Single Sally's Stories

making friends is a piece of cake.

singlesallystories — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 07:31:46 +0000

moving in with B is easily one of the best decisions i’ve ever made. i mean, i’m absolutely head over heels for him and we couldn’t be happier. but moving in with him also meant moving to a city i’d never lived in before, which comes with it’s own hardships. for me, it’s always been important to have an amazing group of close friends and honestly, i just don’t have that here. YET. B’s friends’ girlfriends are pretty great, and we hang out often, but i’ve learned from past experiences that girlfriends come and go. B’s guy friends? they aren’t going anywhere.

in the interest of being proactive and really settling in here, i decided to get out and make some friends. i saw an ad a few days ago for a cake decorating class…all skill levels welcome. maybe i should preface this with the fact that i come from a pie family, not a cake family. i can mix up, roll out, and dish up great pie crust all day long. but cakes? that’s a whole different adventure. i mentioned the class to B, and he was pretty excited about it. he comes from a cake family…so having a girl that has mad decorating skills? huge plus.

i showed up a little nervous. i know, i know…super dorky. but it felt like the first day of school. who was i going to sit by? was the instructor going to laugh at my sad looking frosting flowers or mock my lack of fondant knowledge? was the apron i brought (because they told us to bring one) cute? i picked a seat at one of the bakers tables with three other girls. we introduced ourselves and started chatting. class got started and we began. all four of us were horrible. absolutely horrible. but we laughed a lot. the instructor didn’t mock us, but she did shush us a few times. talk about flashbacks to high school. after class we went out for a drink; me, emma, keely and paige. we talked more and laughed more and promised each other we’d show up to cake decorating next week. looks like this could be the start of something…friendly.

one surprise after another.

singlesallystories — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:56:02 +0000

saturday morning B woke me up early. not my kind of early, which happens to be 9 or 10 o’clock. but EARLY early…4am. “Baby, it’s date day…get yourself ready and you can sleep in the car.” after a little tiny bit of moaning and groaning i rolled out of bed and into the shower. when i got out, he was at the door holding a peace offering…a steaming hot cup of coffee. what could i do but smile and accept it. a half hour later we were headed west.

first stop: breakfast at a greasy spoon diner once we got to the city. B knows how much i love diners…especially the super quirky and unique ones. this one was right up my alley.

stop two: early bird cruise to a certain famous island prison. seriously ah. maze. ing. this place has always fascinated me. i’ve read books, seen documentaries, but never gone. until today. i joke with B that secretly i only said yes to moving in with him because it got me so close to this place that i could visit all the time. when we left the island around 1, i made him promise we’d come back soon to do the night tour, as i hear it’s the absolute best!

stop three: a famous record store. music is like my first language and i’m utterly obsessed with it. i’ve been to this place before and could literally wander the aisles for days. we scrounged through the bins of vinyl and found a few of our favorites…always exciting.

stop four: well, i guess this doesn’t really count as a stop, but more of a walk through a super quirky, historical neighborhood that i absolutely love. the rise of amazing movements started here…a whole counter culture calls this place home.

stop five: dinner at a delicious authentic little mexican place. margaritas and tacos. seriously, yum!

stop six: an independent theatre to see a fantastic documentary on punk rock dads. i’ve been subtly dropping hints for a while about this movie, and apparently B got it. maybe it shouldn’t surprise me anymore that he picks up on pretty much everything, but it does. really though, this flick was everything i expected and more. if you haven’t heard of ‘the other f word’, you need to check it out. stat.

we capped off the night with some coffees for our two hour drive back home. i couldn’t have fathomed a more amazing day if i tried. we slept in waaaaaay late the next day, snuggled, and watched football. i’d pretty much call that the perfect weekend.

football and friends.

singlesallystories — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:31:16 +0000

have i mentioned before how much B loves sports? well…he does. a lot. i thought it’d be a great way to meet his friends if we hosted a monday night football party…food and beer and of course, football. i love entertaining, so the idea of cooking up some stuff and having people over got me totally pumped. i also happen to like football, so, double plus.

