Monday 6/23, Eric kissed me goodbye and I was excited to see him later that night after work. I went for a walk after work on the trail for some exercise and talked to Susan and tried to get Mom and Dad but I really should have called Court. Haven't talked to her forever. I headed home and did a couple things around the house and tried to update this but Eric pulled up so I closed it down and went to meet him. We were hungry so I started the chicken and pasta and we talked while it cooked away. We sat in the living room and ate then had some peanut butter cups while I cleaned up and decided we would watch a movie and just as we were deciding Kay-See called to say she was on her way from her parents' house and didn't know Eric was there but had stories so I told her to come over. We hunkered down in the living room and started stories about exes, people who are wrapped up in themselves, the reunion, high school and the murder mystery party. I got out the animal crackers and we all ate plenty of those. Around 11 K took off and we didn't realize how late it was. I took a quick shower while Eric climbed into bed reading an old Q. I was tired and we just ended up kissing until we both fell asleep. It was nice.

Sunday 6/22, I woke up and Jess was looking at me and was like "Can you believe how fucked up Sarah was last night?!" so we talked about what had happened after I went to bed and continued talking for a little bit and Jess thought it was 9 then my phone rang so I ran out into the living room to answer it and it was Eric calling and it was actually only 8 so I was like "Jesus Jess, it's only 8" as I answered so he felt bad and thought he'd woken me up. But he hadn't. He told me Chrystol was having a birthday brunch around 11 if I was interested but I told him probably not then Jess and I talked a little more and her Mom came home from the Casino where she'd been all night so Jess got up and Day climbed into bed and we both went to sleep. I woke up to the sound of Jess' voice booming in the kitchen and it was 10:15 so I got up and sat in the living room while everyone talked about the night before and ran through the list of people we thought we would have seen but didn't. Day got up and started fixing breakfast and I called Eric to tell him for sure I wouldn't be down until later in the day and told him about the guy who pretended to go down on me and how I hit him in the head with my purse and about how drunk everyone was when we went through the drive-thru. I went back inside and we all dished up and I became pregnant with my second pancake baby of the weekend but everyone else did too so it was ok. We all talked some more and I discussed benefits with Liz and told her to let me know if she had any questions then her, Margot and Sarah took off and we broke out the Sextrology book and Jess couldn't believe the Leo man one and I couldn't believe my compatibility with Eric and how accurate it is. Eventually I headed outside because it was so nice and sunny out and I wanted a little color then Jess and Raul joined me. We sat out there talking about STDs and testing and sex and all sorts of crazy stuff for a long time. A little before 3 I packed all my stuff up and Raul helped me out to the car, I said bye to Day then walked down to the water to say bye to Jess then Raul then took off. I filled up at Costco and couldn't believe there was no line because in Issaquah on a Sunday at 3 you'd have a 20 minute wait, minimum. I called Eric as I got on the freeway to tell him I was leaving and he said he'd come over later. I called Mom and Dad but they didn't answer so I just cruised home kind of tired listening to music. When I got home I did a few things then laid down and downloaded some pictures and started updating this. I took a shower and eventually saw Eric pull in so I went down to meet him. I showed him the 9 words women use and he thought it was pretty accurate then we went upstairs and I showed him pictures and told him about the rest of the night. He told me about his weekend then we went to the store because I needed to do a little shopping. He liked my new sunglasses and we talked about how nice his car is even though he wants to get rid of it. Apparently Chrystol said "I bet Karrah loves this car" which I do, but could never drive one myself. Did my shopping then back to the house and popped the pizza in and steamed some carrots. That foccacia pizza was delicious. As I was prepping dinner and cleaning we talked about a lot of stuff that eventually turned into a serious discussion about staying on the right track even if he is well off financially and everything is great in his life. During cleanup he told me more about his Dad and his dalliances and the conversation came back to kids and how he doesn't want them and is pretty adamant so that was really good. I told him about Ian and his new gf and our conversation last week so that was interesting. We had a little cookie dough then sat in the living room some more and I told him about Dad and Mom and how they met then wanted to show them the video and tried to hook up the new vcr and it ate my tape. Grrr. We headed upstairs and he showered and I got ready for bed then we continued talking for a while and he offered to give me a book to help understand everything a little better then we talked about sex and waiting and went right into making out and lots of other stuff and I had another two firsts and it was really really hard to not have sex. We were up for quite a while, I don't even know what time we went to bed. 1:00? It's crazy how well I sleep with him; I never wake up. Maybe because I'm so tuckered out.

