Today, the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving, is called in the media, “Black Friday,” as one of the top five days for holiday shopping. Contrary to popular belief, this day is not the #1 day for retail sales. The Saturday before Christmas is #1… but I digress. One thing I can promise on Friday — I am not going shopping! Instead, I’ll be basking in a warm glow all day.
I wrote this post before I collapsed into bed last night.
Yes, we did it with lots and lots of people…
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This post appears on the day before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Unlike others, my fiance and I are not traveling over the river and through the woods to grandma’s, or his mother’s, or anywhere else. But we are preparing, once again, to host a huge pot-luck Thanksgiving feast for about 100 of my closest friends. I explain our preparations here, and the actual day here. This year, however, will be a little different.
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This past year has been difficult, with my partner being so ill that almost every day, we could not do very much and I stood by his side, trying to help. Now it is one year after his first frightening symptoms appeared. He is slowly improving, and I am delighted that this past weekend, we had two good days in a row, where we had fun! You read about Saturday, where our “fun” was doing chores around the house, helping friends with grocery shopping, then getting some time for me to go for a ride on my Harley.
Sunday was a great day, too. It began, as we usually begin, with a warm, lazy snuggle while watching dawn break on the trees in the forest behind our house. It never ceases to amaze us how lovely this sight is to behold as the early red color of sunrise transforms to a bright gold contrasted against the dark grey bark of the trees.
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The U.S. national election day is Tuesday, November 6, but many states allow for early voting, which allows voters to cast ballots before election day and hopefully avoid long lines and crowds. I am among those who took advantage of early voting. My partner and I voted last Thursday.
I take pride in the freedoms provided by our country’s long-enduring Constitution, which has allowed for open and free elections for more than 200 years.
In the past, I also was among those who would greet voters at the polls to try to persuade them to vote for a particular candidate or a position on a certain referendum issue. However, after getting badly burned in the 2010 election cycle, I vowed that I would not get involved with politics this year. I have kept my promise (both to myself and my partner). However, I couldn’t back off “cold turkey.” Let me explain…
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Greetings from BHD who is not at home! I have had to travel for a business trip to speak at a conference being held in a U.S. southern state, away from the impact of the monster storm battering my home state (and many states north of me).
I spent Saturday doing some last-minute preparations, but we’re pretty well set. After all, disaster preparedness is my profession. I practice what I preach.
I also visited dozens of my senior pals helping them to get ready. I took 14 of them to the grocery store very early on Saturday, helping them to get non-perishable foods that can keep without refrigeration or heating. And plenty of batteries for flashlights! My senior pals know that candles are the most DANGEROUS thing to use for emergency lighting.
I am glad we went to the store so early, because by mid-day, the store shelves were picked clean.
I am concerned about my partner, who is at home. But he is not alone. Big Sister is staying with him, along with two other senior pals who were afraid to stay in their homes. Our generator is set and ready, provided they have to use it. This storm is HUGE!
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Pardon the interruption of this blog’s usual banter. The safety guy in me has been really, really, I mean, REALLY busy!
Holy crap! Days of sustained high winds and heavy rain are predicted to strike our state soon, with a strong cold front right behind it, which is predicted to drop FEET (meters) of snow west of us (Roland-watch out!)
Our home is prepared, as are the homes of dozens of my senior pals, as well as pantries stocked, batteries ready, trees trimmed, gutters cleaned, outdoor Halloween decorations removed, and much more. I’m tired, but ready!
If this blog “goes on hold” for a while, it’s because the storm caused a disruption of our power and/or internet. But don’t worry about us; we live on high ground and have no reason to venture out into the storm. We will be as safe as we can be, but this thing is frightening to those in my profession.
My partner still remains variably ill, from feeling generally lousy to genuinely awful. He hasn’t been able to go to work for over two weeks now. I feel so badly about having him suffer this way, and let me tell ‘ya, it is very hard to feel so helpless (on both his part and my own.) I have faith that we will get through this. Truly… my faith sometimes is the only thing that keeps me from wallowing in despair.
Because my partner has been so sick, requiring devotion of my time and attention to him and his care above all else, I have had to make adjustments to my role with large events in which I am usually heavily involved and that are held in October and November.
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My partner and I live in a neighborhood in the sprawling Maryland suburbs just north and west of Washington, DC. The residents of our neighborhood reflect a rich diversity of the part of the county where we live. There are people of many nationalities from 12 different countries who have various religious faiths (or none at all), some young families with children, some retirees, and of every race. As far as I know, we are the only gay couple.
We get along well with the neighbors. I often help out our elderly next-door neighbors with various home repair fix-it jobs, and my Korean neighbors on the other side figure out some of the nuances of American life. The disabled neighbors across the street who own nine dogs require a lot of help — so I help to the degree that I can.
I served as President of our Homeowner’s Association for way too long, but was happy to turn over the reigns of that position a few years ago, though I still maintain a hand in Association affairs by serving as webmaster of the Association’s website. (Go figure… me, a webmaster — LOL!)
One may wonder, then, is our life any different from any others? That is, does it matter that we’re gay?
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When I was in grade school, we were always asked to write a composition during our first or second week after returning to school titled, “what I did on my summer vacation.” Man, back in those days, I really did have summer vacations! Not this year….
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I’ve always thought that “they” (you know, the proverbial powers-that-decide-these-things) that weekends and weeks should be reversed. That is, exchange five days off for two, and only work two days instead of five. How’s that?
Man, IF I had five days for a weekend…
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