Our First Holiday
So this is where I get to tell you a very long and involved story about how we went on holidays, and the events leading up to same that made me a a very cranky little camper, a very ill little camper, and a very happy little camper in turn.
So the story starts about a fortnight ago, when GM's (and that stands for Gorgeous Man, for those of you who have just joined us, or who have lamentably poor memories... not looking at anyone in particular CK) sister came to stay on the farm for a couple of days.
She held a bbq, to which I was duly invited, and attended. It was a lively affair, and as I had used my powers of observation at prior bbq-type-events, I arrived with an arm full of beverages, and an attitude that would facilitate frivolity. We ate, and were all sitting about outside chatting, the children (18 years and under) having already removed themselves to GM's house to become putrid.
So as we were sitting around in this circle of grownups, GM to my left, his mate (whom we met here featuring as the man who had just gotten engaged) and then others, but they arent' important to the story, so you can just imagine them as you will. Anywho, the mate, who I think we shall call Cricket, for reasons which will shortly become apparent, says to my GM, "So are we going to the one-day test this year GM?"
"When is it?" says GM.
"On the 11th"
"Oh, we're on holidays then..." says GM, and I'm sitting beside him thinking, oh good. He's remembered that we're going to be away together on our very first holiday ever, and...
"Which means I'll already be in Melbourne. I can meet you there. Yeah, no worries."
What. The. HELL????? THATS MY HOLIDAY!!!!
"Cool", says Cricket "And can I get a ride home with you then?"
NO. FREAKING. WAY.
"Sure, theres room in the car." says GM. He then turned to me and said "Thats alright isn't it darl? You can just hang out with my sister or something." It wasn't really a question.
OK, so for a start, what can I say in a situation of that sort, when I'm going to look like a freaking bitch for the second time in a row in front of his best mate Cricket. So I just made a noise that he took as assent, and went inside before I tore his head from his lovely shoulders and shoved it fair up his jaxie. Thats a pretty crappy thing to do to a person.
So that made me a very UNHAPPY camper, as our holiday was in my eyes foiled at the outset by the inconsiderate nature of this exchange. However, in the spirit of the evening, I decided to let it go, take a deep deep breath and keep my cool.
I was sitting indoors when GM's sister came in with GM and said, we're going to head down to GM's, would you like to come? Sure I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. We chatted with GM's mum for a while, with GM hovering over us. After a short and rather heated discussion over who was going to drive, (I won) we headed down to the party.
At this point, I'd had a couple of Cruisers over a period of about 4 hours. GM was fairly... cheerful, as were the rest of the crew. For reasons known only to the God's of Party, GM's sister, his little brothers girlfriend and I were sitting on his little brothers bed having a conversation about things many and varied. GM came in, and after various in's and outs of various people, we found ourselves alone in the bedroom.
So obviously we were pashing on, and then GM say's "lets do it, right here, right now" I'm like, no. Thats just wrong. A) There is a party going on around us. B) This is your brothers bed. C) There are no locks on the doors. D) I'm not the kind of girl who has sex on other peoples beds in the middle of parties. Would you want me to be the kind of girl who would do that?
And he said yes. I would love it if you were the kind of girl who would go for it in the middle of a party with me, right here on my brothers bed, with my sisters just outside the door, take some risks, and...
And at that point I got up and left the bedroom with my Cranky Pants very firmly hugging my recently fondled bottom. Seriously. Asshole. Thing. To. Say.
(And I know that I have been very reticent about my... activities... lately, but take it on the very best of authorities that I am no prude. I'm a willing participant in all sorts of shinanigans, and to say something like that is just horrid and all round bastardly. I think not wanting to do it there and then displays a boundary that most people would understand and respect. Opinions welcome.)
So I went to my bag, wherein I had secreted a six pack of Cowboy shots. I had intended to share these with GM's sister, however, I was freaking livid. GM's sisters fiance pulled me aside, and up onto the pool table to play some cards with him. He asked what the matter was, and I told him what GM had said. And took a shot.
He didn't say that. Yes he did. (Takes a shot.)
He didn't mean it then. He meant it. (Takes a shot.)
