My Fourth Polyamory Gathering Trip (Part 1)
Wednesday, April 13th 2016, we drove east from Silverstag Eco Hamlet to Rooster's home, where Oryx had been living for the last two years.
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"Looks like suburbia," Hibiscus said as we entered Rooster's neighborhood.
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"Yup," I agreed from the passenger seat. Behind me, the backseat was two-thirds filled with luggage, and one third filled with Paladin. The trunk contained our suitcases and my giant cooler full of food.
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Hibiscus parked his car behind Oryx's and we carried some of our things up to Rooster's door. I came in without knocking. Oryx was there in the living area. She got up quickly and came over to us. I set down my things and embraced her.
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I didn't feel stiff or triggered as I had the last time I'd seen her, nine months ago (July 2015). I had felt like a wooden doll, hugging her because I couldn't not hug her back in July. Now I hugged her with real empathy, with genuine desire to reconnect.
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Hibiscus hugged her. They introduced themselves. Paladin and Oryx hugged. Oryx began to tell us about the cat of the house, and other things we should be aware of. I unpacked our cooler into the basement refrigerator while Paladin and Hibiscus unloaded the car.
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This was the beginning to our trip east for the polyamory gathering that happened twice a year. We stayed overnight at Rooster's and then went on to the gathering itself. This was the same gathering that Mermaid had first brought Paladin and I to back in April 2013, when I fell for Basket Bear. The gathering where, (my third time going), I'd met Otter, who was the reason Paladin and I had come to Silverstag Eco Hamlet where I met Hibiscus, fell in love with him and moved in.
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The following log is transcribed from a notebook I took with me when traveling to visit Rooster and Oryx and attend the polyamory gathering.
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Wednesday, April 13th 2016
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2:15pm to 6:30pm - The drive (eastward) from Silverstag Eco Hamlet to Rooster's place.
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Felt anxious as the conversation in the car turned to food.
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Felt empathy for Hibiscus as he processed some emotions surrounding food in the backseat. Felt pain (a headache) when going to pee at a gas-station that reeked of chemical fumes.
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Felt joy when peeing at a creek off the side of a parking area. Felt peaceful, amused and pleased as Hibiscus read aloud to me from The book of the Jhereg (by Steven Brust).
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Slept for about thirty minutes on the drive.
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6:30pm to 7:00pm - Oryx gave us a tour. We unloaded.
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7:00pm to 7:45pm - Laid down beside Hibiscus. The darkness, the comfort of his body - I needed this. I felt relieved. Hibiscus slept. I meditated. I felt a little divinity - connection with the all, and my higher self.
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7:45pm to 9:00pm - I left Hibiscus sleeping and came upstairs on my own and joined Oryx, Rooster and Paladin in their conversation. I kept wanting to "stop the left-brain train," but I just got run-over and pulled out of my meditative trance instead. I felt depressed when the divine feeling deserted me.
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9:00pm to 11:30pm - Hibiscus woke and joined us. We played my game of ethical quandaries. Felt peaceful, felt left-brained and meh, felt anxious, felt frustrated, felt sad.
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11:30pm to 12:30am - Laying down beside Hibiscus and speaking with him.
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12:30am to 9:00am - Sleeping beside Hibiscus in Rooster's basement bedroom.
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Click here to read Thursday's log (the day before the polyamory gathering).