Ellemental

#1
The VIM and I are leaving from an early Christmas dinner with his family.  As I pull on my coat, his mother gives me a big hug and kiss and whispers (not so quietly) that I should stick around.  Her way of telling me she likes me, I think.  I walk around the corner to see the VIM and Brother-of-VIM giggling like two little school boys, poking fun at their not-so-subtle mom.  “Yeah Elle, Stick.  Around.  Be careful crossing the street.  Watch out for falling rocks.  Don’t get in a fiery blimp crash.  Stick Aroooound.”   I roll my eyes at the boys and decide that I really like the VIM’s family.

#2
My mother proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are closely related when she presents me with my Christmas gifts – a bag filled with all  kinds  of  Philosophy  goodies, slippers, and the perfect pair of pajamas for me, and a bag with two big coffee mugs, Starbucks Holiday Blend coffee, and a gift card for Barnes and Noble with a note that says”Take some time to enjoy some really good coffee and a good book.”  My Mom.  She Knows Me.

#3
The VIM and I are all settled into our rented cabin and take a short walk down to the lake.  It’s a damp, chilly day, and everything looks almost like an old sepia-toned photo.  The lake is perfectly calm.  Not a ripple, and it offers a perfect reflection of the surrounding trees and cloudy sky.  There is no one else around – no noise.  I fully expect a Loch Ness Monster-like creature to pop it’s head up from the cold grey water.

#4
After the Walk.  I step out of the cabin bathroom, freshly showered, in my new perfect pajamas and slippers.  The heavy, warm air in the bathroom smells like my shampoo, and it wafts out into the living room where the VIM is lying asleep in the big comfy chair.  I curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and a magazine.  Every once in a while I look up at the sleeping VIM or look out the glass doors at the little hollow the cabin is built on.  I am a little tired, clean, in love, perfectly content, and almost giddy with the fact that for at least the next 24 hours there is absolutely nowhere else to go, nothing else to do, no other way to feel than I feel right at this moment.  I’m balanced.

#5
There was a little trash talking before the Scrabble game.  I had lost 2 in a row, and quite frankly, was a little concerned that I’d lost the Scrabble magic.  Then I layed down the tiles that brought my confidence back – ZILCH on a Triple Word Score Space.  Oh Yeah, Baby.  I’m back.