B invited over his closest buddies (and their girlfriends) and i worked on the menu…i went pretty classic with homemade pizza, a couple of homemade dips for chips, and lots of cold beer.

people rolled in a little before the game started. B introduced me to his friends who are all really really great. the night went so well. it was fun meeting all his guys and i loved getting a chance to meet and talk with their girlfriends…some of whom have been in the group for years and years. added bonus for the night: B won a bet on the game which means fancy date night in the city this weekend!

when we crawled into bed that night, B gave me a deep kiss and said “you are so amazing. a lot of girls would be intimidated meeting all the friends like this, but you were great and they totally loved you. and you know what else, i totally love you too.” i smiled and kissed him…definitely feeling loved laying in his arms.

meet the family.

singlesallystories — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:30:34 +0000

sunday was my first big family event with B, and thank god it went so well because sunday dinners are a weekly tradition. his parents met us at the door and are maybe the sweetest people ever. his mom gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear “welcome to the family”. i also got to meet B’s older brother and sister-in-law and their adorable little girl, as well as B’s little brother. we started the evening, of course, with a delicious dinner. everyone was gathered around the table eating and talking and laughing. god, it feels like i’m telling you the plot of a 50′s television show, but it really was that sweet. you can just feel the close knit-ness of this family. and i love it.

once dinner was all cleaned up we all moved into the living room. B played with his niece and watching it just about melted my heart. while he did that, everyone else just chatted. i, of course, got asked all the typical new girlfriend questions. B’s family told me how much they’d heard about me and how they’d been so excited to meet me. i turned and smiled at B. i had no idea he’d even mentioned me to them.

the evening was a complete success. to be honest, i was completely nervous to go, but everyone was so sweet and welcoming that i felt at home almost instantly. as we drove home, B told me that his dad had told him to hang on to me, and that i was a keeper. funny, because that’s exactly how i feel about B.

home sweet home.

singlesallystories — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:41:42 +0000

what a whirlwind this whole transition has been. B and i had a fantastic time being together in my old city. he was so helpful getting everything packed up. it was nice to have someone there to partake in late night beer and pizza amongst all the cardboard boxes. eventually we got on the road, making a little detour to stop and see my sister’s family, which includes the most incredibly adorable little nephew anyone has probably ever seen. we stayed with them for a few days, taking care of baby nephew while my sister and her husband were at work, then all hanging out in the evenings. seeing B with baby nephew made my heart melt. he was so good with him! and my sister loved meeting B…which, of course, is always a good thing.

we got back on the road, taking turns driving and playing dj. i think road tripping with your significant other is probably one of the best ways to really test your compatibility. we laughed and joked, sang along to the radio, took goofy pictures, stopped at a few “word’s biggest” things, and even got caught in a snowstorm for two days. eventually we made it to his city…to the coast i’ve been longing for since the moment i met B.

we’ve been home for a few days now, unpacking and finding places for all my stuff, meeting his friends and family, and just settling in. it’s amazing falling asleep next to him every night, talking face to face and not just on the phone.

now that i’m here, it’s time to return to real life…which means hitting the job hunt pretty hard, but also enjoying the time i have with my guy. he’s so sweet, trying to talk me out of finding anything too soon, so sure that he can provide for both of us. it’s so sweet, and i know he can, but i’m one of those people that just likes to be busy. when i tell B this, he just laughs and suggests a certain way to keep me busy…one that involves some fun, a little time, and eventually the pitter patter of little feet. whoa. way to soon for that. waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to soon.

mmm. home sweet home.

i never imagined.

singlesallystories — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:08:25 +0000

let me just say…the last few days have been AMAZING. after all this time being apart, finally getting to hold B’s hand and do all those couple-y things together just feels so, so good. we’ve had dinner dates, took walks by the lake, went on a brewery tour, cooked together, saw a movie, and have stayed up way too late every single night and slept in way too late every day. like i said, amazing.

