The Longest Yard

I've already written about my move earlier this Fall, and I've been writing about the various little home updates I've been doing since then. What I haven't written about is my new surroundings, and I'll try to do that today.

I live on a corner lot, with no neighbor across the street, a nice, straight driveway (perfect for Jake), and a large, easily-to-scale tree in the back yard. (I had to climb it earlier last month to free an old length of rope that had been forgotten. Well - in fairness - I didn't HAVE to climb it, as the rope wasn't harming anything but I wanted to climb it. It's just one of those trees that says "climb me" so ... yeah ... I did.)

To the right of my driveway is the home of my nearest next door neighbor, who is also my landlord (in name only). She's a very sweet woman who, prior to my moving in, had met me one time, but we've had several conversations since my relocation. She is terribly kind, always offering to lend a hand if I have any problems or questions, even though she has more than enough on her plate already.

To the right of her home is the home of my next next door neighbors. It is because of the residents of this home that I was able to move into MY home. (They essentially "vouched" for me.) I've known two of the members of this family for about 7 months. I'm in love with the third member of the family, and have referred to him here in the past as "the awesome boyfriend".

I do not live with the awesome boyfriend for various reasons, including my desire to establish myself in my own space. We have a quasi-routine which allows for him to basically have two homes and he can be in either one, at his choice ... whichever provides the least amount of stress for all concerned. I do my utmost to respect his decisions on where he spends his free time (which is stretched as it is) and I try very hard to not show disappointment if it makes more sense for him to be elsewhere - the guilt/pressure would be unnecessary and unfair. I do not always succeed not showing that disappointment, but I DO try.

I failed last night. Last night, I looked out my kitchen window and I sighed. He was right there. Right there. And even though the distance between us was no longer than before, even though one could hold their breath and walk from one home to the other, even though I'd been in his arms just a few hours earlier ...

... it really just was the longest yard.




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(I realize that writing about these pangs of longing may, in fact, feel like guilt/pressure to the awesome boyfriend. However, my intent here - at this space - is to express my feelings, experiences, ideas, and observations.)