moments of bliss

Sometimes when my mind drifts in circles as I lay on the couch or wash my hair or walk the dog or smell a flower...
I think of certain times that were absolutely blissful.

Last night I was laying in bed.  It was 9:00 and I was going to sleep until 11 when I was due to meet some friends at a bar for a solid night of drinks and dancing.

I started remembering a time when I was alone at my house in California, wind and rain against windows and I was wishing it would stop so I could ride my bike to Alex's and I remember I didn't have socks on.  I was making tea, boiling water in a green kettle that had long lost it's whistle and had been in my life for as long as I can remember.  As the water boiled I went for a mug, but there were none.  The kitchen was clean because I was living with Bethany, and it too was without any mugs.  Checked the living room, piano room, front porch, back porch.  For all we drink, it was remarkable to not find a single one.  I rounded the hall and climbed the stairs to my bedroom.  Ah, thought I.  The small table next to my bed had probably 5 mugs, 3 wine glasses and a few more cups. I grabbed the mugs, and before I went back down the hall peaked into the room where Lauren and Taylor slept.  I found there a collection of ten or so various items of drinking ware.  So I made some trips. Carried mine, then theirs.  On my second trip down, I figured, eh, since I am doing this, might as well see what Daniel has stocked up.  And he did.  Mostly water glasses, which I stacked precariously on my journey downstairs.  They clattered and shifted as I set the load on the counter, and looked down at the array of glasses, now more than 20.  The water was boiling, and would have been whistling if it had a whistle to whistle.  For a second I reflected on that whistle.  I think it had melted off or something.  I can't remember the exact story.  Maybe it was behind the oven with the cobwebs.  I'll never know. 

I set those glasses down, turned around and went into Spencer and Bethany's room.  And I just had to smile to think of those lovers that I love so well sharing that space as I collected 7 or so cups and made my way back to the kitchen.

And after the dishes were done, my tea was poured, I sat down on the kitchen floor, mug in hand, sipping tea and eating a cold artichoke.

And I was boiling over with love for my roommates.  If I had had a whistle, it surely would have blown pink clouds of gushy hearts and the like.  Davie D came in and sat on a stool and had some artichoke and I poured him a cup of tea and told him of the mugs and he said something like "yes you sure are slobs" and I said something like "slobs but we are all slobs and I love them for it for their glass hoarding tendencies and messy beds wet towels on the floor and it all."         

And maybe I was thinking too poetically but it seemed to me that in every one of those mugs there was a little story and most of the times that story was of us.  Cold mornings drinking tea, nights of wine at the bedside, bottles of whiskey poured into glasses, of Bethany bringing Spencer coffee in bed, of Lauren bringing me wine after a shower, of beer with Daniel, Lauren and I laying together in my blue room.  It's too sentimental now, but then and there on the floor with that mug in my hand listening to the rain and chatting with Dave I felt as blissful as could be.

I am thinking there will be more blissful posts to come.  A trend perhaps. 

And, my birthday.  9:30am, Greg and Abbey are still sleeping off last night but I couldn't sleep last night.  This village we live in is turning wild, with tourists and noise.  I danced until 3, my best partner a 50 year old English man who really did have moves.  The night went on with perfect timing the right songs and new faces French American Australian English Greek.  In the afternoon on my first day of my 23rd year and I've been on a bike ride jaunt, tried to help make flowers grow and am now drinking a Mythos as Greg makes spaghetti sauce, smelling boiling tomatoes garlic spices and our house is really quite warm and homey.  And a thunder storm in the night, lightning like I've never seen, the thunder rattled our windows as we stayed inside with cake, whiskey and blankets, the three of us and the end to a very good day.

And an even better year.