Saturday 6/21, I woke up at 6:45 and got going with packing and getting ready and was out the door by about 7:35. I arrived at Discount Tire and they had my tires rotated before 8, the time they open. I was on my way and making great time until I hit Everett. Traffic was awful so I called Susan and she gave me the scoop and tried to find me on the traffic cams. We talked for a while then traffic cleared up but it probably set me back about 20 minutes. I passed Jessica running and screeched to a halt in the middle of the road and she was out running and was like "I thought "Is that white car going to hit me?"" so we laughed and she said she was just running down to the Little Store and would be back. Day and Raul were up and I got nice big hugs and kisses and we hung out talking and catching up. About an hour later Jess surfaced just as Day was finishing prepping breakfast. I had a giant blueberry pancake, a ton of bacon and some peaches. Jess and Raul shared an enormous seafood omelet. I had a pancake baby and continued to make jokes about it all day, along with everyone else. We laid sat around talking and Chrystol called and filled me in on her day and that she might have a party Wednesday for her birthday and I'm sure I talked to Eric as well at some point. After looking at pictures online and doing a fashion show (the black dress won unanimously) we eventually got Jess ready and hit the road to do some shopping. First Famous Footwear but didn't buy anything then over to Target for double sided tape for me and jewelry for Jess. I had to settle for some scotch double sided that I knew probably wouldn't work so I called Mom and she gave me some good tips and a vote of confidence. We got out of there and went to the outlets where we got more jewelry for Jess then over to Maidenform where they had real double sided tape for the express purpose of what I needed it for (holding my tits in). We started talking about her relationship so that was all interesting then we stopped at a sunglasses hut and I got two pair and she got one then waited for Raul to come back from his shopping and I gave her some of the juicy details about Eric. Raul showed up and we went to Kenneth Cole and he tried a bunch of shirts on then Jess tried on some skinny jeans and I loved them but Raul didn't. Then she tried on some hot pumps and decided yes especially since they were a size 0 - shit, I would too. I made an impulse purchase right at the end to get a black leather clutch. It's soo soft. We got out of there and headed to the store where we all got stuff to eat and for breakfast the next morning. Raul's snack spilled all over the place. Back in the car and back to Day's where we all inhaled our food and that salad was really good plus that lemon yogurt was too. I took a shower and started getting ready because I knew it would take forever, then painted my nails outside while my hair air dried a little. Ken came over and Jess and Raul put on a show but couldn't quite get the flip right. I kept getting ready and soon we were all in prep mode and that tape worked wonderfully. R and I were done first so we went and took pictures on the doc and pretended it was prom. Day came down and took more and got some good ones then Jess joined us and we did a bunch and packed up. Day followed us out and took pictures of us getting in the car and driving away just like prom and it was so adorable. We arrived at the Country Club and I was pretty nervous and Jess called Margot and Liz from the car and we went in. Quinn's parents were there checking people in and we all exchanged hugs and they look exactly the same, we got our drink tickets (with Raul acquiring extras) and went in. Said hi to Tiffany and congratulated her then chatted with Lara and Darcy and Nichole and Kelli. We said hi to Grant and his wife then they awkwardly left and Owen came over and that was an odd exchange as well; he seemed very stoic. Drinks were obtained and we continued to wander around and talk to people but mostly Megan and her bf and Jess and Lara. Lara dug up a story from the vault from when Mom made mac and little hot dogs when she came over one time and Lara said she thought to herself "This lady's alright" and I laughed hysterically and made note to tell Mom. I went to the bathroom and David F. was out there so I got a hug from him and said hi to more people as I sauntered around. It turned out not that many people signed up, only about 75. I talked to Quinn for a long time about it and met her bf, Eric, who was very cute and they looked adorable together. Finally at 8:30 or so we got some food and sat down and everyone else already had so we had some nice quiet time at our table with Margot and Liz. We ate and talked and talked some shit but it was all in good fun. Eventually Sarah D got the dance party going and people would join in and bow out but there always seemed to be someone dancing so that was fun. I went outside and talked to David for a long time about his new job and RH and high school and how I had a huge crush on him freshman year and he was all shocked...like he wasn't totally hot or something. He introduced me to his wife who seems nice then I talked to Megan some more and we were cracking each other up. I told her my hippie jokes and she made me tell her bf and he said he's going to tell them at their next festival. She kept yelling "Got it!" and I would laugh hysterically. I talked to Katy as well and I said we were wearing matching cleavage dresses but hers was much fuller than mine. She said she hoped her husband wouldn’t see any pictures. I told her she had really nice thick hair then she asked about the Porsche and I couldn’t believe she remembered. Back inside I talked to Kelli for a long time and she seems to be really good and we talked about middle school and the videos we made and the letters she used to send so that was nice to catch up. We were then drug out to the dance floor where I stayed for most the rest of the night. Booger found me and was like, and I quote, "Hey Karrah, you're looking pretty good. I remember you were pretty chubby in high school, you're looking a lot better" and that was like his pick up line! I was like "Thanks" with just a dash of sarcasm and he was like, really seriously, "You're welcome" like I was really thanking his fat ass! He then asked if I was married and I told him no - bf. He kept talking to me and arguing with me about "Senior Prom" and I told him he was wrong then Buna crashed into him and they kind of scrapped and I managed to get away. Buna later came up and was like "I was trying to save you" which I thought was really really nice and never would have imagined. Booger was later hitting on every girl in the place and you could watch them systematically holding up their left hands to show him their wedding rings. It was hilarious but also pretty irritating. Gary O was getting his groove on so I went up and asked him if he was who I thought he was and introduced myself and said his name looked familiar and he kind of did but that I didn't think I knew him in hs. We talked band (both alto sax!) and work and cars and relationships and dancing and Seattle and work then Booger shoulder checked him (how hs!) and he held his shoulder and said he'd just had surgery. Great! I told him sorry and that it was probably because he was talking to me and Booger was jealous I didn't want to talk to him. He's just so creepy and would stand there next to us while we talked and danced ignoring him. I danced with the girls then Hailey came whizzing by saying "Booger wants to dance with you, Booger wants to dance with you!" and I said the feelings were not mutual and continued dancing. Jess, Raul, Margot, Liz and I were all having a lot of fun and I mentioned to Lara and Sarah (I think) that I thought Eric O (djing) was cute and that I like red hair. They thought that was hilarious. Margot said I look like ScarJo but that I'm "Way more fucking fabulous!" and kept saying it so that was pretty funny. Deidre grabbed me and tried to make me dance but I just kept saying I couldn’t and she kept telling me to move my hips and eventually I escaped her clutches when Nichole came to my rescue. I talked to Gary again for a long time and kind of had a crush on him. He was really funny and kept making fun of how I opened my mouth when I dance. The last song they played was terrible like "Lick my balls" or something and Jess was like "Are you serious? THIS is the last song you're going to play?!" Jess and Margot were playing with the Wet Willie and taking pictures and Margot was pretending to cry and it was really funny then Sarah said everyone was going to Whammy Bar but that Gary wasn't invited and that she'd tell me why later. I think it had less to do with anything related to Gary and more to do with her being completely wasted. But I digress. Booger migrated over again and asked if I was going to WB and I said I didn't know even though I did know. Gary came over and I told him I have a bf but if I didn't I would totally give him my number and he gave me his card and we agreed that we can be friends and go hang out in Ballard and walk around or go to Golden Gardens or something. He was really nice. I talked to Katie a little bit and her and Tim seem to be doing good then we all kind of headed toward the door. We were trying to figure out who was riding with whom and up walks Gary to the Brand New BMW parked next to my car and my jaw was on the ground. Good work Gary. I told him to drive safe and that I'd talk to him later. We took two cars to WB with Jess driving Liz's and Margot, Raul and I discussing many of our classmates and when we got downtown there were droves of reunion people making their way to the bar from all sides, everyone dressed up. Inside we kind of danced but the music was terrible and this gross, short, fat old man came and pretended to go down on me so I hit him in the side of the head with my purse. Grandma-style. Then this other guy tried to dance with Lara and Grant's wife then was mad about how "messed up" it was and I lectured him then he went into all these flailing crazy dance moves and when he was done was like, real sassy-like, "That was a preview" and I looked around excitedly like "Please tell me someone else heard that!" but no one did so I was required to commit it to memory. I was over it and getting cranky and trying to get Jess to wrap it up and finally just went outside where everyone was waiting for her. I went and sat in the car while Sarah got her shoes and told her she would meet us back there. Jess, Margot and Raul piled into my car and we went to Taco Bell and they ordered a whole bunch of stuff and I was getting crankier because I had to pee and finally we were on our way. When we got there I emptied my bladder and was then in a much better mood. Jess put in some videos from hs and from the party at Logan's and we were like "I can't believe so and so wasn't there!" and went through a huge list and totally forgot about a lot of people. It was really crazy and we kept saying we couldn’t believe it’s been 10 years. There was one guy with a pony tail running through the halls that was cracking us up and Booger was crazy as ever. Sarah was pretty drunk and they were all still watching videos so I went to bed. It was 4am.

Friday 6/20, I continued texting with Julien and he asked a rather inappropriate question but I answered evasively anyway and he wrote back that he was kidding and told me to come down to Madison Park whenever to hang out. Peggy let me leave at a quarter to 4 so I headed to Nordstrom Rack and got some underwear, spanx (which I didn't even end up using) and some workout pants and shorts. I headed over to Mom's talking to Zach on the way and told him to come over at 6:30. It was really warm out and I was in heaven. I got to Mom's and convinced her to go on a walk so that felt good and we looked at neighborhood houses and prices. Eric called and I asked if I could call him back and did so when we returned. We chatted for quite a while and I stood out on the deck and enjoyed the nice weather. Right as I hung up Zach arrived so I got a monster-arm hug and we started dude-ing out. The three of us had good conversation and started in on dinner so that was really good then we sat on the couch and laughed at the dogs and continued talking. He gave us the lowdown on everything with the big D and his possible relocation. Grandma called and was having trouble with her washing machine so I said bye and headed over there. I called Jess to see where she was and she was at the airport and we made plans for the next day for me to go up there and have breakfast in the morning. Grandma was acting all manic and I had to start the washer over again and she didn't want me to leave and I told her not to start laundry so late again. We sat and talked but I was so tired I was practically falling asleep on the couch. I got her stuff in the dryer, stayed a little longer then took off. Called Susan on the way and Kay-See because I told her I might meet her at Cactus but it soo wasn't happening. I got home and got dresses and packed bags together in preparation for leaving early the next morning. I got in bed a little after 11 and was awoken at 12:47 by a rowdy group of drunks by the names of Jessica, Raul and Day. Day wanted me to get up right then and asked if I would if she talked in a Brooklyn accent. Then Raul got on the phone and the only thing I got out of his 3 minute rambling session was "beautiful girl". I somehow eventually got them off the phone and back to sleep.

