Hey There, Stranger

It has, obviously, been quite some time since I've last written.  The Companion has come and gone and I am once again left to fend for myself (sort of).

Case in point:  I dropped the Companion off at the airport last night, and as I'm driving home, sobbing and listening to Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" (I wish this were a joke . . . ), a warning indicator lights up on my dash.  "What that CRAP, Subaru?  *sob*  You'd better turn that off right now!!  *sniffle*  WHY DON'T I HAVE ANY KLEENEX IN THIS CAR?!?!"  I manage to make it home without getting pulled over for erratic driving, and I find out that the warning light is for tire pressure.  This morning I call up Subaru to schedule a free inspection (it's "Car Care" month, conveniently).

Subaru Man: Yes we can schedule that.  How old is your car?
Me: It's new.
SM: Well then you really don't need an inspection, actually.
Me: HA, got you there, Mr. Subaru Man!!  My tire pressure light came on LAST NIGHT.  How do you like THAT?
SM: Um yeah that happens in the winter here.  Once it gets below a certain temperature you have to fill your tires a bit.  You can do it at any gas station.
Me: Oh.  Ummm . . . okthanksbye!

Awkward.

So I dealt with that after work today which ended up being fairly tedious (but not a good story, so we're going to move along).  Luckily I had half of a delicious homemade lasagne waiting for me at home, which leads me to . . . the Companion's visit.

First and foremost, we spent time doing non-Alaska-specific things, like going to the movies, being lazy, and eating.  The eating was really the best.  The Companion is a great cook, and we both love to eat, so I got to enjoy two weeks of pizzas, cookies, Mexican, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagne, and all of the wine and chit-chat that always accompanies our meals.

We also made time for a happy hour with an excellent view, a downtown dance club (where apparently we are indeed really lucky not to have been shot), and, for the finale, dinner at Double Musky (a local legend with amazing crab-stuffed halibut and fantastic wine) followed by a night at a ski lodge and a beautiful hike.

I'll see him again just next week, but it's hard not to feel that this is where the year apart begins.