I have a special place in my heart for first impressions. I am loving the first couple days getting to know Bruce, and am thus far pleased that it will be just me and him from now until spring. Our introduction began with a visual floor plan analysis, which of course included falling onto the bed, that's a must. The design is charming with an island (more like a peninsula), spacious kitchen, screened-in mudroom, ample deck space outside, with a picnic table. The windows look new - beautiful eyes to the soul - with unblemished screens and they close tightly. I immediately drew the blinds up on all nine of them to let the natural light bathe my experience. Next, all closets and drawers must be explored in order to do a rapid inventory of the kitchenware and gadgets. I found some delightful perks: a citrus juicer, coffee bean grinder, wine corker (though I am attached to the two dollar souvenir corkscrew I bought at a gas station store in Cambria while road tripping with Cameron), loaf pan, spare light bulbs, paper towels, cast iron skillets, and nutmeg. I even found a pocket-sized book titled The Art of the Love Letter, and it is indeed exactly that, as its chapters include the history of love letters, how to write love letters, and love letters from the past. I am unashamed to admit that this little book is right up my alley, and am taking it as a sign that I should never hesitate to write love letters whether I gift them to my hearts keeper or bury them between blank notebook pages to find later. I am far too sentimental to just let those thoughts and feelings evaporate.
There are those key traits you look for in every relationship, and I was disappointed that Bruce was lacking some near-essentials. There was no kettle nor toaster oven, an appliance I've never had until coming to Wawona, but am now hooked on. Bruce is also void of a landline telephone, a rubber spatula, and a functional sound system. There are entire matching sets of silverware and dishware, which I suppose is a desirable asset, but I've grown to find it more charming when there is a hodgepodge of mismatched kitchenware, each piece a special contribution from a very unique donator. That way, it's easy to find a favorite spoon or prefer the way a certain mug warms your palms without burning them. The wine glasses are gigantic, which I suppose would make one feel like he or she is drinking less, but it makes portion control more awkward.
Advancing into the second day with Bruce, I've become aware of his quirks. You start to recognize these odds and ends after spending a night together. It may take a few weeks to learn to accept these things and eventually get to the point of not even noticing them (like the second hand on the clock ticking on your wall right now, how often do you actually listen to the clicks?). Bruce and I are taking to each other well, I am finding his sensitive spots and am learning to work around them. I'm still startled every time the fridge rattles when it shuts off or the furnace growls when it kicks on. There is the slightest incline in the floorboards when entering my room in the back and a brittle spot in the living room carpet where a stain was neglected. The shower door takes an extra umph to shut and the springs in the bed are annoyingly responsive of the most subtle of movements. The portable timer atop the oven rings a half hour after it ceases it's ticking at zero and the microwave beep screams again after two minutes just to remind you that your food or beverage has been sufficiently warmed... then again after two more minutes... and again in two more. I don't know how much endurance it has because I couldn't stand it anymore, and removed my mug of coffee before it could nag me again.
Best of all, when the lights go out, he nurtures me with the cloudless night sky, or something close enough, as hundreds of green stars glow on the ceiling above me to remind me that I am in the best of all places.
I think Bruce and I will get along just swell. In time, I will expose him to pieces of my life by adorning him with all the decor I like, and I'll find a place in his heart where I feel the coziest. I'll introduce him to my friends and I'm sure they will approve. My parents might worry, especially at the beginning of our time together, but they will find that he keeps me safe and isn't too needy. I may even begin to fall in love and become attached. He will surely miss me too because I will treat him right, but I can't stay here forever, so we'll go out separate ways.
