porch holds all in-process knitting projects (save a few still packed away in the big box of knitting). I'm hoping for a very tall bookcase soon (one like this, perhaps), one that will hold all my books, and a desk soon (I was thinking a secretary might be nice, or a writing desk, or well, even a table [with cool legs] would do well). None of which will arrive until I can get them, which requires an income, which I am working on still. You know, I had an interview last Friday, which I am hoping will work out, because it would be for full-time, 40-hours-a-week, and that would be really nice.
My first Spiral Door weekend is the 27th/28th, and my birthday is Sunday. I'm not sure what's happening yet ... Apparently plans are being made without my knowledge. I am hoping for an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen with a witch on it. And lovely time with friends. I need a good birthday. The last few years have kind-of sucked.
Okay, that's enough for now. I'm exhausted. Oh, I might be moving to WordPress in a week or so ... Depends on if I can pay my bill here or not. I'll keep you posted. For now, I'm going to go make soup and grilled cheese for lunch! YUM!
