A surprise visit

The morbid thoughts are back; enough that I finally, after 26 years, told Mike what my song was, so he could play it at my service. 

“I plan to outlive you, though,” I assured him. “Which, you know, is going to be unfortunate if I’m on my deathbed in 6 months.” 

My brain decided, logically, that the best thing to do would be to paint the entire house. “For baby Jesus,” I said. In Newfoundland, people paint their houses before Christmas, just in case the Christ Child shows up for a dram of whiskey. I’m a non-believer, but it’s always good to be prepared for unexpected hospitality at this time of year. Even if you are someone with a doormat that says “GO AWAY”.

But I did not get to paint the house. This weekend we had to trim the lychee tree and fire up the wood chipper, instead. For baby Jesus. And also for our elderly neighbors, who asked if we could please trim the damn thing because it was out of control and taking over their carport. The painting will wait another week.

In the middle of this, I had a dream about an old friend. In the dream he was the same as he had been in high school, and I hugged against his shoulder, relaxed completely for the first time in a very long time, and started crying in relief. He’s the guy you want to talk to when you’re worried about cancer, because he had it as a kid and can crack a joke about it. 

The next day, the boy texted me. He’s not a soft-shouldered teenager anymore, he’s a ropy beef-stick man, but he feels the same anyway.

He’s back on a plane, returning to his rock star life in Portugal, but this time we have a loose plan to meet again in a year, instead of another 15.

Needed that.

Also needed THIS NEW CAMERA. Arrived just in time to get some good pictures of one of my oldest and my best.

I ended up with a Nikon Z6 with a Sigma art lens, because my friend’s son is an underground music photographer, and there is no way I could do better camera research than that kid, so I bought the one he uses. Solid decision.

Dr appt on Wednesday. I am prepared.