Another Vagabond Weekend...

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  Mine was well spent.  It included a nostalgic walk down memory lane, experiencing something new & exciting, and seeing some very special long-distance friends.  Now Momma Dukes and I are settling down for the night at the Fairfield Inn (go figure, right?) in Tallahassee. 

But back to my super groovy weekend in Birmingham, AL... 
Well, I usually stay at my Sissy’s house when I am in B-ham, but I opted to stay with the newlyweds/future parents since they were the reason I was in town and all.  It was a nice sort of comfort to stay there – it reminded me of the two treacherous years of up and down self-discovery that I spent living with Elena.  As I spent that quality time with these two quality people, I realized that I would not be “me” if I had never known them.

Every time I walked into their apartment something would strike my emotional nerves and send nostalgia running down my spine. The coffee table that I used to sprawl outlines across during my infamous “all-nighters” in college.  The wine glass with a “B” etched in it that I got from one of my best friends on my 21^st birthday was on the shelf – and I thought that must have been in the dishwasher that night in April.  The rest of the set was shattered from heat and painted black with smoke and soot. The pictures of a less chaotic time brought smiles to my face and warmed my soul up. The very presence of Taylor and Elena – it was comforting; it was the life that I knew before all hell broke loose.

It was new and strange at the same, too – not all familiarity.  She had a new last name, a beautiful round pregnant belly, and baby items set in their place to patiently wait for her daughter’s arrival.  It was neat to see a husband and wife that I once knew as two people who had met each other at an Alabama apartment pool and hit it off one random day.  I smiled and I cried but no matter which one I was doing I was always thinking… Dang, 2010 was weird as shit. Pardon my language – but that will ALWAYS be my impression of the year 2010… just plain WEIRD!

But, a good weird… because whether something is weird, bad, unexpected, inconvenient – it can ALWAYS be turned into something GOOD.  That is just the part that is up to us.

Anyway, I really appreciated being around people who have always believed in me, who saw me through some rough times, and who kept me believing that GOOD WILL COME. To see Elena and Taylor make the best of a weird, unexpected, and realistically inconvenient situation only gave me more hope that I can continue to do the same. 

I just love looking at Elena's belly… she's got that pretty Asian skin that doesn't show the stretchmarks, and in general, my gal just GLOWS!

I'll post more photos tomorrow...

I'm sleepy!!!

Peace and Love

BAI