Pri-Diddy is coming back sooner than I thought, and she’s not actually moving to Seattle that long. It’s more like a sabbatical. She’s going to spend a few months in Seattle, then Eugene, then San Francisco, then Colombia (where Elena is from). She’s keeping her job, doing some work remotely and if the money runs out, can come home and pick up where she left off. It’s one of the coolest, craziest plans I’ve ever heard, and I’m really excited for her. She said, “I even get to stay in a yurt.” I said, “in Eugene?,” barely containing my laughter. Because of course if you’re going to Eugene, you’re going to stay in a yurt. I also came up with a new nickname for her, because she wants to run on the track at U of Oregon……… wait for it…….
Pri-fontaine.
So my little guru is headed for an entire tour of the Pacific Northwest, including the hippiest place on earth.™ Although you really can’t say you’ve been on a complete tour of the Pacific Northwest until you’ve been to Saturday Market in Eugene, complete with potheads singing anti-war songs that look like they’ve been sitting in that exact spot since 1975.
I just told her to be really careful on the trip from Eugene to San Francisco, to make sure she had chains for her car, and to call ahead and make sure the mountain pass is open that day. The first time I drove to Portland from Houston, it was November and the pass was open, but it was in complete whiteout conditions and I couldn’t even see the end of my car. The hood just floated into nowhere. I went 15 miles an hour for what seemed like an entire day… and then when I looked down at the clock after white knuckling the steering wheel, it had been five hours.
Prianka showed me a video of driving in the Himalayas on the Indian side, and I said, “oh, it’s just like that… except with a guardrail… but it doesn’t matter because you can’t see it anyway.” And as I thought about it, it’s not exactly the same. Mt. Shasta’s passages are much, much steeper. So much so that I never had to use gas while driving back down.
The next time I drove the passes, I was astounded at how beautiful they were… like, enough to just want to pull over and build a house. It was summer, so the flora was in its fullest form, and it was finding where God lives (in a yurt, probably).
After that, I became all about the pagan celebrations as well as the Christian ones. I’ve done Solstice and Beltane and all the rest, for thou art the same God…… and if you can finish that sentence, you’re probably an Episcopalian.
Prianka is also going to do some running. Hood to Coast was already full, but there are plenty more, and her trainer is wanting to get her out on steeper terrain to prepare. Good luck, God bless. Come get me when you’re ready to eat chocolate.
All the anxiety and panic I had that Pri was never coming back melted in an instance, because I knew it logically, but I had to sit with her and hear all about her adventures before I knew it emotionally. Pri and Elena eventually want to have children, and they want to be with their families when they do. It’s not forever. It just may seem like it. 😛
Stories That Are All True 