Thursday 6/19, I called Mom a few times to wish her a happy birthday but was unsuccessful in getting her live on the phone. Julien texted me and it sounds like they're doing well and I told him I'm seeing someone new and he asked what his name is so I said "Eric, of course" because that seems to be my pattern. We all know how I like my vowels. He said he can’t keep them all straight which made me laugh and I was like “Who can?!” After work I was so tired but I had some things I needed to accomplish so I couldn’t slack. I talked to Susan while I did some of my chores and she told me to take a nap and to call her when I was on my way in so I finished sweeping the stairs and headed upstairs where I called Mom again and got a hold of her and we talked about her birthday and my reunion and how much I was looking forward to it and how much fun she had at hers. Eric beeped in so I finished my convo with Mom and called him back and we talked about our respective upcoming weekends then he had to quickly get off the phone but was very apologetic, to which I told him to not worry about. I finally put my head down on my pillow and closed my eyes (it was a little before 7) and fell asleep. I woke up at 10 to 8 and got up quickly and moving to try and get ready and over to Susan’s because it was so late. I showered and got ready in a jiff (still with pillow marks on my face) and then called her to let her know I was on my way. Eric called just as I was getting off at the exit and apologized again and shared some exciting news with me about his program progress so I was really excited for him especially since he was so excited about it. We talked a little while longer then hung up and I headed up to Susan’s. She had dinner all prepped and ready to go and got a salad onto the table in front of me which I devoured. Next she prepared the polenta and we both laughed a lot because it was a new way for both of us. I ate most of them and liked them, especially with the marinara. She put on Before Sunset and climbed onto her bed with the chocolate covered pretzels (I managed to get chocolate all over my hoodie). I liked the movie and didn’t find Ethan Hawke nearly as irritating as before. The movie ended at just the right time for us to leave. We parked and walked up, paid, went in and noticed how packed it was already. Upstairs to see who was there and watch the crowd and there really weren't any regulars then some girl came over and was like trying to talk to us or hit on us or something and I think she kicked Susan. We fled to check our coats then into the bathroom which was totally different. At the back bar for some water we saw a surfer looking guy on wandering around. We danced in our usual spot and people watched then some drunk girl fell off the stage backward and landed on her back with her legs open and in the air and I laughed so hard and she got up and ran then she was back later with her idiot friend and they were both so drunk and kept running into me so I pushed them a couple times but they were so out of it they didn't even notice. The music was terrible with about 5 awful 90's songs for every one 80's song and we couldn't figure out what the hell Von Trapp was doing. I can't really remember what else, we spotted Darren at some point but never said hi, Andrew showed up and him and Susan talked for a little bit and I think when "Pump Up the Jam" came on is when we decided to throw in the towel. That's just ridiculous. It was about 12:30 when we walked to our cars and drove home. No drag show so I consider the night a glimmering success.

Wednesday 6/18, After work I did a little bit of cleaning and had a smoothie. I hit the road at 6:20 and Ian called right as I was leaving. I haven't talked to him for at least a month or so, so I felt we were long overdue. He told me about work and the girl they'll probably hire and how he might sleep with her someday then the topic was shifted to our mutual new status and he said he changed his after she changed hers because he didn't want to be "a dick". I found that mildly amusing. I told him a little about Eric and the conversation kind of got steered back to his situation and that jealousy and insecurity play a minor role in their relationship. It felt good to talk to him but he had to cut it short because she'd just arrived at his place. Got to Kay-See's right at 7 and we took off for Anthro right away. She gave me a Ky update then I pointed out a red head for her with an "Everyone loves an Irish boy" t-shirt but apparently she didn't like this particular Irish boy. We did a lot of perusing and I ended up with about 15 dresses to try on with Tony on duty to help get different sizes and to take me to my reunion. I showed almost all of them to K and though some were cute or looked good but not really the color, none of them were fantastic so I didn't get any of them. We walked across the street to Banana and cruised through and they were having some crazy sale starting the next day but they'd honor the newly sale-priced merchandise. I filled her in on my convo with Ian then tried on some shorts but they were too small and I decided I didn't need them badly enough to grab a bigger size. We walked out of there empty handed too. Back up to K's and she started a little flat bread pizza and dug out the fishy crackers. We talked about Eric and all the wonderful things he does and just who he is as a person then dinner was ready so we ate most of that. Schuyler called and asked what I was doing and I said K and I were having a deep conversation and he was like "Uh oh, I gotta go!" then we laughed and he inquired as to whether or not I would be making an appearance and I said maybe then asked after Chrystol and he said if I went that she'd go so I said I'd call her when I was done at K's. About 5 minutes later a 206 number popped up on my phone so I answered gingerly and it was Sam. He asked if I was coming down and said I could probably get in through the back and that he would buy me a tall boy or something but I reminded him I don't drink and it all came flooding back to him. I told him I would probably come and hung up. K and I continued talking about depression and anxiety and how she's feeling better this week so that's good. By 10:30 I packed up and headed to my car, calling Chrystol on the way. She was on the fence and after talking for a while decided we would go and I headed down to her place. I called Susan who was staying in with R and promised to give her a full report the next morning. I arrived at Chrystol's and we called Schuyler to see how much the cover was because I only had $1 but Chrystol had $10 and $1 in quarters so she said she would share. We drove over and I told her about how things are going with Eric and how everything is really good and how I like him more each time we spend time together. We got to Tractor, paid the cover and saw that John's band was up and found Schuyler and Sam in the crowd. I talked to Sam for a while and he told me about Uncle Tupelo and the songs they were going to play and the Wilco song they’d play too and how just as disappointed he was with the last album as I was. We chatted about his birthday and sister’s visit and my sisters and how Chris gave his sister his number. Andrew came over and kissed my cheek and told me he’s always wanted to do it which I was like, “Oh, ok” then he walked away. He was back later and linked arms with me and we talked a little and I just looked at him and was like “Ohhh, Andrew” and he was like “I know, I know” so that was mildly entertaining. His set kind of cleared the crowd out but when the Creeping Rats came on people started trickling back in and were really into it. I loved all the songs and Chrystol and I both loved Sam’s voice and the other guy’s voice too, very complimentary. I thoroughly enjoyed their set. Then Andrew jumped on stage for the song he’d already butchered and there was some terrible feedback and I couldn’t stop laughing at the ridiculousness. I got some cool pictures after watching Chrystol’s technique though. After the show we stood around and talked a little then I told Chrystol I would drop her off at home so we could have more girl talk and we didn’t quite get to the car when Sam came out and asked for a ride so I told him sure and he ran back to get his stuff together. Chrystol decided to just ride with Schuyler and I told her to let me know about her Sunday birthday brunch. Sam loaded his stuff in and off we went talking about the nearby Goodwill and my proneness to accidentally running red lights when I have other people in the car. When I dropped him off he generously offered to make me an Uncle Tupelo mix tape which I will gladly accept because I love new-old music. I headed home and got to bed about 1:30.

Tuesday 6/17, I was awoken by Eric kissing me all over my body as I drifted in and out of sleep. He rolled me over and moved my limbs according to what he was doing and it was all very nice and extra nice to not be expected to reciprocate. I just laid there and kissed him when he took a break from my legs and sides. It was very very nice. He was going to get up but I asked him not to and to cuddle with me instead so he did. He finally got up a little before the alarm went off (5:45) and showered and came back in to say bye. I talked to Mom after work and agreed to meet her at Outback for dinner. We were there super early and put in our orders. I took the advice of the cute waiter and got the sirloin with garlic mashed potatoes. We talked about Grandma, Dad & Jake, living on a boat, my hs reunion and house stuff. We were there until 6 and I told her I would come over on Friday night then headed over to Albertson's for bananas while listening to a message from Eric. On my way back to my car I called him and talked to him for a long time after I got home. We discussed that morning's events and I told him my revelation about our relationship involving chemistry, both sexual and emotional and what a relief and delight it is. We talked about next week because he has a couple days off and says he wants to come up Monday and hang out Tuesday and cook me dinner after I get home from work. I told him we could then go to TiB to spice things up then over to Tango for the El Diablo for some extra spiciness. We're both planners which is very exciting. We talked about a lot of other stuff then finally hung up around 7. I went and grabbed some of the gossip rags Susan had brought over and got through those while ripping some new music into my computer. I finally took a shower and talked to Susan about Thursday plans and continued reading before getting into bed, leaving Ian a message to check up on him then crashing out before 11.

