Light the red lantern

My fake lesbian Target-loving friend and I had dinner last night. We always joke about how people at Target must think we are a lesbian couple because we shop there together and have kind of couple-like behavior (like we are always on the same page at Target and we buy everything from cute outfits and clearance jeans to cat food and toilet paper. See... lesbians, right?) That coupled with the town we live in makes it funny. (Her husband said that when I move the people at Target will think we've broken up). Anyway, she has a lantern we got on one of our shopping excursions last summer that we had never lit. So last night, post Target, we lit it, had some wine and dinner and sat out on her patio. We are determined to make the most of this time of year, and my last week in this town. My evenings with her (at Target or not) are definitely at the top of the list of things I am going to miss about living here!

It's that time that I have been writing about and thinking about for all these months. One more week here! TMH and I had a fantastic time at the all-important wedding #3, which was beautiful and amazing and such fun. My reading went off without a hitch and I was honored to be part of the day; a friend I have had for 23 years! It was great to see people who have known me for so long in this time of transition. And it was good to see my mother and have a bit of a break with TMH, though of course it went by all too quickly. TMH moves tomorrow (our new place is not even a mile from his current place), and I move next Saturday. I am still trying to tie up all the loose ends at work (they won't let me go!) do dissertation interviews, and get ready to move out. I am selling some of my belongings, which is weird. A very nice couple came by earlier to put down a deposit on my futon (who knew!), which they will pick up tomorrow. So my furniture will start to disappear. I am selling my car, too. Weird. It's all good, though. I am getting excited about the next chapter. It's going to be great for us. So I can look back fondly on my time here and look forward eagerly to the adventures to come. It's all good. But moving sucks no matter what, remember.

Today I went with two other friends (going to miss them so much, too!) to pick up my wedding dress, which now comes equipped with a lovely bustle that is going to be impossible for my girls to figure out. At least the two who were with me now sort of know how it works. I am happy to report that the dress itself fits perfectly. PERFECTLY. So much so that I was worried at my first fitting that I might need to lose a couple of pounds for the dress, and now I realize that because of the way it fits, I really shouldn't lose any. So there. My permission to stay exactly as I am!

In this time of transition and change, of nostalgia and looking forward, it's so nice to think about coming back here to get married.... for so many reasons. In addition to all the joy of the marriage, we'll get the chance to see everyone again and celebrate the specialness of this place.