Who's that stranger on my couch?

He looks familiar. He smells familiar. I have vague recollections of sweet kisses and warm hugs. Wait, is it? Could it be? Is it really Byron?

In the past week we've had to make do with tiny snippets of one another. I was away, he was working, I was working, and now he's going away for the weekend. I miss him.

I think we may have been spoiled. When we first moved in together, he had a surgery and was laid up for weeks. So every day when I came home, he was there. We could spend the afternoon together, have dinner together, relax and enjoy each other's company. Even when he started this new job, and he was in training, we got to spend every evening and weekend together. It's been a tougher slog since the shifts began. There is the ever-loathed 2-10pm shift, of which he works way too many. When I get home, he's gone; when he gets home, I am in bed. And our weekends are rarely our own. But them's the breaks, right?

At work, I signed up for emergency communications. If there is a forest fire, flood, or disaster in BC, I may be called to fly to far-flung parts of the province to be a "public information officer" at a moment's notice. Two weeks ago, the organizer came to our office to give us the heads-up that warm temperatures might cause flooding so be prepared. I went home that night and laughed with Byron that I'll be called out on day one of his days off. Oh the sweet revenge! Last Thursday was day one of his days off and I was called to go to Prince George for a flood. I was gone for 2 and a half days. And when I came home, Byron was just starting four 12-hour shifts. I know I'm going to marry some guy named Byron, I just haven't seen much of him lately.

He has the next two days off, then he's going to Alberta to help his Dad move into a seniors apartment. When I was in Prince George, Byron would call and tell me he was bored and lonely. I cringed at the time, knowing I'll be doing the same this coming weekend. But I have plans.

I want to sleep all I can on Saturday. I want to find a farmer's market. I have to do my weekly cleaning. I want to rent a movie I would love and Byron would hate (he refuses to see Juno). I want to go to Curves. I want to read "A Thousand Spendid Suns" on our newly furnished patio. I will miss Byron and our talks and laughs and kisses. I crave his company and love being in his presence. To re-frame this lonely spell, I keep thinking this... when we get to spend some time together it'll be the sweetest and most fun ever!

See? I polish turds for a living.

Polishingly Yours,
xoxoSallyt