Funny

The eagle has landed
And he brought his much-loved boy companion and his sister with him for the duration. Unagi's kids arrived yesterday morning, fresh off the red-eye from Seattle. I saw them briefly on the ride to work, during which I amazed The Grrl with my rendition of the first verse of The Rubber Ducky Song and horrified Unagi by entertaining The Miniman with a long conversation about dragons and hemmorhoids.

For lunch, we went to Zingerman's with their grandmother (they'd been at Camp Grandma for the past few weeks). Everyone ate something, there were no meltdowns, nothing was broken and there was no vomit. I don't know that I'd have kept my shit in a pile as well as they did given new town, new state, new time zone, overnight flight, and seeing mama for the first time in several weeks.

They are staying with me until Unagi closes on her house early next week, so last night was the first overnight. Alas, there WAS vomit, as well as nightmares, musical beds, singing, screeching, and really annoyed felines, but this morning we all managed to arrive at our destinations bathed and clothed. It's a win!

In which frog makes a scene at her high school reunion
Unagi and I went to my high school reunion this weekend and it was mostly fabulous. I loved reconnecting with old friends, some of whom who've known me since kindergarten, and getting to know some people who I didn't know in high school but with whom I have much in common. Most notably, the Big Lesbianness has drawn some of us together.

I attended a medium-sized high school in a small agricultural city. There were enough out lesbians at the reunion that we had our own table--and there are a handful of others who didn't come to the reunion. I'm sure there are gay men and bisexual people, but I don't know for sure who they are. The woman I thought was out and bi is actually neither. That was a thrilling conversation. Heh.

Anyway, as is the case at these events, there were prizes for various things, including furthest traveled, most kids, most pets, and longest married, which was awarded to a guy who married the day after he graduated from college, so for 16 years.

I walked to the front of the group and let the award-giver know that that wasn't right, that my friends Libby and Pez have been together for EIGHTEEN years and they should get the prize. The award-giver basically ignored me.

But what REALLY pissed me off is that one of the reunion organizers, who herself is an out lesbian, said, "Yeah, but when did they MARRY LEGALLY?"

Really? REALLY?

Michigan
I've introduced Unagi to the wonder that is Calder's chocolate milk. Next up: Michigan lefts.

Light
Tonight, Unagi and I went to a party to celebrate a friend's birthday. The friends hosting (and, indeed, the birthday grrl herself) live a bit out of town. One of them is an amazing gardener and their yard is just spectacular. At some point, some of the kids were outside and one bent down to pick up a small frog, which promptly hopped into her sleeve and up her arm. It was just that sort of gathering, where you expect the unexpected and all of it feels lovely and safe.

As we were leaving, we looked out over the hollow where the garden is and Unagi gasped. "They light up! THEY REALLY LIGHT UP!" She had never seen fireflies before, as they apparently aren't in Seattle. I had no idea--fireflies were just part of the landscape of my childhood. I have no memory of the first time that I saw them, they've just always been there. At an early family reunion on my dad's side, I remember catching them in the ditch along the road that intersects with the one named for my family, carefully keeping them in jars with holes poked in the lids until the end of the evening, when we let them go again.

Our hosts noticed us hanging out there, Unagi totally grooving on the fireflies, and told us that a few years ago, their daughter caught about 40 in a jar and was so sad to discover that they need space and freedom to create the energy that they need to light up.

I suspect that holds true for most of us.