By the time you read this, I will have both gone to a doctor to see about my persistent cough and have gone on my California cruise with RQS. And I'll have much to report when I get back.
I'm not one who is comfortable going to new doctors, dealing with new procedures, etc. when it comes to my health. So, it took a badly abscessed tooth to get me going to a dentist on a regular basis. It took me almost getting pneumonia to start seeing my internist on a regular basis. It took a former girlfriend to get me to see a sleep doctor. And it took a former friend to get me to see a dermatologist (who I should see again soon). As you can guess, I am nervous about going to the Doc in a Box today, and may write another post about it later on.
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Tomorrow, we'll be flying to LA for our cruise. On our one full free day in LA, we intend to see my uncle, and then do a little of the tourist thing. Unfortunately, many of the attractions will close at 5 pm, not giving us enough time to do more than one museum or attraction. But then, I never loved LA. Its sprawl befits the description, "LA is a suburb in search of a city." I prefer to be in a traditional city.
Afterward, we will go on our cruise and stop in San Francisco for a couple of days. In a way, this trip is our way of connecting with family on the West Coast. First, we'll visit the place where I scattered my late wife's ashes. RQS won't mind that, as I was with her when she scattered her husband's ashes. (Of course, we'll spend the better part of the two days in San Francisco doing the typical tourist thing.) Then we will sail off to San Diego, where we'll meet up with RQS's cousin for the day. And all too soon, we'll be home.
It's been hard to identify why I am ambivalent about taking this trip. And now I think I've figured it out. It will likely be the last time I see my uncle while he's alive. It may be the last time I visit San Francisco and go where I scattered my late wife's ashes. It may be the last chance that RQS gets to meet her older cousin. In short, it's a trip with a set of "Lasts" that is giving me a sense of sadness before it begins.
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A while back, FCP criticized me, saying that I had nothing going on in my life. (I take this slightly out of context, as I don't want to rehash old wounds.) I think she'd now say that I have a life of my own. It's far from perfect, but it's my life and I'm living it.
RQS makes me glad that she's in my life. Unlike Ex-GF-M, RQS is willing to try new things when with me. She is willing to get a little lost along the way, and explore what serendipity brings to us. Unlike XGFJ, she's willing to force the issue and make me tell her how I feel. And unlike my relationship with Patty, our relationship is built on solid ground - we both feel secure. It's a shame that it took me almost 25 years to find a relationship that really works for me. But as they say, "you've got to kiss a few frogs before you find a prince(ss)."
