Thanksgiving
I am very thankful for my really good friends. Being in the situation I am in now, you really appreciate those good friends that make the difference between having a place to sleep at night and being on the street. I know there are plenty of friends who are not close by that I could depend on were I living somewhere else, and I am thankful for them, too.
Things have been pretty crazy, including getting a bit unwell, which I hate and want to end now. It's not fun taking different medications hoping one of them will be the one that works and will kill whatever it is that is bothering me. It also didn't help that I have been with my friend Jonathan since I came to Richmond on Friday, and he smokes in his house. Being around cigarette smoke when I'm healthy is not fun, and being around it when I am feeling weak, like I was Friday, is disastrous. I once had a roommate in college who smoked and I was sick for weeks. So I know that that first night in Richmond sent me over the edge from just weak to sick, and I am still trying to get over it.
But I love Jonathan. He's even offered for me to live at his house and take an empty bedroom if I need a place to live, and I love him even more for that. After finding out that I lost my job, he was very upset and seemed on the phone to be taking it harder than I was, which was sweet. His life hasn't exactly been easy for the past year or so, so we can totally relate to each other's problems. And if he could stop smoking in the house, I may just take him up on his offer to live there until such time as I move to wherever I will get my Ph.D. We'll see.
Now Jonathan is sick, and I feel bad about it. Hope he gets well soon.
Wednesday afternoon and night I was at Ilse's family's house in Ginter Park on one of the prettiest streets in Richmond. Her family's holiday tradition includes putting out a big spread of food the night before Thanksgiving to snack on all night long. Not a sit-down meal. It was really fun, and I met some of her family from out of town that were really fun people. The best part was when Mr. Lindbergh, who owns a vintage store in town, brought out bags of clothes he got from someone they refer to as "the bag lady". He went through what she brought and selected the things he would buy from her to put in the store, and then we went through all the rejects to see if we all wanted something, and mainly for the pure entertainment of seeing what clothes she had. It was all over the place in style and such, but I ended up getting a few slinky evening gowns, a skirt, and a mini-sarong. Lovely. Now I just need to find occasions to wear the gowns.
Thanksgiving day I mostly sat at Jonathan's house watching movies all day. He slept most of the day, and then I went to my former teacher's house for dinner. I was there from 5 til 10, and dinner was wonderful as always. This was the third time I did Thanksgiving dinner with her family, and it is always fun. Her son is about to turn 17 and he has really turned out nicely. One of those kids who was chunky as a 14-year-old and has become tall and lean and really good-looking. He looks like a Polynesian Donnie Osmond. And he always makes for great conversation, especially the family dynamic going on as live entertainment.
For now I am at Harvey's house Noopie-sitting and hoping to get better soon. I am sure I will return to Jonathan's house sometime, but I my end up staying at Harvey's for a few more days. We'll see. I hope in the meantime that Jonathan will get well, too.
Things have been pretty crazy, including getting a bit unwell, which I hate and want to end now. It's not fun taking different medications hoping one of them will be the one that works and will kill whatever it is that is bothering me. It also didn't help that I have been with my friend Jonathan since I came to Richmond on Friday, and he smokes in his house. Being around cigarette smoke when I'm healthy is not fun, and being around it when I am feeling weak, like I was Friday, is disastrous. I once had a roommate in college who smoked and I was sick for weeks. So I know that that first night in Richmond sent me over the edge from just weak to sick, and I am still trying to get over it.
But I love Jonathan. He's even offered for me to live at his house and take an empty bedroom if I need a place to live, and I love him even more for that. After finding out that I lost my job, he was very upset and seemed on the phone to be taking it harder than I was, which was sweet. His life hasn't exactly been easy for the past year or so, so we can totally relate to each other's problems. And if he could stop smoking in the house, I may just take him up on his offer to live there until such time as I move to wherever I will get my Ph.D. We'll see.
Now Jonathan is sick, and I feel bad about it. Hope he gets well soon.
Wednesday afternoon and night I was at Ilse's family's house in Ginter Park on one of the prettiest streets in Richmond. Her family's holiday tradition includes putting out a big spread of food the night before Thanksgiving to snack on all night long. Not a sit-down meal. It was really fun, and I met some of her family from out of town that were really fun people. The best part was when Mr. Lindbergh, who owns a vintage store in town, brought out bags of clothes he got from someone they refer to as "the bag lady". He went through what she brought and selected the things he would buy from her to put in the store, and then we went through all the rejects to see if we all wanted something, and mainly for the pure entertainment of seeing what clothes she had. It was all over the place in style and such, but I ended up getting a few slinky evening gowns, a skirt, and a mini-sarong. Lovely. Now I just need to find occasions to wear the gowns.
Thanksgiving day I mostly sat at Jonathan's house watching movies all day. He slept most of the day, and then I went to my former teacher's house for dinner. I was there from 5 til 10, and dinner was wonderful as always. This was the third time I did Thanksgiving dinner with her family, and it is always fun. Her son is about to turn 17 and he has really turned out nicely. One of those kids who was chunky as a 14-year-old and has become tall and lean and really good-looking. He looks like a Polynesian Donnie Osmond. And he always makes for great conversation, especially the family dynamic going on as live entertainment.
For now I am at Harvey's house Noopie-sitting and hoping to get better soon. I am sure I will return to Jonathan's house sometime, but I my end up staying at Harvey's for a few more days. We'll see. I hope in the meantime that Jonathan will get well, too.