verbicide | the dude abides

What a fabulous weekend. Seriously. See my batteries? Observe how they are all recharged. For there was much joy.

Summary: It was awesome. Traffic was hideous. I love Sarah because she rules. Jeff is unbelievably awesome as a friend and pet-sitter. And I am much relaxed.

Friday. Sarah and I both sent approximately 5,000 emails to each other, doing a minute by minute countdown. I finished my draft of the case study and sent it off to my boss and scuttled off after giving Jeff a hug and much gratitude for taking care of Hobbsie (more on this later, because omfg).

I picked up Sarah outside her downtown office. And we were in such vacation mode, we didn't even care that downtown traffic blew goats. We made a quick pit stop for gas and then set off for the Kingston Ferry. We'd decided to avoid I-5 and took Aurora all the way up. And my god, the traffic. It was surreal. We were prepared for bad traffic, but still. Thank god for fun CDs. There was much singing and bellowing of Barenaked Ladies lyrics. We got to the Kingston Ferry where, to our dismay, the notice board informed us we had a 2-hour wait. Ouchie. We inched our way up the shoulder, sighing with relief every time we made it to a shady patch, because there was much hideous, unforgiving sunlight. We were stuck for the longest time behind someone with a license plate holder reading, "The Dude Abides." Which fascinated us, because ... abides what? By what? By whom? It became the weekend catchphrase.

The ferry was late, so it took even longer. We talked to the nice people at Sequim Rentals and let them know we were going to be even later than planned. We didn't even set sail until 8pm. We were starving, but there wasn't much we could do. FOUR HOURS TO GET OUT OF SEATTLE. Jesus. Anyhow. We drove to the boonies where these nice people lived and finally exchanged paperwork and got the key. It was very late, and very dark at this point. We stopped at The Riptide Tavern, the only place still open at 10:30 and had some of the worst food ever. But it didn't matter. We were so freaking starving, we were just glad to get anything. On our way to the house, Sarah spotted a QFC and we did some shopping for breakfast. Then a confusing drive in the dark, where Sarah kept patiently coaxing me to go above 35mph on the curvy, pitch-black highway. My eyesight takes a hit in the dark and I just hate driving on unfamiliar roads at night. Eventually, after getting turned around a few times, we found the place.

Right on the edge of the water, it was very promising, and we were eager to see it the next day in the light. The cottage, a detached part of this very nice couple's home, was beyond adorable. We stayed at the Chinook Cottage and it was adorable, perfect for our humble needs. It's a one bedroom unit with a sleeper sofa in the living room, complete with a small kitchen, bathroom, and dining room. The owners clearly care about this place. It was immaculate and charming, without being horrifically kitschy, which is what we'd both sort of expected. Much happiness!

I meant to take more pictures of the place, but you can see it on the Sequim Rentals Chinook website.

We stayed up till 3am play scrabble and watching Aladdin (which we both love somewhat hysterically and pretty much quoted the entire way through). Eventually we clambered off to bed and then came the sleeping in. I don't think we got up until 12:30-1pm the next day. It was glorious. Sarah is hilarious when she wakes up. I often wake up perky, which I recognize is a repulsive trait, so I try to tone it down. Sarah is very confused at waking up. And sits up, peers around and blinks. She communicates with very slow head shakes and bobs. If I didn't think she would kill me, I would video record it and share it with the world.

Sarah showered while I made pancakes and we feasted with Jeff's plum jam (which is the most amazing concoction ever, he should sell it and retire). And then? We went out! It was gorgeous. The house sits at the edge of the water, and there's a pond and just...gorgeous.

Sarah made tea and we sat at the edge of the garden and read our books and chatted, with Sarah reading me funny excerpts from Harper's Weekly. I was just telling Sarah that the guest book inside had a number of entries where other guests had sighted eagles. And literally, as I said this, a bald eagle flew over head. It was... startling, but freaking COOL. We met the owner who was out and about. A very, very nice guy. We chatted briefly, but mostly he left us alone. We walked down to the water and it was exciting and pretty.

It was also now like 3pm. So we hopped in the car and drove to downtown Sequim and bought fixin's for dinner. We planned on grilling some meat, baking potatoes (in the microwave, because the kitchen didn't have an oven) and some mac n cheese. But we couldn't figure out the grill (turns out the igniter was busted and the nice guy helped us out with it later on) but we were starving so we had some wheat thins with exceptionally good Vermont white cheddar. And our baked potatoes. And our mac n cheese. And then we were full. We played Trivial Pursuit outside, for hours. The owners had these adorable kitties who kept us company (they were SOGODDAMNCUTEOMFG).

We walked around the grounds a bit, picked some berries from their strawberry patch (best berries, ever) and played some more Trivial Pursuit. Eventually we grilled the meat and it was really, really good. Just some steak with salt/pepper/garlic powder. Bizarrely spectacular. We also grilled some chicken kebabs which we were entirely too full to eat. We both felt bad, because we were worried about wasting them. Also, there was chocolate cream pie (yeah, my diet went to hell this weekend, gah). We continued with Trivial Pursuit and watched both Chicken Run and Charlotte's Web.

