Leaving is so exhilarating. Returning, not. Had to get up before dawn to head back to Dogpatch. The boyfriend couldn't get the day off, sadly. Two days away is definitely not enough time to heal the psychic scars of living here.
The trip out was pretty uneventful. About 20 miles out, near Mettler, we discovered we had stowaways... flies.
Stupid flies.
If only they'd lay low they'd be living the good life in Orange County right about now. But instead they had to start buzzing about the car. A quick touch of the window button sucked them out into the oblivion that is Mettler. They're going to wish they'd stayed in Bako. Still, I felt a little bad about it - they obviously worked pretty hard to get into the car and must have wanted to escape this place as much as we do. You know it's bad when even the flies are staging prison breaks.
Thanksgiving was lovely, up to a point. That point was when the Republican wing of the family showed up. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with those people? Evidently the only skill they still possess is clearing a room. Twenty minutes after arriving the conversation went something like this:
"Boy, this sure is unseasonably warm weather we're having..."
"Yeah, and Obama's a Socialist..."
Then somebody brought up Sarah Palin, and it was as if a giant fart had been ripped in the center of the room. After a few moments of awkward silence everyone self-sorted themselves into opposite rooms. In one, the sane, rational, festive people. In the other, the bitter, angry Dittoheads. Thanksgiving dinner was declared non-partisan and went off without a hitch. The Republican malcontents ate and ran. Figures. Probably had to rush home to watch "Red Dawn" on TBS. The rest of the stay was wonderful, but all too brief.
So now I'm all alone with the dogs, here in Bako on Black Friday. Every Friday here is black, trust me. Saturday through Thursday too. Maybe we'll go take a walk and see how the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood are proceeding.
