A post in which I have dinner with a friend

I had a lot to think about after the weekend.  Billy seems to be doing well, thank goodness. 

I had sent out an email, reluctantly telling the Kindred that I wouldn't be able to make it to Savannah for the 4th of July gathering.  I know that Jo Ann was very disappointed, but I had finally managed to get across to her why not.  Then Saturday I got a personal email from Lady Beth.   Oy.  I SO hate to disappoint people, particularly since the last time I had seen everyone (at the induction this spring), we had the business meeting kind of hanging over our heads.  The 4th is when the family just relaxes and enjoys each other - it is always such a nice, no-pressure time, which frankly we can all use.  I'm not the only family member who has had a rough time in the last year.  Today I responded to Lady Beth and explained why I couldn't make it.  I had already been through this with Jo Ann, pretty intensely, but it was important to me that she understand why.  My stamina for sitting still is just not what it was, and with month end coming up I would only have been able to stay one full day, which would mean I would be hurting when I got home.  It would be a lot of driving.  Sigh. 

I also had things to think about with Jason, of course.  He made no ceremony of it at all, but Friday night when we were at the shop, he slipped a ring off of his finger and onto mine.  He didn't say anything, just put it on me.  Of course a ring is a piece of jewelery with a lot of cultural freight.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that.  I don't usually wear rings because they bug me, but of course that wasn't the issue.  I had thought about wearing it yesterday, but left it at the house by mistake.  When I realized I didn't have it on, I panicked because I thought I had lost it, but of course I had not.  This morning, I decided I wanted to wear it, so I put it on without over-thinking why (most unusual for yours truly).  It was kind of like having a little piece of Jason with me today.  It made me feel valued.  Cherished.  Taken.  In a good way.  It's hard to describe.  It was kind of nice to think about belonging to someone a bit again.  It was nice to think about him puttin' a ring on it.

Now I rarely notice such things, but I wasn't at work two hours before Larney at work demanded to know where the ring came from and what it meant.  Of course I had no answer for the latter.  But it did reinforce the cultural baggage of a ring.  Which oddly just didn't bother me.

I had my whole evening laid out for tonight.  There were chores I needed to do that I kind of blew off yesterday.  But as quitting time approached I had a text from James inviting me for dinner.  I wanted to see James to check in on him.  Since the break-up with Jeff, I've only seen him once.  He seems to be doing fine.  He's young, gorgeous, charming, and has a good career opportunity he's working on right now, but I though he might want to talk. 

It was good to see James.  He looks fantastic of course.  We went to Papas and Beer for supper and had nachos and talked.  He still sounds good.  We're all growing up (although that little *&^^%$#@!! still got carded for beer).  He sounds like he has his head wrapped around this breakup thing and has made his peace with it.  We had a nice supper, and he drove me home in his new car, which is very nice.  We visited for a while and then he headed on back to Justin's.  It was great to see him, and I feel really good about where he is.  I'm glad for him, and very happy that he's doing so well. 

It was raining (again!) and the satellite was messed up, so I put in an old Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movie and turned in.  Tonight it was Sherlock Holmes in Washington.