6:51 AM: Somebody knows, or knows somebody who knows

So, it's a Saturday afternoon. Mel's napping and I'm sitting by the open screen door enjoying a breeze on the unseasonably warm spring day. It's been over 20 all week, although it's set to plunge back down to 10 or so this coming week. Which is good, I could go for a conventionally cooler spring weather for a few more days.

Point is, I have a bit of time to myself, and this isn't really time for "writing" but I don't necessarily want to sit idle either. Perfect for SWP.

It's been a very busy and full few weeks. Work has gradually come back online so there has been more and more to do. We've seen a lot of the family: the weekend after Mel's birthday we reconvened at Mandarin for a combo birthday lunch for her and Sherlie. I think everyone enjoyed being there again, and Mel staked out the waffle bar to make sure we got some for dessert. Afterwards we realized we hadn't given Sherlie a birthday gift, to our embarrassment. The following weekend was Easter; on Good Friday Mel's parents were going to come over to help us do taxes, but Papa H wasn't feeling well so just Mama H came, which was a nice afternoon. We took down the Christmas lights and had fish and chips for dinner. Saturday we went out to Homesense to get a gift to make it up to Sherlie, which was a big draining slog, but then we went to dinner with mom at Jack Astor's (the process of trying to nail down a reservation somewhere in Burlington on short notice was very trying.) We talked about, you know, stuff and things.

The following day we did Easter, as usual I hid some eggs around but also gave Mel and myself a little bunny bag of treats. I was pleased with myself for not going all out and buying way more chocolate than we could consume (Mel famously loves chocolate but often gets tired of it when we have a big stash.) Then we went to Nonna's for a big lunch. They were playing the Italian radio station and we heard the Italian version of numerous popular songs, including "The Kids Are Alright" by the Who, one of my faves.

On Monday we went grocery shopping together at FreshCo, looking for deals that Mel had found in the flyer. That was going to create a certain amount of mental static and overload but we got through it. Then we tried a new pizza place for dinner, which was nice. I mean the pizza wasn't special but it's been a while since I just had decent neighborhood pizza, and for a good price.

We should probably clamp down on the nights out, but Thursday Mel was craving poutine and the only place we could think to get some was at The Works, so we went down there after her appointment, and had pulled pork poutine plus a burger to share, which was nice. We sat by the window and enjoyed the breeze. It was a fun night out, a good change-up from our usual sitting and watching, where we sat facing one another and talked. I know it sounds a little sad when I say it that way but you've got to understand -- we've been together  for 8 years, and married for three years, including the entire pandemic. We have basically become each other's entire lives; it gets hard to spend every night trying to conjure up something new and magical for the relationship at a certain point, and you shouldn't have to. We simply exist together and that's enough. And it's good. I love it, I want it, but yes, every now and again something different is also good. I don't think she'd disagree.

I have to praise her, you know? If I have to spend my entire life with one other person in the house at all times, I'm glad it's her. She really does have such a joy about her in life, the way she can randomly sing an old song (like "Machinehead" when she heard the word "machine") or pull out a Borat-voice-"My Wife" and just riff with me... that's what I want. That's what I love. It's amazing to be on a wavelength with someone, and contrary to what some may believe, it's not all me changing for her. A lot of her is growing into the role of my partner, too. We've grown into a pretty well-matched pair and if we were to ever part and try to find new partners, it would be weird not just for us but for the poor souls who would have to get caught up in all these years of behavioral development.

So really, it's best that we continue to be married.

Friday night we went to see Unc for pizza and coffee, ostensibly to deliver Sherlie's birthday gift, but she was mostly busy studying and then fell asleep (can't say I blame her.) We talked to Unc about the stuff that's been going on with us, and he was very supportive and insightful, enthusiastic, probably more knowledgeable and understanding than anyone else we've spoken to so far. I feel like it's almost time to talk about it on this blog, because there's no real reason not to, and more and more it's the thing that sort of structures out entire life, so it would be silly to continue to not mention it.

But not yet. Not just yet.

Today, we had Mel's friends Katie and Gina over, from her former work. It was great to see them but it was a little sad because they could only stay for a few hours due to Gina's dog being home alone. So they came all the way out to Burlington from Toronto for just a 3-hour visit that mostly, from what I can gather, consisted of Katie telling a story about a now-former co-worker who was a con artist. And don't get me wrong, it was a fascinating story, I just wish they, and we, could have spent more time together. At one point they were going to stay overnight a few weeks back, but it got pushed, and then became a single afternoon, and then got shortened more. Well, that's adult friendship for you. There was a lot of talk of the next time they'd see each other, which may involve Mel going to the city.

When it seemed like it could be an all-day thing, I imagined I would stay largely out of their hair by taking the time to clean the basement some, but that didn't happen of course. Early in the day my mom messaged me to ask if I would help her get her all-season tires into her car so they could get switched over. I said sure, I'd be over at 1, so I went, and we talked some, and then I did a bit more running around and by the time I got back, it was 2 and nearly time for the girls to leave. So you know, that's how it be sometimes.

After we saw them off, we stopped off for Sushi and watched the latest finale of Love is Blind. Having had a very full, for her, day, Mel went down for a nap, and I'm doing this while some laundry goes. Later we'll have a modest dinner and finish watching BEEF, which we started yesterday at Unc's (after his Netflix stubbornly refused to let us watch LIB there.) All in all, a good time.

It's been good and I'm glad I caught you up on all these happenings relatively succinctly. Taxes with Pap H tomorrow, regular life again Monday.

Keep on rockin

-Scotto