I'm Back

Happy Monday, Shakers! I'm back from my week off (mostly), which was lovely. Iain surprised me with a holiday for my birthday, which was our first vacation in eight years, and I can't even begin to tell you how much we needed it and how recuperative it was. It was a fuck-all holiday, by which I mean we laid around like slugs and did fuck-all for an entire week in a very quiet place. We swam every day,* languidly floating around a pool we had to ourselves because it's the off-season, took some very short strolls, took a very long drive to see Star Trek on a giant screen, spent an afternoon on a boat, and had wonderful meals.

A girl, a boy, happy faces, and a hat.
One afternoon, I was curled up in a big easy chair by a window through which the sun was streaming, in the elevator lobby of our floor, reading my book while Iain was taking a walk along the lake. One of the cleaning crew walked by and I chatted to her for a bit; she told me I looked like a cat sunning itself on its favorite chair, and I laughed and said that's exactly what I felt like.

Anyway, it was a much-needed respite. I am so lucky and grateful to have been given such a lovely gift by my dear Iain, and I am exceedingly thankful to all the contributors who held down the fort in my absence. Thanks also to everyone for all the birthday wishes.

There are a few holiday pix with commentary below the fold, for anyone who's interested.

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* I didn't have a swimsuit, because I'd just given my old one away to Goodwill. Iain bought me one, and I was a little petrified to see what he chose, lol, but he picked the best suit I've ever owned, truly. Since it's always hard for fat girls to find good suits, I wanted to point any Shaker fat girls looking for a good suit in its direction. My size fit perfectly, and, if anything, the sizes run large, so if you're on the cusp, I'd pick a size down.


Iain captured this picture on a morning walk.


I captured this picture of Iain one afternoon.


Iain looking very handsome and windswept on a boat.


Me looking stoned.


Oof! I so wanted to run in and channel Lu-Lu Fishpaw: "I'm gonna get an abortion and I can't WAIT!" As I was standing there taking this picture (before dashing away like a naughty child), I overheard a man bloviating: "Back when I used to be a LIBERAL, I thought every woman had the right to choose, but now I know better." Well. Kudos for honesty, Mr. Asshole.


Me on a boat, looking stoned again. Iain calls this my "Little Edie" picture, even though I'm using a hoodie exactly as it was intended. When I pointed this out, he said, "True, boot ye still look adorably eccentric."


Live bait vending machine. Enough said.