I have about five posts I’d like to write today. The photo retrospective, one picture from each month, that I’ve done for the past couple years. A year in review post, given that 2019 was packed with travel and adventure and friendship. A post with thoughts about the new year — maybe not quite resolutions, but plans, anyway. Even a decade in review post, given that the 2010s were… well, a busy decade. An intense decade, even. I might regret not writing that one, come 2030 when memories of today are blurry and faded, but if I’ve somehow managed to forget how very, very challenging some of the teens were, I suppose that’s all to the good. I will certainly not forget how incredible some of the teens were, but those years are already beautifully documented. May 2017 for the win, IMO.

Meanwhile, today is New Year’s Day which means it’s time for a best of the month post. December didn’t include much travel: three driveways, spread across central Florida. It did include much food, much music, a lot of games, and wonderful times with people I love. I could pick a dozen moments to be highlights, but I’m going to stick with one.

The morning of the 27th, R came out to the van to see when I was leaving. I offered him a cup of coffee, and we turned the passenger seat around, and he sat in the passenger seat, I sat on my bed, and we chatted while we drank our coffees. Then we walked Zelda all the way around the block, past “the wall of chihuahuas” — four or maybe five chihuahuas, all barking their heads off at Zelda, who was entirely oblivious. We played one more game of Ticket to Ride on the porch, and then I headed off.

What made it such a perfect morning? I think partially it was because we’d already had three days together — the longest amount of time I’ve had with him since the summer of 2018. We’d gotten past the “how are you doing?” and “what are you doing?” conversations and into the zone where you talk about walls of chihuahuas. It felt cozy and easy and.. yeah, just nice. In a month of much good, it’s a moment I want to remember.