today the work begins. B is helping me pack up my adorable little apartment…once he wakes up that is. i’m so excited to roadtrip with him across the country, to make all those memories, to move in with him, meet his friends and family, and to just start sharing life together. i think i’m still in shock and that the reality of it all hasn’t sunk in yet. i never imagined something so serendipitous would ever happen to me. i never imagined i could ever feel so in love.

surprise of all surprises!

singlesallystories — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:00:08 +0000

i hate being woken up early by my doorbell. so, this morning when i heard it ring at 9:43, i was more than slightly annoyed to have to roll out of bed, throw on some clothes, quickly put my hair up into a messy bun, and answer. even through bleary eyes i could tell it was him.

“hello, beautiful!” B said as he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a deep kiss. “B! what are you doing here?! i thought you weren’t coming until next week!” he explained that he just couldn’t wait…and besides, he was in need of a little vacation anyways. we brought his luggage inside and kissed again before taking our surprise rendezvous to the bedroom. his touch has never felt so good. we stayed cuddled up in bed until well after noon, and then ordered in some lunch. we’ve been kissing and catching up for hours.

he’s laying in my bed right now napping, as i sit at my dining room table writing this. i keep peeking into my room, still in shock that he’s actually here, that it’s his cologne i’m smelling, that it was his lips i kissed just minutes ago.

i think i really may be the luckiest girl in the entire universe.

is this real life?!

singlesallystories — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:41:43 +0000

i’ve always heard people say that everything happens for a reason. this week, i found out the funding for my dream job went up in smoke (thanks so much, american economic downward spiral!). naturally, i was devastated. i tearfully called B (formerly known as the beard) and told him everything. he listened to me blab on about how i was probably going to move back in with my parents while i looked for another job and how i couldn’t believe this was actually happening. when i finished he said, “Sal, move in with me.” silence. did i just hear what i think i just heard? “Sal, i mean it. i love you and i want to start building a life with you.” it took me a second to gather my thoughts. nothing would make me happier than waking up with him every morning, being able to kiss him any time i want, and snuggling in with him at night. “B, i’d love to.”

from there, we started making plans, both of us so excited to finally be in a “normal” relationship. he’s coming to help me pack up and drive the moving truck across the country in a week and a half. what a fun new adventure. i can’t believe it’s all really happening <3

trading sunrises for sunsets.

singlesallystories — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:44:34 +0000

i haven’t been feeling inspired enough to write lately. i sort of feel like i’m in the relationship doldrums. the beard’s been busy starting up a new semester and i’ve been busy stressing over work. phone calls have gotten later and shorter. texts aren’t all that common. i guess that’s one of the hard things about long distance relationships. in between the voice and the words, i’m missing the touch. today was one of those days that i just needed a hug. sadly, his arms can’t cover all the miles between us. someone to let me just cry on their shoulder. sadly, his shoulders aren’t broad enough to cover all that distance.

i need a vacation with sunsets instead of sunrises…i’m feeling a little west coast longing. i just need to be in his arms for a while.

2,158 miles never seemed so far apart.

singlesallystories — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:57:02 +0000

every night i lay in bed on the phone with the beard. every night i wish i was laying in his arms instead. we’re both getting really antsy to see each other, for that first visit since this whole long distance thing began. every time he tries to set a date i sidestep the question and change the subject. i keep thinking about why i’m doing it and today i think i understand. going to see him and knowing i’ll have to leave in just a few short days would just about do me in. yeah, it’s been insanely hard to be away for this long, but actually holding him and then having to let go again…i just don’t think i could do it. and then i think, but what if i just moved there? he’s always bringing it up as an option. but my life is here. my job is here. could i just walk away from it all? i know he’s worth it, but making that kind of life changing decision is really scary.

but the really hard part is…how do i explain all of this to him? how do i tell him i don’t want to come visit if it means having to leave just days after arriving? how do i tell him i’m not ready to upend my life right this second, this month, this year? how do i tell him all this and still make him feel loved and worth it, because he really, really is. i know i can’t keep changing the subject.

2,158 miles never seemed so far apart.