Once it was nice and dark, we went outside to sprawl underneath the stars. Sarah pointed out various constellations and planets for me and there were so many shooting stars. It was ...so peaceful and beautiful. We spoke in hushed voices and just marveled at how different the sky looked from the city. I love moments like this with Sarah because I never feel dumb being awestruck about the beauty of things like this with her. The way the trees were outlined against the sky... the lapping water the only sound we could hear. It was a moonless night and the stars were so intense. We'd turned off every light in the cottage so there was nothing but the dark, dark blue sky and a zillion bright spots. It sounds cheesy, but it really was magical.

But it was also freezing, so we eventually had to go in. Sequim was a lot cooler than I'd planned for. My wardrobe choices were largely thin tee-shirts and a zippered hoodie.

We talked for a bit and I fell asleep on the couch, until Sarah's voice quietly singsonging, "Caaaaaaaat" permeated the weird dream I was having and we realized it was time to go to bed. We both read for awhile and then there was sleep, blissful sleep.

We got up around 10 this morning and started putting things away. The cold chicken made a surprisingly good breakfast (as did forkfuls of the chocolate cream pie, hee). We chatted with the owners again while packing up the car. Final pets to the kitties (sooooocuuuuuuute) and we set out for Port Townsend. Where I went insane at a pottery shop and bought a very cute bowl and plate and resisted buying more because my kitchen already can't hold all my shit (WAH). I did get their card so I can go back for more another time. We wandered around, I dragged Sarah into quilt/yarn stores (she was very patient). And we had lunch at the Silver Water Cafe, which was as charming as Jeff had promised. Sarah laughed at me, saying she wishes she could send a clip to 25 year old me, saying: "You're wearing pink, cooing over pottery, and driving under the speed limit." (At which there was much indignant squawking from me.)

We moved on from Port Townsend to Chimacum and The Chimacum Cafe where they have the best pie in the universe. I had banana cream, Sarah had Dutch apple, and omg it was good pie.

We were ready for home at this point. And wanting very much to be beamed back to Seattle. But that didn't happen. Terrified of the ferry lines (an hour wait this time), we decided to drive around. Can I just say how much I hate Tacoma and the traffic on the 16? It was hideous. HIDEOUS. We reached I-5, and it still wasn't better, so Sarah navigated us to the 99, which was much better because cars were actually moving forward. It took SO LONG to get home. We were giddy toward the end of it. I thought I was never going to see Seattle again, but there it was, eventually, out in the distance. Home, sweet home.

I dropped Sarah off in Queen Anne and drove to Ballard. Where my babycat Hobbes was the recipient of much fawning adoration.

Jeff. My god. He is... there are no words for how awesome he is. There really aren't. Before I left, I'd warned him that there had been an unpleasant incident in the bathroom involving a demonic bottle of shampoo. The bottle had leaked and pooled off the edge of the tub, next to the litter pan, contained only by two litter containers. I told him not to disturb the litter containers, and there was a usable one outside the bathroom. And also, I apologized that I forgot to toss the kitchen trash. None of these things would have been in his way, but I wished I'd left him a cleaner place. But.. but.. he...um...

HE CLEANED MY BATHROOM FLOOR!!!!

I had just come in and was merrily peeing when I looked down to see a spotless floor. No shampoo. I can't believe it. I mean, my GOD, there's friendship, and he is one of my very best friends, but ... GOOD LORD. He also tossed the trash and fixed the kitty water filter that was dried out, emptied, and unplugged. Are we still canonizing saints? Because I would wear a St. Jeff medallion. Isn't he amazing? I mean, all my Jeff-cooing... it's not hyperbole, folks.

It's funny, because I'd been dreading cleaning up that sticky gooey mess so much. It was such a... seriously...JOY to come home and find that not hanging over my head anymore. Jeff? I love you. You are awesome. Thank you so so so much.

I sat down to watch tv and chill with Hobbsie when Sarah called to say she'd forgotten some books in my car and had to have them NOW. Which was fine with me. And she came over! (You can never have enough Sarah, really.) We ordered some sandwiches and played Scrabble (whee!) and watched Steel Magnolias, another movie we can quote (and do) from start to finish.

It was really lovely. Because we were both in that post vacation zone of not wanting to do anything, but not wanting to do nothing. And as Sarah is one of my very best friends, I'm always gleeful when I get more time with her, even if we have just spent the weekend together.

It was such a wonderful weekend. So stress-free and glorious. I was telling Jeff the other day that one of my favorite things about Sarah is that I can make her fall over laughing. I mean, I know that sounds vain, but ... it makes me feel like a comic genius, which I mean, I'm not. I'm silly and fairly inane, but it apparently works for Sarah. Who is a pretty quiet, dignified, and contained creature. But I get to be the spaz that makes her spit out her drink laughing. Which makes me feel so goddamn hilarious. Also, we're both incredibly impatient people who have a remarkable amount of patience for each other. And while I am unstoppably loquacious to her quiet monosyllabism... she is one of my favorite people to be around. Weekends like this really make me stop and marvel at how amazing it is to have the friends I do. It's so amazing to have friends who've known you for so long, they can see how you're exactly the same, and how freakishly different you've become. Who can know you better than you know yourself.

Friendships, really great friendships, are kind of magical.

What a fabulous weekend.

And now, holy shit I must go to sleep. Because a busy work week is about to start and non-stop training until August 20th. (After which I will fall down on my couch and never, ever move again.)