totes uh-may-may
This week I got to spend an utterly AMAZING three days hosting my bosom friend Amber (who is blunt and vulgar and wise and squishy) and her delightful daughter, Olivia (who I am convinced is a 30 year old woman in the body of an 8 year old). I'm slowly but surely coming out of the haze of good food, great laughs, and general awesomeness.
Amber and I have known each other for almost 6 years. She was the first friend I made in Port Townsend, outside of the girls I met through work - my first REAL and GENUINE friend in this place. She moved to Seattle a few years ago and across the country to Boston this Summer for schooling. We haven't always been close, geographically or emotionally, but Amber put it well as I drove them back to the ferry; We've been constant voyeurs into one-another's lives the entire time. First through LiveJournal, then through Facebook and our respective blogs, and most recently through Tumblr, we've always had an emotional investment in how the other is getting on in life. I'm not sure I have that with anyone else. I have many online friends who I've known for 10+ years and many friends from my teens who don't live nearby anymore, but the connection between Amber and I is wholly unique and bizarre and lovely. This visit was extra special because it gave us a chance to build on that in person, face to face. In those 3 days we got to hang out more than I think we had in the total time of being friends. It was a gift.
This was meant to happen.
These people are a part of my life and I'm a part of theirs.
One of my favorite things about their stay here was seeing Olivia and Silas hanging out. Back in late 2006 and early 2007, these two played together several times. Oh how I wish I could find pictures! I know a couple exist, but I can't seem to track them down. To see them reunited was overwhelmingly special. I had asked Silas beforehand if he remembered Olivia and even though he didn't, he was excited to see her and get to know her. Once she hopped into the back seat with him his eyes got wide and he told her, "I didn't think I remembered you, but now that I see your face, I TOTALLY know you!" They hadn't seen eachother in almost 5 years.
They weren't always eachother's cup of tea (are friends EVER totally?), but that didn't stop them from having a grand old time exploring and playing and having the most random of adventures.
A non-stop blur of laughing and carrying-on.
On the second night of their visit, our mutual friend, Kitty, came over for dinner and good company. I made my homemade version of KFC Famous Bowls (I finally perfected my gravy!!) and we drank mimosas and watched The Muppet Movie and made videos (you have to watch them, I'm not even kidding. We are utterly ridiculous in them). Oh my christ, it was the best night in the history of nights.
If Amber and Olivia still lived here (and Kitty, for that matter, who is just home from college for Winter break), we'd be doing this a couple of times a month, at the very least. I can guarantee it.
When I got up this morning to a quiet house with half as many people in it, I let out a stereotypically maudlin sigh. I couldn't help it; it was a wonderful visit and altogether FAR too short. I'm so glad we got to make such hilarious memories.
