Rock on!

This is, without a doubt, my second most favorite place in the entire world. 

Creating this room - even with the handy idea card from Home Depot - was one of the biggest home improvement challenges I’ve ever faced.  (And I’ve built walls before - framed AND drywalled!)  There was a lot of time spent on this room - sourcing the fabrics, accessories, furniture. I did everything I possibly could to make this room a reality.  I knew that when it was done, I didn’t want to look at it and know I half-assed it.

J went to Ohio to spend Christmas with his mom.  I should have gone, but life being what it is, I opted to stay home, alone, with the dogs.  He barely made it to Ohio - he got stranded in Buffalo on Sunday night.  Then he got into a car accident on Monday just as he crossed the border.  The accident was nothing.  A little fender bender.  Everyone walked away.  Minor damage to the car - not enough for it to be totaled, but enough for a visit to a body shop.  The worst part, for him, was the waiting.  It took the cops over 3 hours to get to the accident to write up the report.  Then it took forever for the tow truck to get there.  He’s not good with waiting.

He’s also not good with the whole talking thing… when he called me again and again and again while waiting for the cops, I knew something was wrong.  By the time I got home on Monday, I was a frazzled mess.  After I had dinner, I headed up to the Hundred Acre Wood.  I even slept there last night.  I spent some time up there tonight while on the phone with a good friend. I will probably sleep in there again tonight.  (Cue the Police’s “The Bed’s Too Big WIthout You”.)

After my seven year exile in Toledo, I knew that Ohio was the most evil place on earth.  A lot of the really bad things that have occurred in my life occurred during my stint as an Ohio resident.  My last trip there sucked, too.  I decided I was NEVER EVER EVER going back. I figured that since my husband was from there (A souvenir, if you will…), he’d be safe.

Nope.  Not so much.

You can be in an excellent relationship, but you never know just how strong it is until something completely f’ed up makes you take a good, hard look at it.  Our first test was when my father died.  I don’t think I would have made it without him.  No, I know I wouldn’t have made it without him.  He’s definitely a huge part of what keeps me sane.  This week, he got to test me.  I think the sweetest words ever uttered by him in our ten years together are “You’re my rock.”  Not “I love you.”  Not “I do.”

I wish he had a place in Ohio like the Hundred Acre Wood where he could hunker down for the rest of his stay and feel safe and snuggly and warm.

As it is, Hundred Acre Wood or not, I won’t be happy until I’m in my most favorite place in the world - his arms.