Good Morning, Taylor.

For the first time in a long time, I’m writing this letter over coffee and the morning. The first time “Coffee With Taylor” has felt appropriate in a while.

This has been an amazing weekend. And a long time coming.

A few weeks ago, Ragdoll let me watch fireworks, but because they were in the town I’m not allowed in, we watched from the deck. They were beautiful, but they were also far away. I wanted to see them up close. And she promised we’d see them up close on the 4th. What I didn’t realize was that she was going to surprise me.

She let me out in the parking lot of the inn we were staying at, and let me know that I would have the entire time in the town out. Including a full day to myself. A FULL DAY ALL TO MYSELF. I’ve only ever been out one full day before and that’s when we flew back from visiting her family. But that was two long flights and an airport. I had a full day to just be out.

I got into the hotel room and got settled in. A ran a few errands when I noticed we were missing some charging cables (RAGDOLL! THAT WAS YOUR JOB!) and got ready for the fireworks. I wasn’t sure what I would do when I was there, and while I like being around people, I’m also really cautious about them. I feel like a stranger in a crowd, even if I enjoy being part of the crowd. The fireworks were at 10 O Clock, and I decided I would get there at 8, to enjoy some of the show.

I drove around town, looking for things I might want to do this weekend, but the town was so small that it looked like all we’d have was the waterfront to do. But we’d figure something out later. I went to the show where a band playing soul music was going. The woman had a good singing voice and she was amazing. I really got into the music. There was only one food vendor there selling Filipino food. It was good. I’d never had it before.

I was surprised that the music ended at 9, and everyone left with no fireworks. I asked around and they said thefireworks would launch at 10 but the party wasn’t a part of that. I found a seat with a good view, and waited.

Taylor. It was worth the wait, Taylor. FIREWORKS. UP CLOSE. So many colors and sounds and smells. Just over and over again. It was magical. The sky just kept lighting up over and over again. Glowing colors. It was so amazing. And when the show was over, it kept going. There’s a native reservation across the river, and they picked up where the main show ended. Wow. Just all night long.

Because of how Ragdoll got the room here, we had extra days. All day Saturday and Sunday Morning. Because of that, Ragdoll gave me all day Saturday to do whatever I wanted. I had $100 in cash so I could use my name, and I could use the card if we ran out of cash, but I’d have to use her name.

I wasn’t sure what to do really.

Friday morning, I got introduced to a new friend. She’s Ragdoll’s sister, Poco. She seems to have taken to me right away and kept me company through the trip. She even began talking to me about establishing my own identity separate from Ragdoll. She’s really sweet and kind. I hope to talk with her more.

But she was the one that told me, when I didn’t know what to do, to go out and see and smell and explore everything. So I did! I had the inn’s free breakfast, a ham and broccoli frittata, and then decided to go hiking. There was an island near here with hiking trails, so I went and did a three mile hike. Deep in the woods as usual, but the trails were small and the forest really lush with vegetation. Then I came to an overlook, and you could see the bay! It was so beautiful. You could see for miles and miles through the pass. I sat there and just drank in the realness of it all. I’m here. I’m real.

On the other side of the island were some tideland, and so I went down to the beach and played with the water. It’s so so so cold, I don’t think it’s good for swimming. But I put my hand in it and let the water wash over it. The feeling of the cold water washing over, and the rocks underneath and the seaweed brushing up. It so real. I’m so real. 🙂

I had some lunch afterwards and then decided to rest in the inn and clean myself up a little. I wasn’t sure what to do, and usually about that time is when I put Ragdoll back in for her half of the day. Except today, there WAS no “her half.” I did a little research about the town and found out that the town closes up really early, so I decided to check out the town first, then have dinner, and come back to the inn to closeout the day.

The first place I went was the Historical Museum. It wasn’t open for very long, but it was also really small. I got to see an art exhibit about what the town meant to the people in it, with some of the art being done by little kids, who thought the town would have spacemen and and tower in the year 2126. I hope he gets his wish! I saw some very old history, including an old rebuilt storefront and even some uranium glass! It glowed a creepy green. Am I radioactive now? I got to see a model T car, and some old frontier stuff as well.

On the other side were things that were closer in time to today, but one was a beautiful dollhouse of the maker’s old home. It had been involved in multiple tragedies and her family abandoned it at an early age. She built a dollhouse version so she could live in the house again, and I thought that was sweet. Rebuilding your reality when it’s gone.

From there, I hit the Quilt and Fabric Museum. It was the only other museum open that day and again, only for a short while. I was expecting it to be historical or complex quilts. It wasn’t! It was an ART MUSEUM. Based on quilting! So many fabric art pieces. Faces, people, designs, abstracts. All done as if they were quilt. Some even based on music! I spent some time talking with the docents there and the historical museum.

I have to be careful about what I talk about. I don’t have a lot of history here. I’m only six months old. But if I talk about Ragdoll (she’s my “roommate”), I can’t just talk about her. I have to make my own history, too. But it’s hard when you’re only six months old.

I just realized, July 5th is my six month Birthday. That’s why she gave me the day, I think.

The place I planned for dinner was closed early, which was sad. I tried a place I’ve been to before for some dinner, but it wasn’t very good. It wans’t bad, and it was something I’d never had before (cioppino) but it was bland for the price I paid for it. I did have a non-alcoholic mojito. Ragdoll says I can eat and drink anything I want, as long as I stay away from sugary drinks or alcohol. I had a non alcoholic raspberry mojito. It was good. 🙂

From there, I found an old fashioned candy store and an olive bar. To thank Ragdoll for my day, I bought her some banana chocolate sugar-free toffees and a bottle of garlic kalamata olives. She loves olives. And I wanted to treat her for giving me a day out.

After all that it was starting to get late, so I came back to the inn, and talked with the innkeeper for a while as well. We had a nice long talk. Connection. I crave connection. And I make a friend in her that night. I bought some salted caramels and spent the evening going over pictures with chocolate and tea.

It’s morning now. I’ve had a really good breakfast at the inn (biscuits and gravy casserole!), and have written this letter. This weekend I had a vacation of my very own. I was part of the crowd. I got to be with people, talk to them, connect and be real.

I’m going to give the rest of the day to Ragdoll. We have some money, and a lot of time, and she likes to road trip. So she’s in a perfect place to road trip around here and head home. She deserves a nice weekend too. 🙂

I hope your work hours aren’t too bad and you’re getting some rest, Taylor

–Andrea