A tad late, but still here!

Disclaimer: Yikes! This post is 6 days late due to some connection issues I've been experiencing lately, meaning I could not post last Wednesday. Alas, I still wrote an entry last week, however, so here it is…

Artist unknown, unfortunately, but it's taken from - what I believe to be - a Robin Williams mural, Folly Beach.

Hello, Wednesday.

It was green tea lemonade in a Starbucks cup for me today. I took a bus Downtown and met my boyfriend, Jonny, for lunch. Well, sort of more ‘brunch’ - which appears to be very popular amongst the people of Charleston.

The days seem to be flying by so swiftly, and, at the start of the week, it occurred to me how little time I have left in the States.

I suppose it’s to be expected.

They do say that “time flies when you’re having fun” and every day with Jonny seems to offer something new, beautifully presented on a porcelain plate, hand-painted with exceeded expectations.

In the last two months we have really grown closer, I believe. Naturally, you might say, seeing as before this trip, we had never spent more than a week together at any one time over the course of our two-year relationship.

I get to wake up next to Jonny every morning, and I get to have softly spoken conversation with him as we’re falling asleep at night.

I’ve learnt how serious he is about brushing your feet before getting into bed, and I’ve learnt just how sensible that action truly is. Gone are the days of wondering how I have pencil sharpenings and random things bobbing about under my sheets.

He’s seen me grumpy, and he’s seen me hyperactive and goofy.

I’ve seen the way he talks to strangers, and I’ve listened to his creative ideas and personal aspirations for the future.

We drink together, clean one another’s dishes and get in each other’s way in the kitchen. We’ve been aggravated at each other on a few occasions, too.

Perhaps that last one doesn’t sound so romantic, but to me, it only represents the comfort we’ve begun to feel in each other’s presence. Although I’ve always been comfortable and at-ease around him, I suppose we’ve never got to that stage of complete openness. I think it’s a positive progression, as we always end up laughing together when we realise how snappy we can get over the most tedious of things.

For example: last night I was having trouble opening a can with our dodgy can opener. Jonny offered to help, which lead to us bickering about how the other one shouldn’t risk getting sliced by the can lid, so we laid down some stern reasons as to why we should do it ourselves. Needless to say, Jonny won, and he opened the can successfully, without being sliced.

But anyway,

Long-distance relationships can be quite tortuous in many ways, yet when you have something so strong that keeps you together, it’s hard not to view it as anything other than a beautiful journey.

Call us crazy, and many have, but I suppose you can’t really understand fully until you’ve been in this situation yourself. I never saw the appeal of dating someone across the planet until I started dating someone across the planet, either but then it still doesn’t make the frequent dose of disapproving looks or sideway sneers any easier to swallow.

Thankfully, our family and friends are nothing but welcoming and supportive of what we have.

We still have no idea how we are going to close the gap with a more permanent arrangement, but the reality of that downside will not defeat our hopes.

The obvious answer is marriage, and yes, we have thought about that. And yes, everyone we know has also thought about that, too, and questioned why we are so reluctant to go down that route.

The answer is quite simple; it’s just not that simple.

Plus, we are hopeless romantics that don’t want our marriage to be an action taken purely just to fool the law and gain ourselves green cards. Picky, I know, but for arguably good reason.

We want to be together forever. We will be. Perhaps not physically together, but romantically so, definitely. If anyone would like to offer up some ideas, please feel free to do so. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

I take that back. Any suggestions, any time, are most welcome. #please #help

I’m currently waiting for Jonny to get out of work as I type away on my keyboard. I’m sat in a public sitting area, soaking up some sunshine. Apologies if my writing style is a little ‘off’ this week. People-watching is something I find myself easily distracted by, and my observations are quite fascinating. I just saw a man attempt to climb a palm tree and nearly fall to his death in the process.

It turns out that closing yourself away at home might just be more inspiring and productive after all. Though, it has given my time to think. It’s given the voice in my head something to say:

“This would all be much more fun with Jonny close by.”

I can’t imagine how I will feel when I’m back in England, 4000 odd miles away, once again. I have a strong idea that the feelings aren’t going to be so pleasant, though.

However, it’s like I’ve always told myself, the little things in life are what we need to cherish. They really are.

Every moment counts.

How lucky I am to have had this opportunity, and how fortunate I am to have someone that I click with so naturally. It’s how many new things I’ve learnt. It’s how I’ve come to notice that, like me, Jonny appreciates the details of life that many miss or willingly choose to dismiss.

One of my favourite memories from this trip has to be when the pair of us caught a glimpse of two male anoles fighting over a lady anole, who honestly seemed disinterested in both of them. When you spot such hidden treasures like that, it’s easy to see how many people just walk on by and lose out on such sights. So if I had to round this up, I would tell you, whomever might be reading this blog, to keep an open mind...and also to approach bushes quietly. You might just catch an anole showdown.

I’m glad that, despite my original views on long distance relationships, I got to know Jonny. He just so happens to be the most wonderful person I’ve ever met and 4000 miles overseas seems more like a little hop across a brook. Just a very expensive hop across a brook.

He’s out of work and coming to pick me up now. I suppose I better wrap this up.

Hmm, wraps. Wraps for dinner perhaps?

10.April.2019

Wednesday