Sunday, September 17, 2006

Weekend update

In a word: restorative.

K picked me up at the office where I had been working late Friday night. Went back to her place, ate the amazing roast pork loin and vegetables dinner she had made that night after her yoga class, shared a few beers, snuggled on the couch, looked at my Burning Man photos, and then ended up in bed.

Saturday morning, after some sweaty morning sex, she got up and made French toast, which was amazing, while I dashed though the shower. We ate. She showered. I crawled back in bed, and feel asleep. I woke up long enough to notice that she came in and joined me to nap. And then I woke up and it was the middle of the afternoon, K had dressed and done a few dozen things around her place, letting me sleep the whole time. She noted that she had tried to be quiet, made noise anyway, and that I didn't flinch. She knew I needed to sleep.

She knew I wanted to do another 20 min test piece on the erg on Saturday, so we headed off to Marin to get me to the boat house. But not before I dealt with a rat carcass her cat had delivered to her deck. I must earn my keep as the straight man. She came along to the boat house because she likes my company, likes to see me being athletic (sweat & muscles turn her on. Maybe not the sweat), and to do her own workout. She brought the yoga mat she keeps at my place, and did her practice behind me, out of my view, while I hammered away on the erg.

I improved on my pace from the last 20 min piece of Sept 5, down to 1:48.8/ 500m pace. Still far from my best, but just about where I was last year at this time. I snooped on some of my competition's log cards, and none had done their pieces yet. So I may do well to make the first draft of our 8+ for Head of the Charles.

Back to my place, afterwards, both of us feeling physically energized. She worked on her laptop on things she needed to do. And she kept me company. She sat on the toilet (not using it, just for a seat) while I cut my hair in the bathroom. She inspected, helped tidy up spots that I missed. She stayed there while I showered, and we chatted through the shower curtain about her project while she edited powerpoint.

Then it was my turn to cook, and I DJ'd MP3's off my desktop at home while she cranked out powerpoint slides and I cranked out dinner. Every time walked past her from the kitchen to skip a music track, I stole a kiss.

I cooked and cleaned (a little) and she worked. My dinner came out exactly as I intended. Well, the tomato rice could have been better. But the roasted chicken (I made it two different ways, same oven) and roasted sweet potatoes with sage and blue cheese were spot on.

Sunday morning, once our empty stomachs motivated us to get out of bed, we left my place in search of donuts, and then hit the Marin Farmer's market, which is full of hippy wonderfulness, and fruit. It was warm, and I swore that, once home, I was taking off my jeans immediately.

Arrived back at my place, which was cooler than the warming outdoors. K cornered me in the hall, and helped me out of my clothes which were "too hot" and we ended up in bed again, which lead to napping.

K had to head to the city to tend to more work matters, so I left with her to go to the boat house and do 3 x (20' on, 3' off). I went faster than I have since my injury, managing 1:55/ 500m for all of them, at very moderate heart rates (high 160's on average). Very successful.

And what do I think?

I'm not going to fight happiness. K is so many of the things I had been looking for. She wants to participate in my life. She doesn't merely tolerate my athletics, she supports and admires it. She doesn't just leave me there to erg on my own, she hangs out and has her own athletic stuff to do, too. She likes great food. She lusts after me, body and soul. She treats me with kindness and gentleness and adoration. She's a great laugh. She doesn't care to change me. Her sex drive may actually exceed mine. She's a brunette. She exposes me to new things, but gives me the time I need to adapt to them.

Both of us, as previously married people, can slip into "let's pretend we're married" mode and just have a comfortable at home weekend. It feels good.

So I'm not going to stress about who I'm not dating right now. Screw it. Right now, Things with K are working for me.