Monday 6/16, I got a text in the middle of the day from Eric asking if I didn't have any plans for the evening and if I wanted him to come up. I did so I texted him back and he said he'd be there by 5:30. I got off work a little early so I headed home and cleaned the upstairs bathrooms and picked up all the shit laying around in my room (there was a lot) because I wasn't expecting company and didn't want it to look like such a disaster. I didn't have time to shower because he arrived at 5:15. He apologized for being early and I told him not to because I always am too and I like it. We both took showers, separately, and got ready and headed out for a walk since it was so nice out. We did the walk that Susan and I used to do up through the park. He told me about park liabilities and we discussed some of Mary's political statements then ended up back at my house. I decided to take him to XXX so we set out and laughed at the kids getting out of the car with the dad in the backseat. We picked a nice table, made up our minds then he put the order in and we sat and talked about quitting our jobs and needing treatment for too many burgers. We snickered at the guys checking out their identical Saturns and the guy in the Corvette with the car shirt. I called Sos to see if they wanted to come down but they were just finishing up their dinner so I told them we would stop by. Dinner was good and I purposely didn't finish all of it. Eric made fart jokes about the ketchup and I told him to grow up then we both laughed. We drove over to Sos' and had a nice visit with her and Jake. We went out to look at the stream and Eric threw the ball for Anu so now she loves him. Back inside we snacked on pineapple, Twizzlers and Twizzlers Sourz. We chatted about the murder mystery party and camping and some other things until it was time to head home. It was about 8:30. On the way home I called Eric a clown and we laughed at what a funny expression it is. When we got back he told me not to pull the car in because he was going to grease the garage door opener chain because it's so squeaky. He started on that and I swept but then the noise didn't stop so he found where it was squeaking and found some de-squeaker Dad had purchased that I didn't even know I had and got the culprit. Then he said let's move down the glass cases so we did that and struggled around all the crap in the way but did it. It felt good to get that done. We went upstairs and started looking at stuff on myspace and going through all my pictures and he'd stop and say he'd want to show that one to Donnie and kept saying how attractive I am. He makes me feel really good about myself with all the nice things he says, and not just about how I look. He really is a sweetheart. Finally I knew it was time to get ready for bed so I stripped down to my bra and underwear as I ran around getting ready and at one point I was talking to him but not facing him and when I looked up I totally caught him checking me out which makes me feel incredibly sexy. I just kind of laughed. We got into bed and started kissing very lightly and ended up falling asleep like that. I would wake up and he'd still be lightly kissing me then he'd drift off and eventually we both drifted off like that. His lips felt so soft.

Sunday 6/15, We were both awake by 10 to 8 and just talked and cuddled until about 9:30. He informed me he was making me pancakes for breakfast and he also had potatoes so we'd have fried potatoes too. We got up and I sat on the counter while he prepped and got things going. We evaluated the height of the counters and told each other what we really liked about the night before. I saw a little cat scurry across the yard and was determined to make friends so I sat on the back steps and called it and it finally came and got within about 2 feet of me but then scampered off and it was so cute a little. I want to be it's friend. Back inside Eric served me up and the pancakes were really good. He heated up the syrup because this really awesome girl he knows showed him (his words). I called Dad to wish him a happy Father's Day and he said Eric was a classy guy for using Mrs. Butterworth. He was golfing with Papa so I let him go after telling him about Kay-See's race. We talked a lot about his meetings and program and his next steps and I looked at his book a bit then we headed back into his room and laid in bed for a little bit talking then got into the shower to start our day. We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves when the water turned cold so we got out and back into bed to warm up. And boy did things warm up. There was all sorts of biting and other things that kept us in that bed for 4 hours. Finally, finally we got up at 3:30 and got dressed and ready to tackle the day. It was beautiful outside so we got into his car and stopped by the gas station to pump up his tire then on our way down into Tacoma listening to the cds I made him. We cruised around and ended up down on Ruston at the waterfront singing the Golden Girls theme song. We went to Tatonka for some frozen yogurt and ate it in the car as we headed into Point D and down to Owen Beach. I made it all the way through my ice cream without spilling then the last bite I got vanilla all over my boob and a little on my stomach. We walked down to the boardwalk and sat by the water with our feet dangling over the edge of the wall. We laughed at the guy whose butt crack was showing and laughed at some kids and just talked forever. I told him a lot about B and Ian and how I feel with him and how it's completely different from the others and how comfortable he makes me feel and how I can be myself and never feel like I'm not cool enough or hip enough. He's so complimentary it's insane and really wonderful. We stayed there until 6:30 then headed back to his house so he could make me dinner. We stopped to get gas and he pretended to hit on me then get scared off by my bf and squeal out of the parking lot. Next we made an unscheduled stop at Saars Market for some Russian cookies. We're not sure exactly what's in them but we do know they're really good. Back at his house he started making dinner and I sat on the counter and we talked some more, which is like what we always do, and enjoyed each other's company while snacking and waiting. He made chicken parmesan, broccoli and carrots and a really yummy salad with red onion, tomato, feta and a homemade balsamic dressing. We eventually sat down to eat and it was all really good and I taught him all the manners from childhood and he said he's going to try extra hard to blow Mom’s socks off. It was hilarious. I was stuffed and needed to get on the road because it was 10 so he helped me load my car up then said he was strategizing to come up and see me that week since we weren't going to see each other that weekend. I drove home and talked to Susan on the way and made it home by 10:45 and dumped all my stuff and went to bed.

Saturday 6/14, My alarm went off at 6:00 and I got right up, no snooze, and into the shower. I got ready, ate some cereal and was out the door by 7 after packing up the car and repeatedly forgetting things up in my room. I called Kay-See first to enthusiastically tell her where I was and was surprised by my own awaked-ness. I called Mom and Dad next since it was after 7 and almost a guarantee they'd be up despite having been at a concert the night before and drunk dialing me to tell me how much they loved me. Some drunk guy broke the handle on the door trying to get in to pee and Dad let him have it. I talked to them all the way to Ruston then got off so I could concentrate. I found where K was then had to find parking and ended up a few blocks away and hurriedly walked to her car because it was freezing. We sat in there and talked for a while then decided to go into Walgreen’s so I could get some water and she could use the facilities. We wandered around looking at stuff and I heard from Eric who said he was on his way and I thought it was really really early for him to already be on his way (like 8, when it was supposed to be like 10) so I told him where we were. He found us and was dressed all nicely and apparently he'd gotten up so early and gotten his stuff so quickly he'd already been home and gotten ready and back to see us. I was shocked but happily so since he looked so cute in his v-neck sweater. We decided to check out the free stuff and walk around until her race started (about 45 min) so we got her free loaf of bread and a bunch of blueberry pomegranate yogurt water then I got an apple from the Costco stand and Eric got a voucher for free coffee. K strapped a free fanny pack around my waist and happily pointed out how well her diet coke or beer would fit in it. This reindeer came over and tried to eat K's bread then steal it and I got some pictures with her and the guy. Then we checked out his butt as he walked away. Soon it was time for her to start so we went up and stood by the start line and wished her a good race and walked back to his car passing that reindeer on the way who got down on all fours and was pretending to pee where a dog had just taken a dump. Eric and I sat there laughing and in total shock. It was hilarious. He took me on a tour of some little neighborhoods and his Grandma's house and some look out points and it was really nice. We hit Proctor and stopped at Metropolitan Market so he could get some coffee and I could use the bathroom. We kept driving and eventually ended up back at the race site and found a much closer spot after stopping by my car to get the sign. We walked up and waited by the finish line and Eric finally spotted her so I held up my sign and he started yelling "Yeah!" and "Whew!" and she finally looked over and laughed and made her way to us. We took some pictures then got her some fruit and headed back to Eric's car. We went and picked up Andrea (who lives right by UPS) and headed to Poppy Seed Cafe for breakfast. We had a very nice meal, conversation-wise and food-wise. I got the lemon poppy seed waffle with raspberry butter and it was so good. We talked about having Andrea's wedding at Eric's and parties and other fun stuff then got back in the car and dropped Andrea then K back at her car. Eric dropped me at mine and I followed him back to his house where we laid down on his bed and talked and made out then hit the road to Gig Harbor for Madison's birthday party. We got there super early and I was nervous to meet the family but he said I'd be fine. I met Bill first then met Brad and some other people as they trickled in. Everyone had wonderful things to say about Eric and I confirmed back to them how great I think he is. We nibbled and snacked on gummy bears and skittles and then he tried to convince me he could swallow a deviled egg whole and I begged him not to. So he didn't. But still thinks he can. I ate way too much and everything was really good. I talked with both grandmas, Mimi and Mary and told them a little about me and they just love him. Anyway we stayed through the slideshow and the present opening and Grandpa Ray told Eric, "No problem, I'll handle it" then told Madison to open Eric's but she thought it was from Ray so it was funny. All the girls laughed at the book and Uncle Brad teased him some more about Abbie's reaction. We took off around 8 and discussed the family and my and Eric's abilities to open up in relationships so that was interesting. We arrived at the Grand but stayed in the car talking for a few minutes about his struggles with telling me things and how I wouldn’t know from the exterior because he seems so confident and I'm not scary. We went in and got tickets then went next door to a little art gallery and looked around and I loved the little crows and the pearl necklaces in the back. We went back next door and settled into some good seats near the back for Priceless. It was cute and funny but we were both so tired by the time we were heading out to the car. We drove back to his house and got ready for bed. We did all sorts of crazy things and the moonlight was streaming into his window for just enough illumination to make it really hot. He whips me around like no one ever has. It's shocking. Eventually things were wrapped up but the floor needed a wipe down.

