There's nothing sexier than wholly rediscovering the man you've already pledged to spend your life with.
At the corporate boat cruise, a fistful of alcohol in our bellies mixing with the roast beast and sugar bombs, I took my time wandering back up the stairs from the bathroom (flush toilets ON A BOAT??), paused to hug the facilities manager hello, to chide the CEO for not dancing enough, to tell the Head of Communications not to worry about her son going off to Concordia alone, it had done me a lot of good.
Claudette, the CAO's jamaican DON'TMESSWITHME secretary kissed me on the cheek as I climbed past her. (she spent much of the evening grasping my hand, and here I thought she thought so little of me... but her roughness was all affection)
You could hear "macho macho man" from just about anywhere on the lake, let alone the hidden cravasses of the boat.
What you couldn't hear until you were upon them was the slightly mad cheering, as Patrick lifted his shirt to waggle his belly, as overly prudish Gary allowed DAVE to pull his shirt from his pants.
George, my secret hallway nemesis pulled of HIS shirt and suddenly we were looking at the sort of manbreasts you only get if you're REALLY gay and gym-obsessed, or dependent on steroids for survival.
And then it was Dave's turn to man-dance in the man-circle (on the corporate boat cruise) and one of my girls swooned and another exclaimed "look at him bust a move! He can DANCE".
Something I'd never discovered because techno is hardly conducive to three-four timing.
My beloved can dance. He taught me to twist and polka, and lays claim to the waltz (my favourite form of travel) as well as the hustle, the tango...
...I love the tango...
Pulling into my spot in front of the house I looked at this man who'd already proven himself more than I'd allowed myself to ask for
as he told me he could do something I'd long given up having in a partner in lieu of more important traits.
And tonight we run off to the farthest point in the algonquin, because this beautiful man made the reservations, helped me pack last night, is spending today packing the tents and bags and lamps and wood and on and forth into the car
to pick me up
and take me away into the wild.
I went to the woods, not for the same reasons as Henry David Thoreau. Not in a long time.
I went to the woods to learn how to love. Both humans, as well as the universe.