Fiordalice Mt. Hood/Welches condo

In December 2020, we stayed here together while I worked on the condo. We both went through a bit of a bender on ice cream and Jimmy Dean curosaunts from Grocery Outlet. Jude stayed with us and got a little cold at times. One of my jobs was to add heaters. Poor pup.

A year later we came back for more. We went to a BBQ place Tim recommended and it was amazing. We had 2 drinks, one was a Hot Tody? I remember it being so freaking sweet and milky we could hardly finish it.

We also found this cute food cart with a teepee in the back complete with a fireplace and giant Jenga. It was freezing.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

I stayed later there with Jude to finish the job while you returned to normal life. Missed you.

Date night at Eva Green

We were in our alcohol exploration phase, and I thought it’d be fun to surprise you with an expensive plated meal experience. It was just after lockdown lifted, and one of us forgot our Covid vaccine passport so I ran back to get it so we could be let in.

There was a wine pairing with each course. They were all delicious and we decided to grab a bottle of our favorite wine of the night.

It was packed, but all I saw was you.

And the delicious food.

8 Monthiversary

Early on, we micro-celebrated each month anniversary. For me it was it was a marvel that an angel wanted to associate with me, bright my life with her shining light. I was delighted every moment to feel that you are mine.

On this occasion for 8 months, we enjoyed dinner and a movie on 21st Ave in Portland. We had tacos at a bar, then was it Parasite that we saw at Cinema 21? I was wearing the shirt I made for my podcast, Singing To My Girlfriend, a classic of short iPhone recordings of a song that made me think of you that I would record right before I started working each day.

And then…. Covid-19 lockdown.

Our First Hike at Bridal Veil with Maia

On hinge, we talked about going on hikes near Portland as a date idea, and you decided to make that a reality for us. I was very open to the idea, but frankly had no knowledge or experience in the matter, so I was keen to join when you suggested. You also invited Maia along, which was appropriate as she was also the chaperone for our first meeting, at the Game Of Thrones finalie party I threw to get to know you.

This is the first phot we took together. We were so cute and so young.

The “hike” was easier than any of us expected. It was paved from the parking lot to the waterfall, and it was not very long, less than a mile. This was just fine with me.

There was a giant boulder to the right of the waterfall. We took turns climbing it, even you when you didn’t think you could. I was proud to see you face a challenge head on, inspired, attracted.

---

5 years later, August 19, 2024, we sped hiked a reprise of this trail, just the two of us, between visits to Sugarpine Drive-In the day before your 34th birthday. It was steeper and rockier than we remembered, and we laughed at the thought of others seeing us walk down and immediately walk back up, but we wanted to get to the food shop before it closed for seconds cause it was damn good food and ice cream.

As we walked back up, you imagined yourself floating like a faerie gently up the steep rocky hill, and I pictured myself as a giant lumbering step by massive step. When you got back to the paved path before me, you laughed at how muscular and stiff I looked.