Friday 6/13, Sos picked me up from work and dropped me at my car, that took a little while but it looked great so I was pleased. I talked to Susan about meeting at my house, stopped at Michael's for gold glitter then home. I wasn't home long before Susan pulled up so we got down to determining dinner and settled on macaroni and steamed carrots, mmm! We put on After Sunset and did a lot of collective groaning and making fun of Ethan Hawke. His facial hair was killing me. I started on Kay-See's sign and decided on "K you're my #1" with the K and #1 in gold glitter (with Susan's expert opinion). We finished the movie and both thought it was good. I finished doing the glitter in the kitchen then Susan took off and I tried to get things ready for my trip to Tacoma the next morning. I got a text at 10:30 from Eric and I scolded him for not being in bed yet. I decided to make Eric another cd and called it "Non-Negotiables" because he always makes fun of me and I named the other one "Rebirth" because "Phoenix Rising Up From the Ashes" was too long. I put La Vie en Rose to finish that but was only half watching because of cd making and other chores but I got the gist of it. I think I went to bed around midnight or something.

Thursday 6/12, Peggy let me off early so I walked the trail and did a little longer than the day before and the sun was shining and it felt wonderful. I texted Kay-See to tell her how nice it was. I went home and did a few little things like hand wash some things and put some laundry in then sat down on the couch and got through some magazines which felt good. Eric called and I talked to him FOREVER. It was really nice and we covered a lot of topics and discussed plans for the weekend. I ate some dinner while we talked and eventually we hung up and I went back to reading. I went upstairs to start La Vie en Rose and talked to Susan in the middle to confirm I wouldn't be out for dancing then continued with the movie. I made it about an hour and 40 minutes through then turned it off to get ready for bed. Kay-See called and was fearful she'd woken me up but she hadn't and needed to talk about R and what an asshole he is and I reassured her she did the right thing and that she's on the path to healing whether she feels like it or not. She knows the right things to do whether they still make her feel like shit or not. We talked for a long time about that and JJ and her long ago deleted blog entries about it all and how similar they are and her general exhaustion with the whole thing. Then we talked about the race and breakfast and salty meat and checking out cute boys before the race starts. We eventually hung up and I went to sleep. I had a dream I went to the hs reunion and the only other person there was Kelli and I saw one of her boobs because she was changing right in the middle of the room. It was weird.

Wednesday 6/11, K and I trading messages all day about her race and party and coconut cake. I walked / ran the trail after work but only for a half hour then I was on my way home for a nice evening by myself at home. Something I had been looking forward to for a long time. I did a few things in the kitchen and did some murder mystery reading and have some good ideas for decorating and music then steamed some multi-colored carrots and reheated turkey and stuffing for dinner. After that I went upstairs and jumped in the shower then tried on some underwear I haven't worn in a long time - finally dating someone who appreciates it so it's time to break it out. Next was ice cream and I finished off the carton and felt a bit guilty for it. I started going through magazines and got through two then called Court for our phone date but she didn't answer so I went back to reading then talked to Susan then back to reading and ripping covers to my computer from old Q compilations and eventually went to bed before 11 after getting a text from Eric.

Tuesday 6/10, I had to drop my car off super early and Sos was generous enough to pick me up on her way to work and drop me off. We talked about what a scary thing gas prices and climate change are and what an idiot bush is for thinking that opening up Alaska is a good idea and solve our problems. The problem isn't a lack of oil you moron! She dropped me off and it was another rainy dreary day. Boo. I got off work much earlier than normal and went home for a little bit. I got my workout clothes together and headed over to Mom's in Peggy's car. I worked out on the elliptical for a little over a half hour and we watched AFV and I half-perused a magazine. Dad got Grandma and we were eating dinner by like 5:30. Mom had made a huge turkey with stuffing and gravy and it was gooood. I ate quite a bit and we watched some more AFV and Grandma just shook her head at most of it because they’re all such idiots then I left around 6:30. I hit the store then home where I talked to Susan and caught up with her then Dad beeped in twice so I talked to him for a while and nailed down the dates they're going to be here this summer then called Susan back. I made a smoothie after I got off the phone and took a shower then called Chrystol to lay out dates for Plain and murder mystery party-ing and I think she's pretty excited for the costumes. We chatted a little while longer then I called Eric and he called me back while I was updating and we talked for a long time about this weekend and the cds I've made him and other stuff. Around 11 we hung up, I read in bed for a little bit then crashed out.

Monday 6/9, Had some errands to run after work and called John to confirm dropping off my car. Went to QFC for some groceries then home and opted against exercising and decided to do a little cleaning and napping before Kay-See came over instead. I was supposed to go over to Mom's for dinner but she cancelled so I told K that it would work for dinner and talking that evening. I talked to Sos to confirm she could still pick me up in the morning and also picked out a few dates for the next murder mystery party. She was excited but not about having to wear a bikini top. I napped on the couch all wrapped up in a comforter until she got there - like 7:00. She brought turkey kielbasa and tots and we got right down to it talking and cooking. I made the multi-colored carrots and broccoli and she prepped the others. We sat in the living room talking about how she's doing with the breakup and stuff then she brought up going to FL for a mini-vacay since she has a friend with a condo there and gave her free reign. I'm just not sure. I told her all about Eric and the weekend then we stood in the kitchen and finished off some ice cream and cleaned up and planned the murder mystery party and nailed down a date. A little after 9 Eric called and K took off so I called him back and ran the date by him and he said he was in. We talked for a very long time then I made it into bed and cringed at the thought of getting up really early.

Sunday 6/8, Eric was awake when I woke up, which was 9:00. We laid in bed for a little while then got up to have breakfast. I made waffles again and we threw in frozen blueberries then I woke Kassie up to tell her breakfast was ready but she didn't get up for a while. Eric and I sat in the living room talking for a while and listening to music and eventually Kass came down and I fed her though she only ate about 2 bites before giving up so Eric and I polished it off. We sat in there talking about family dynamics and I think some of it was familiar to Eric (Skylar's situation) and I think he got a chance to see our interactions so that was fun. We sat there until about 1:30 then got ready because the party started at 2. On the way over Eric told me how much he enjoys being with me and how much he appreciates me which is really sweet but I always feel bad just saying "Me too!" so I need to work on that. I called Grandma and told her I'd be by to pick her up and we went in to get her and I fixed her phone quickly and it was so hot in there all I wanted to do was get out of there but it was made difficult with a call from Kassie about getting napkins. Finally we were out, got Grandma into the car and over to Mom’s we went. The house wasn't too crazy and Droohv and Akemi were already there as well as Peggy and I did introductions. I snacked a little and more people slowly started showing up and Eric and I mostly sat on the couch and talked and Kassie would join us and Grandma and Mom and we'd laugh about Jake and how tired he was. Alix's huge football player friend was there and Eric called him the Hulk and said something about his purple polo shirt and how he had a lot of people to text. I ate a lot and at one point catapulted Eric's plate and bowl off the footstool and it didn't spill at all and we couldn't believe it. When it was dessert time I was in charge of whipping up the non-alcoholic whipped cream and yelled "No!" at Mom when she tried to make Eric try the other version and everyone looked at me and said that one was for the kids and I told her I didn't care and I made it. It was like she was on crack or something. We stayed there for a few hours then took off after Kassie took Grandma home but I felt bad because I didn't realize until I was halfway home that I wouldn't see her before she left. Eric and I collapsed on my bed and just started talking and he brought up his Dad because of the earlier conversation we'd had with Kassie and I told him I hadn't wanted to ask and he'd wanted to get it off his chest so he told me all about it and his other family stuff and the events leading up to his getting help. I had a lot of questions and he answered them all without hesitation. We laid there for what felt like forever. Eventually he asked if I would mind if he stayed the night and got up early to leave for work the next morning; of course I didn't. I always sleep well with him, probably because he stays on his side of the bed. We went downstairs to get something to eat, I had an apple and cleaned the kitchen a little and he had the rest of the BBQ pizza. I said something about AL and jail and he said it was my turn to talk and that we had a long time so to just start. I told him all about the Cambodia stuff and when I was done he could tell I was semi-upset so he said to come over to him but I was like "I need to take a shower" and he said "I know, I just want to hold you for a second" and it was so sweet it now makes me want to throw up but I think it just shows how great he is. He listened the whole time and only interrupted for clarification purposes at the beginning when I was trying to get all the players laid out. He said he's never heard of anything like that and he didn't have anything like that in his family and I reiterated that the version I was telling was just the tip of the ice berg. It was almost 11 I would guess so we both took showers and got ready for bed. We got in and started messing about and there was another first, on the side, and I busted his balls later asking how many more were there going to be and he said that was it but then listed another one but labeled it as "sick". We hopped in the shower and he started getting a little rough and had me by the rib cage and I was like "Ooh, mama like!" and apparently he could tell. We finally got out and into bed and to sleep. I don't even know what time it was.

