Cafe Hitch-hike

2021-12-26

Have a little gathering

Last week, I got the idea to set up the futon into an actual guest bed, and it poked me twice. I finally flattened the plank and covered the mattress with presentable blankets and pillows. I first had to vacuum it because I discovered the dog hops on it when I'm not looking (she still is banned from jumping up and down on furniture so she won't get injured again). I moved a side table and from the doorway, it looked like a neat guestroom; my large Ikea desk and prayer mesa were not in plain view.

My brother and cousin couldn't come down for Christmas. I didn't hear of any other visitors this way. Ok, maybe I set it up for nothing.

This led me to another idea: have a little gathering. If I no one is sleeping in the bed, at least I can have a small event. I rustled up an upstairs neighbor and Timmy to come over for some Yuletide drinks. I figured the 2 would get on well because they're chatty, and that they did!

Let's see, so around 1:00 a.m., Juliette the neighbor and I were singing and dancing. T. said he was swaying by then and felt dizzy. We sang and danced to random songs, and watched Tom Petty, Prince and Friends' rendition of 'When my guitar weeps'; it's really moving after a lot of alcohol.

Around 3 a.m., J. called it a night. I pointed the futon out to T. and don't remember how I made it to my own bed. About 7 hours later, I heard the dog whine and she was not in my bed. Instead, T. was next to me, comfortably sleeping on his back and under the comforter. Nothing happened that night or morning. I got up and took the dog outside to do her thing.

Well, well! I felt kind of awful from the bottle of whiskey T. and I polished off. Juliette drank half my bottle of Tito's (maybe that's a new nickname? Hahaha)! But, I didn't recall anything crazy happening that night and that she went upstairs rather happily. I cooked T. some breakfast, and then he made his way home.

It looks like the little gathering went well and we all promised not to drink so much the next time. However, I remembered feeling content again with entertaining. This was different company than family and beaus, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was nice to offer my space, with the wreath on the door and holiday decor, for a little celebration for each of us.

I'm in the middle of what is probably one of the longest staycations of my life. I had no plans of travel or family gatherings. I've spent many of the days-- quietly. I'll sleep or nap, read, or take walks. I'm surprised with the naps I've taken; I'll still take a long one during the day and manage to sleep fully at night. A part of me is still restless (I wiggled around a lot during the psychedelic ceremony and had in others, the curandera said I probably had a lot of physical energy to release), yet another seems thirsty for rest.

I guess thanks to the various uncertainties, I got what they call pandemic flux syndrome. I didn't realize how heavy these things were on my mind until I was able to step away from work for a bit (and only to jump back into it again come January). I really wasn't up for a road trip; I guess in ordinary times, I would had, but I was too mentally fatigued to do it.

I made some plans for this and that ('oh, I should do that Spanish language class I've always wanted to do online!') but that has yet to actualize. Well one plan I did make is to take an international trip in 2022. I would actually like to go to Spanish school abroad for a while (virus willing, hah) or do a pilgrimage walk in Spain.

Speaking of plans and trips, my former beau Rafael went on a cruise with his family and some of them came back with Covid. They were immunized, and he said it was no joke. If he tests negative tomorrow, he may be able to get himself out of quarantine, poor guy. When this whole thing started in March 2020, Rafa was supposed to go to Japan for work until they closed their borders. About a day or 2 later, he got a flu. It was a good thing his trip was cancelled or he may have had a hard time getting back.

I then watched 'Don't Look Up.' I laughed and simultaneously cringed inside. If you're depressed DO. NOT. watch it, but if you're up for pre-apocalyptical satire peppered with caricatures of today's powers that be, go for it.

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