He must have been kidding. Not. Funny. (Takes a shot.)
Then GM's sister arrived, and said, "Did he really just say that to you, what he just told me that he said?"
"If he told you that he'd rather that I was a complete slut who would go him on his brothers bed in the middle of a party, then yes. Have a shot." And we both had a shot.
I had been very gaily throwing the empty shot glasses over my shoulder up to this point, and now, finding my hand empty, it seemed a good time to help myself to a huge glass of the cheap Chardonnay that was in the fridge. Goon, I believe they called it. Goon. How the mighty have fallen.
So the rest of the night was pretty good. I danced with GM's sisters fiance on the pool table and we played snap. He's a pretty insightful guy, and we had an awesome conversation about being cool, and not cool, and fitting in and accepting people as they are. GM occasionally came past and I would give him a fouly and carry on doing whatever I was doing... suffice to say he got the hint. Plus his sister gave him an absolute earful about being a dickhead. He did apologise. Several times, which I did not accept. Make the man suffer for that one, don't you agree?
We went to bed about 4am, and at 6.30am I started throwing up. I didn't stop until 9pm that night. I think I have clearly established now that I am not a drinker. I shouldn't drink, it doesn't agree with me. Also established, that Goon and Cowboy Shots are the work of the devil. I'm a three glasses of a nice wine over dinner kind of girl, not a five-shots-in-a-row-with-a-couple-of-big-glasses-of-bad-wine-as-a-chaser kind of girl. I do not like trying to vomit up my toenails.
We made up, GM and I the next day, and all was well again. Then it was time to go on holidays.
Holidays with GM was an experience, there is no doubt about it.
We stayed at his families holiday house on the coast, two blocks from the beach, and it was lovely. Nicky had an absolutely wonderful time, making sandcastles, swimming, digging enormous holes, playing softball with GM, and being told tall tales of all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures. GM had a selection of books from his childhood at the house, and we spent much time reading to Nicky, playing games and just mucking about together.
The best times happened at odd moments for me. When we were sitting in the car, and he would reach over and take my hand. When he would walk up behind me at the house, put his arms around me and tell me that he loves me. But especially when we really got to talk. I told him how hurt I was about the Cricket thing, and he didn't end up going (not because I was upset, but because Cricket didn't call him) so we had a talk about respect and not breaking plans. We also had a talk late one night about how we feel about one another. Well, actually, I told him how I felt about him, and how wonderful I think he is, and he said, and I love you too darlin'.
And then I told him that I love him even though he is completely shit at telling me how he feels about me, and although it would kill him to say that I look nice, or anything else...
And he rolled over, looked at me and said "Darlin', I love you with all my heart, you know that."
"I know you love me, but I like to hear you say it. I don't know how you're feeling most of the time, cos you don't talk to me."
"I'm sorry hon. You've made me so happy. Before you came into my life I was going nowhere, nothing to look forward to, I didn't care. And then I had the accident, and you came along, and now life's great."
"Because of the accident?"
"Because of you Sass. The last five months have been the happiest months of my life. I love you. I know I'm shit and I don't tell you enough how much I love you, but I do."
Viola, the nicest thing said to me in recent memory.
As his sister has forcefully pointed out on a number of occasions now, he has no idea. Anyone who's been reading this should have a fairly clear idea of that. He does stupid things, say's hurtful things, and occasionally acts like a complete asshole. I often wonder why no-one out there has suggested that I ditch him - lord knows that I did seriously consider it a while ago, and at the party when he said that to me at the party. But most of the time he's really wonderful, and I'm happy 99% of the time with his behaviour and treatment of me... the other 1% I blog about!!
However, I do have to say that whenever we have a post-mortem of a problem situation, he does change his behaviour. I spoke to him about the drinking, and he hasn't done it since. I spoke to him about the driving whilst drunk, and he hasn't done that since either. And since the above conversation about talking to me about how he feels, he's been wonderful at telling me that he loves me, thinks I'm awesome, etc.
As over the whole idea of having to train the boy I am, I am in fact, training the boy. God help him.
And I'm spent. I hope everyone else is enjoying their new year?