Saturday 6/7, I woke up a little after 8 and laid in bed and got my computer going to continue on my "Covers" endeavor. He called about 10 minutes after I'd woken up and said he'd be there probably around 10:30. I got up and started cleaning and getting ready. I made a lot of progress, especially in my bathroom. Kassie woke up shortly before Eric arrived so we had chatted a little. I was still working on burning cds to my laptop when I saw him pull in and I cursed because I was naked and needed to get some clothes on quickly so I ran into Kassie's room and grabbed something off the drying rack and ran downstairs to a waiting Eric. We kissed and hugged then headed upstairs where we relaxed on my bed and talked about our days up to that point. Kassie eventually came in and introductions were done and we all chatted in there for a little while then decided to run some errands and get some lunch since it was already 12. We said bye to Kassie and went to Best Buy where I got Alix some new cds and I helped Eric figure out what he needed for his camera and he got excited when I schooled the kid at Best Buy. We perused for a while and eventually checked out and headed into Seattle for lunch. We went to the Japanese place B used to take me to and that's when the AG conversation and jokes started. We had a nice lunch and laughed at the guy trying to explain Nascar to his very traditional-looking parents. We decided to go over to the farmer's market because that's what we do and we didn't have anything pressing to do. We walked through fairly quickly and he sampled a pickle and I told him not to kiss me with his pickle mouth then we ogled the pies. We were soon on our way back to the car and I suggested Top Pot then we passed these weirdos who stared at me and made a bizarre noise when I walked by. As we drove by we saw them jumping off stuff and taping it. At Top Pot we each got a donut (cream filled for me, raspberry filling for him) and pet the soft little puppy tied up outside with the owner demanding "What are you eating?! What is he eating?!" We sat in the car and noticed all the interracial couples and he thanked Yoko for breaking up the Beatles. He went back and got a milk for us and we talked a little while longer in the car and wanted to see what the guy on the motorcycle got in the jar, but failed. I took him up to Volunteer Park because he's never been there. We hiked up the water tower and looked out each of the windows and read all the signs which I've never done but always had a hankering to do. We headed back down and walked around marveling at the beautiful rhodies and the statue on our way to the little green house. We walked through and picked out our favorites and made more Yoko jokes. I really like the hydrangeas but not the cactuses so much and Eric kept touching and I showed him what I would have done if I had been there when he touched the b-52 or whatever. We continued touring and laughing and talking and telling stories and he signed the guest book 'No comment'. Next we decided to go down to Sonic Boom then noticed the Asian Art Museum was free and that we'd be silly not to take advantage of that so we went in and I think I saw Jerry. We liked all the silk screening patterns but would rather know how they made those than what they were made for. We did a lot more laughing throughout the entire museum and I think everyone hated us even though we weren't being loud or anything. He went to show me which decanter he liked and accidentally hit the case with his finger and it made a somewhat loud "thump" and I (quietly) laughed like crazy then I heard the mother scold her daughter a few seconds later "Don't touch the glass" and I knew she was dying to scold Eric too. During our time there I discovered he loves Cate Blanchett as much as I do and that he wants me to dress up as a Dutch geisha. We wrapped things up in there and headed back to the car with him warming up one of my arms. We drove around looking at houses for a while and I showed him the building I'd love to live in that has a unit for sale at the moment then we decided to drive into Ballard to go to Sonic Boom and see what C & S were up to. We parked behind this car with all these nutty bumper stickers then we walked over and he detailed our next role playing adventure which involved being rival wrestling stars on our schools' teams and the next thing you know we're making out in the showers. He's hilarious. I got a couple cds and we looked in the shoe store next door and I called Chrystol on the way back to the car and she said to meet her and Schuyler at Goodwill. We laid the seats down in my car and relaxed listening to the new FF cd for a little bit then went in and separated. I told Chrystol about the role playing and she thinks he's full of it but I don't know. We perused and I vowed not to buy anything until we got to the belts. I picked up two J Crew ones for like $2 so that was a good find I guess. Eric bought a huge stack of baseball cards and a little 'T' for Tacoma then we went back to Chrystol and Schuyler's to hang out. Eric got out the fart machine and we giggled like a bunch of 5th graders. Chrystol pointed out that we were dressed alike and they were dressed alike; us in bright colors, them in muted tones. How cute! Aubrey came over with her new puppy who is already so well behaved and totally trained because she has her in some intense training program and walks around with a treat pouch on her hip. The puppy was scared of Lulu who is slightly bigger than she is. After Aubrey left we hung out talking some more and they were going to go to a show and get dinner so we headed back to my house and decided to watch Amelie. I put a BBQ chicken pizza in the oven and we talked in the kitchen for a bit before going upstairs and starting the movie. I fell asleep for part of it but woke up for the end. We got ready for bed then started going at it. There were a couple more firsts (mm and vib, which he requested) and I had three. Soon we were in the shower getting squeaky clean and Kassie came home and I said hi to her and gave her my contact solution then we went to bed and I slept like a rock.
Friday 6/6, Got off work a bit early, went home and got ready for Alix's graduation and met everyone at the house. Kassie and I went in her car and dropped Jake in downtown MI after Kassie schooled him. We sat in her car for a while in the parking lot (at Qwest) and talked about sex and role playing and new things and ate a coconut bar. Mom called so we finally headed down and found them. The ceremony was long but there were some good speakers and a TON of cute high school graduates. Kassie and I ogled the student body president (Mori?) and the Chapelle twins (mmm) whose family was right in front of us (one with hippie-style long ponytail) and it turned out Kassie knew him from hs when they both boooed at the same faculty member. Then there was the duo that wrote and sang a song and we divided them up too. Hot. Kassie took lots of pictures throughout the ceremony of us and one of the kid jagged haircut in front of us. When Alix's name was called we screamed so loud we made the people in front of us jump. After the festivities we found Alix out in the front and took lots of pictures and asked about the cute boys. Mom and I took off for home and talked about Eric (who I called on the way to see if he was still up, returning his cute message from earlier) and took off for home when we got back to Mom's. I called Eric on the way and we firmed up plans for the next day and talked about our days. I bustled around the house while talking to him doing laundry and such. I started working on a compilation for him of covers from the thing he said to me forever ago. We finally hung up sometime after 11 and I think I went to bed not much later still working on those covers.

Thursday 6/5, Received a naughty text from Eric about my heels and panties (sorry Susan) then received a couple texts from Josh saying his meeting was cancelled so he was ready whenever. After work I called him and told him I would talk to Sos then she beeped in so we made plans for heading in together and that she would be at my place at 6:15. I called him back and confirmed everything. At home I ran around doing some cleaning and eventually made it into the shower then talked to Susan while waiting for Sos and Jake. I told them we could all go together and we shouldn't take two cars. We had a nice drive in and I called Josh who was at Taphouse and we passed it without knowing so we pulled over and waited on the side of 7th in a no parking zone. Josh found us, jumped in and off we went to the Elysian. I reminded him about the last time he'd said "I'm going to punch that guy in the fucking face" and he was like "Well, that sounds like something I'd say" and Jake thought it was hilarious, especially for the reason he said it. Parking was a bitch but finally just as Josh said to just find a lot and he would pay I found one a few blocks up. We were seated and all gabbed and caught up. He's so funny and I guess I always forget that. I got the hot babe and Josh said it sounded really good because it reminded him of that little pig so I laughed hysterically at that and we all laughed when the waitress kind of dissed what he was going to get. So dinner was good and I especially liked the basil aioli and we wrapped up the bill and decided to go get some dessert and drinks. I called K but she didn't answer. As we walked to the car we talked about how hilarious my dating life has been and how I'm always on myspace and how that sets the tone for the kinds of guys I date. Funny I didn't meet any of the Eric(k)s online and none of them are online guys at all. We drove down to Tango and I finally got a hold of K and she said she would come down. We sat down and perused the menus and I of course just wanted the El Diablo. I told them about how it was an aphrodisiac and they all laughed at me. Eventually we got onto the topic of me taking my pants off and how I love to play pantsless board games like "No pants Pictionary" and "No pants trivial pursuit" but Jake plays it with the dogs and always loses. I was in stitches. Then he said how he goes in the hot tub naked with his friend and people always eventually leave and Josh and me did hilarious impressions of the people leaving "No, we'll be right back" or "You stay right there" with a raised hand and just laughed. We talked about UPS people and where everyone is and who people have heard from and apparently Keemy and Carmen are moving back up here so Keem can go to UW to get his MBA. Yay! They're slowly returning. K showed up and had some of my dessert, along with everyone else, and all liked it and I kept licking my spoon suggestively and made Jake blush. Not long before I take my pants off! K was especially impressed. We talked for a while longer and decided to do a once a month dinner out and Sos is going to organize the first one. She kept commenting on how late it was and how she's never out that late (it was a little before 10). Josh said "Oh, shut the fuck up" about some guy and K and I laughed forever and kept looking at each other because it's another great Josh-ism. We paid the bill and walked out, said bye to K and walked back to the car talking about how Josh says "I look like a dick" then in the car discussed how at Court's wedding he kept saying "Hey, I'm an asshole!" and how hilarious it was. We dropped him a few blocks from his place and headed home talking about him and K and how fun the night was. I was surprised Jake had as much fun as he did. I called K when I got home and we laughed and tried to remember what J said and she told me about Zephy leaving her a picture comment asking when it was his turn and she was all giggly over it. I watched the news and updated this when I got home and climbed into bed.

Wednesday 6/4, Mom confirmed we were having dinner over there in anticipation of Kassie coming home. I took my car to have it looked at for another estimate but they couldn't get me in and it was all inconvenient so I went to another place around the corner but they weren't open so I called John and he said to bring it by but he's generally really picky about the jobs he takes but said he would do it and for $450. Peggy said I could use her extra car so I don't have to worry about a rental so that's good. I picked up my prescription and called the woman who left the witness note to thank her and she was very nice then at home talked to Kassie and she said she would be at Mom's before 7 so I did a few things around the house then took off just as Eric called. I talked to him all the way over and did most the talking and he's excited to meet her because he can tell from how I talk about her that we're very close and that she means a lot to me. He also told me about how riled up he got because of that one hair I left in his shower and I concurred. It was hilarious and he told me good work. As I descended into the driveway I saw Kass had beat me so I hung up with Eric and gave her a big hug. Dinner was in progress so I cut some bread and started digging through the big bag of clothing-goodies she brought then called Alix up so we could fight over who gets what. We had a fair trade then Kassie came and commented. Auntie and Grandma showed up so we all dished up and sat down for a wonderful meal: Salmon, chicken and roasted pepper pasta (for me and Jake), cornbread, corn and brie and baguette. We had a nice dinner and all laughed hysterically when Mom sat down and the caning on her chair broke and she let out a hilarious exclamation. We looked at a lot of pictures on Alix's computer after dinner and eventually AL, Grandma and I started packing up. We stopped at Grandma's condo so I could pick up a box of goodies Auntie had set aside for me and we picked up a couple extra things as well. I said bye to her and gave her a hug and kiss and headed home. I talked to Susan and got ready for bed. I think I finally got to bed before 11 for once.

Tuesday 6/3, I got two estimates (both $650) and had my brakes checked and flirted with the cute shop boys. One suggested calling the owner the next day because he does body work as a hobby. I talked to Auntie Lauryn around 5:45 and told her I would head that way so we could do dinner. I got there really quickly and saw Grandma's new place then went and found her in the dining room and talked with her while she ate her dinner. We walked back and watched AL and Kima put the finishing touches on the place. We kissed Grandma goodbye and the three of us headed to Thai Ginger for dinner. We got a lot of good dishes and all shared and talked about Kima's impending trip to S. Africa and her many other international trips in which she aids orphans and burn victims. We went back to Grandma's and said bye to Kima and chatted with Grandma for a few minutes before I left to go home. Auntie helped me load a bookcase into my back seat and that was a bit of a challenge but we did it. I unloaded it when I got home and got out the ice cream to enjoy while watching tv. I texted Eric that I'd finished the ice cream he gave me and probably updated this.

Monday 6/2, Had my derm appt and it went fine but she sprayed nitrogen on my keloid and it stung like a bitch, then she injected it twice and that hurt too. Had our client meeting at PC so I was downtown again and some lady hit my car in the garage so now I have to take it in and get an estimate for fixing the paint. I got to go home early and called an auto place to check my brakes and he said the next day then called Sos to see if she wanted to walk so I went over there. We took the dogs on a really long walk up to Tradition Plateau or something and really worked it but I hardly noticed because I was gabbing so much about Eric and the prior two day’s events. She was laughing so hard at all my stories but was happy for me and very encouraging. We made it to the top and looked down and I can’t believe how far we’d walked. We continued talking about Ian and his gf and how I’ve found a certain degree of peace with it all and how I genuinely hope he’s happy and practice working on that to try and become a better person. Or at least a more balanced one. I told her about Cynthia and she wants to have a similar experience then we started into the woods talking about keeping an eight year relationship spicy and we discussed a few options. She told me about her good loan news and how they should celebrate. We finally emerged talking about Mom and my issues there and pretty much all the way back down about kids who act entitled and how much it grates us and how horrible parents can be. Then we talked about Mom some more and Sos said she didn’t know this stuff and feels like she has a much better understanding about it all and my kids-stance and that she was sorry. Yeah, so anyway, we got back to her house after lots of talking and walking and Kay-See had called to see if I wanted to come over for dinner so I said bye to Sos and headed home to change shoes and grab a sweatshirt and headed in. I talked to Eric the whole way in and we had a great conversation like always and laughed a lot about how angry I get and driving into Seattle three times in one day. Up at K’s place she was making dinner and offered me a bunch of choices and I settled on hot dog. She also made a really good cous cous that I ate a ton of with extra lemon juice. I told her about my Eric story and she knew exactly where I was going with it then took some of the things a bit further then we talked about Mocha and R and sex and Dustin and boy stuff in general. It was nice, especially when she brought out the pudding and cool whip and we ate a TON while discussing boys some more. A little after 10 I needed to head out so I booked it and talked to Lish on the way home then got ready for bed and crashed.

Sunday 6/1, We were both awake by 8:30 and talked about how great that is and continued to lay in bed talking until 10:30 or so. We got up and ready and Eric had had the idea to have breakfast and go to the market for some fair. We left the house and I talked to Chrystol on the way and told her our plans and invited her to meet us at the market because "apparently" there was a fair. We got to 14 Carrot and put our name in and sat outside waiting for a table. Someone honked and Eric waved which made some girl laugh. When the lady came out and called Eric’s name I stood up and Eric thinks she didn't expect me to be as tall as I am because I towered over her. We had a yummy breakfast and talked about family (his grandmas and Mom and past gfs and the interactions). We walked down to Louisa's and each got a little treat and walked back holding hands and talking about how much exercise we just got. He pointed out the shirts in the window he liked and his experiences at Nordstrom and making the salespeople tell him the truth about how they think he looks in one suit over another. We headed down to the market and finally found parking under the viaduct and took the elevator up. We walked and looked in the windows and stopped in the Polish shop and looked around and he started detailing our next role playing scenario involving me as a milk maid in one of the Polish milk maid outfits and he would be my older brother's best friend and I would flirt with him while he tilled the fields and use my feminine wiles to seduce him against his better judgment and loyalty to his best friend. Then we looked at mushrooms and laughed about me thinking he liked to do them. We headed up to the street and straight away saw a stand for Bavarian Meats so I called Kay-See and took a picture. We walked slowly and perused then talked to Chrystol who said her and Schuyler were coming on the bus if we thought we'd be there for a while. We continued to walk and encountered the live show with pink-shirt-dancing-guy and shirtless-long-blonde-hair-dancing-guy and I think I got some pictures. We went up to the alley until we hit Sur la Table and laughed about how we had to go in because we're white and that's what white people do. We perused and got all excited about kitchen toys and he impressed me with his extensive knowledge and love of gadgets (like me). He showed me the butter bell and we made some naughty references back and forth then stood out on the street waiting for C & S and they made it down within minutes. We started through the market and got Chrystol some food then saw a dog fight and Eric made another joke and made some guy laugh (two times making strangers laugh) then we saw a guy with a parrot on his shoulder. We walked and perused and laughed and eventually decided to go to the Rack to find some leggings for Chrystol. We quickly stopped in some other shop first then to the Rack where we looked at sunglasses first then split off from the boys. We eventually made it up to the shoes and I tried on some Juicy heels that were so cute but just a little too big then over to the big girl shoes where I found shoe after shoe that looked so cute and frankly, hot, mostly leopard print pairs. I’m not even into leopard but they were hot. Chrystol and I gabbed through the shoes racks and picked out shoes for each other and eventually the boys found us and Eric liked the sparkly leopard ones and the juicy ones then had me try on some really ugly heels for my flight attendant outfit and when I protested they were hideous and not comfortable he reminded me I wouldn’t have to wear them for all that long. We eventually headed back to the market to split up and bought some hum bow and the lady said “Five dallah” and I foolishly (though not patronizingly) asked “Five dallah?” and she nodded then we walked away and I asked Eric “Did I just say “five dallah”?” and he confirmed I did. Whoops. We stood and ate our yummy BBQ treats and he laughed at how I took my bites then we walked back to the car and headed back to my house talking about Dave, aka Scott Peterson, and my Black Bottle meet up. We got to my house at 4:30 and laid on my bed and started talking and kissing and before we knew it it was 8:30 and we were climbing into the shower. 4 hours. We were both shocked, yet pleased. We laid in bed some more and I got the tweezers out for some excavating and we ate chocolate ice cream in our towels and continued to talk. A little after 10 he started packing up and I showed him my heels and he liked them a lot. We kissed a little more then he was on his way and I got ready for bed.

Saturday 5/31, I got up at 8:30 and went and got gas, then over to QFC to get some green cleaning supplies for Eric then home to start cleaning. I spent most of the morning cleaning and doing laundry and talking to Susan. I found my old video camera and watched all these painfully bad videos from college with Bobby T and my Thom video and cringed through the whole thing. I kept telling myself to shut up and covering my face in mortification. I started getting ready for Eric to show up and he did at 1:15. We hugged and kissed and went up to my room and hung out on my bed. We talked for a long time then I said I was hungry so we headed into Ballard to go to Other Coast and both got delicious sandwiches. I called C & S but they didn't answer. We walked around and went to Sonic Boom where I picked up a couple cds then back to my car to go back to my house because of the rain. We looked at Stuff White People Like for a while since he’d never seen it and he loved it and we sat on my bed laughing for a while until I had to leave for dinner with the fam. I met Mom at Grandma’s and we all went in together. Dinner was kind of a disaster and being there was killing me and I told Grandma I should’ve stayed home and she said she should have too, which was hilarious because the whole thing was for her. Ha! She also said that children should be seen and not heard and I agreed with that too. Jake and I got into it and he said I was verbally abusing him and I wanted to punch him in the head. Back at her place I helped Grandma upstairs and took Toto out then headed on my way back to Eric. He was watching tv and made me watch some of the Irish Explosion or something then told me about his other shows. We laid and talked for a long time like we always do and he told me about his nun scenario and how I would be the nun and he would be the grounds keeper and I would visit him when I wanted and he had no control over it. The nun calls all the shots apparently. He makes me laugh with all these roll playing ideas. Eventually we decided to go to Pogacha for happy hour after I’d shown him a bunch of flickr pictures and myspace stuff. He says so many complimentary things about how pretty I am and how I’m really photogenic (except for that soup picture – which he also wants me to recreate) and he just makes me feel insanely good about myself. I think after viewing Schuyler’s myspace he may just set one up as well. We also talked about me being a squirrel. So we set out and got a table, perused the menu and ordered. We talked and talked and stayed for a long time people watching and talking about our families and the drunk girl at the bar and the hostess who was gonna “Mad dog it home” which we tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about. We went back to my house and got ready for bed and messed around forever. There was an interesting incident that had me repeatedly asking “Um, like this?” and him gently directing me. Also, the backs of the knees are insane erogenous zones. I’ve always heard that but I am now totally convinced. 3 times. Yeah, 3. We took a quick shower then turned in and totally crashed out.

Friday 5/30, I was exhausted all day and when I got home I collapsed onto my bed. Kay-See called to say she wasn't down for dancing which was great because I didn't think there was any way to get it up. I listened to a bunch of bands' music I had bookmarked on myspace and added some of them and started falling asleep. K called back and asked if she could come over and bring a Costco chicken and I said of course then promptly fell back asleep. I eventually forced myself out of bed and downstairs and sat in the sun watching the news. K arrived and with chips and salad in tow as well. She started prepping while I cleaned my shit and we sat down to a nice dinner of spinach salad, roast chicken and potato chips. We talked about how she's doing and we touched on a lot of stuff and medicated with blueberry cheesecake ice cream from Susan. She stayed until after 10 and I told her if she still wanted to go dancing I could get it up for her, but she didn't. It was a good visit and I was glad to help her with some things. I feel like I haven't gotten to hang out with her and have the conversations we used to have together for a long time so it felt good to have that. She went home and I went upstairs and probably went to bed not much later in anticipation of getting up early the next morning.

Thursday 5/29, Making plans all day with various people for SatC movie and prefunk. I met Grandma and Auntie at the mattress place and helped pick a new one for Grandma and talked to Sos while walking around, made plans for Sunday. I left and at home jumped in the shower and talked to Susan and confirmed plans. I got dressed, ate some broccoli and carrots and talked to Eric while I made it. He couldn't believe how late I was going and thought it was hilarious. I hit the road a little earlier than I needed to and got to K’s place a bit early and found her and Michelle getting ready. I was sweaty so I took my shirt off. I ate some fish crackers and ham and cheese puff pastries. Next to arrive was Susan and we all sat around talking, then Stacy and lastly Chrystol after calling her and finding out her status. We all walked down to Palamino for our pre-movie drinks and snacks, all dressed up and feeling sassy. As we sat down the guy at the bar was enamored with Kay-See and was like "I love you. I love your shoes." as everyone seemed to that night. Later some other guy from the bar asked her about them as well. I loved the guy behind us though and kept repeating what he was saying and loved that he was in love with K. We looked at the happy hour menu and made our selections. I decided on the waffle fries with béchamel sauce and topped with gorgonzola. They were sooooo good. I told Chrystol about my story from Saturday night and she was like “I can’t even look at you while you tell this story” and covered her eyes then reiterated that she feels like a prude compared to me. She was thoroughly amused though. Susan wasn't feeling well so I walked her out and when I got back ate some of her pizza and we all just continued gabbing. The guy came over again and wanted me to take a “cool” picture of him so I took several though he approved of none. He asked what we were doing and if there were still tickets available and I told him I didn’t know…when I could have easily given him the two in my purse. But I didn’t. We stayed until 11:10 or so then started packing up and the guy asked if I had a bf and I said yes and he was like “I hate you” then moved on to the next girl and I think went through all of us. The funny thing is is if I wasn’t seeing Eric and K wasn’t interested I probably would have engaged more. So we headed over and it was a mad house. Girls (and gay boys and a few emasculated straight men) were everywhere. It was pandemonium and everyone was dressed up and running all over the place. There were four theaters open and people were running from one to the next so I snagged 5 seats in the third and waited for the rest of the girls to find me. We were 45 minutes early so we talked and did bathrooms and talked about what a crazy situation it was and how it was a socially and culturally monumental moment. So the movie was fantastic and at one point I forgot how late it was and where I was because I was enjoying so much and was so enthralled. It let out around 3 and all the theaters (including some upstairs by this point) let out at the same time so we were all herded down the stairs and out and we were all bitching about our feet and I was encouraged not to take my shoes off. Chrystol and I got to K’s hill and we decided to walk up and both took our shoes off and it felt so good. We talked all the way back and talked about meeting up over the weekend. I drove home and got to bed by 3:45 I think.