Over on Cali girls blog http://caligirlpei.blogspot.com/ there was some discussion on whether or not I would have moved to California, and how she ended up here in the great white north. I am not sure if either of us has ever completely explained out how we got to where we are. so, sit back, grab a drink, and listen up...Belly's is going to tell you a story of the olden days.
Picture it...PEI...December...2001. Oh I know, it seems like for ever ago. Bush was president, cars were powered by gasoline, and man still wasn't living on the moon. I was single and had pretty much settled in on the idea that I was going to be single well if not for ever, at least for a long time. I used the internet a lot to play games and maybe even look at the odd semi clothed woman, but I had no intentions of ever meeting someone online. I knew it could happen, but I really didn't think it could happen to me.
As I often was, I was playing trivia on www.paltalk.com when I first met caligirl. She was Kinky Elfette then, since it was close to Christmas. I was hosting a music quiz, and she was in the room playing since her normal room had not opened yet (a perfect example of the butterfly effect). I am sure I flirted with her..I have been told that I am a huge flirt. I think I am just friendly...since it is my blog, we will say I was friendly to her.
Well, apparently she liked my voice and we started flirting, I mean being friendly, in private chat. We both felt a connection even though niether of us were looking for a romance at the time. Private chatting led to yahoo video chats, and then to hours long phone calls. Much to both our surprise...we were falling in love.
Cali had planned a trip to the north east of the USA in February of 2002, but she changed her plans and came here to visit me instead. I was very excited and also very touched that she trusted me enough to come all this way. Finally the big day came and I picked her up at the airport...well, myself and two female friends of mine that she had spoken to online picked her up. I don't drive, and I wanted her to have a little time to get comfortable and see I wasn't a pervert...well not more of a pervert then she already knew anyway.
When she got there she took a nap, and then I took one and she almost killed me. I had been living alone a long time and so I wasn't used to anyone else being there, plus I had never in my life been woken up by someone touching me, it was always by calling my name. SO, when she touched me to wake me up, I nearly had a heart attack. lol
She got to stay for 12 days, including Valentines, and we had an amazing time. I took her to a romantic valentines dinner and bought her roses. she told me that even after being married 14 years that was the first time anyone bought her roses. I couldn't believe that she hadn't been treated the way she deserved to be, like a queen.
After 12 days of -30 degree temperatures, near heart attacks, karoke, surviving my weirdo friends, and hours of just being together...we realized that it was right, and we both wanted to be together.
At that time Kidlet was seven and kidlets father (aka asshole) was still living in California. So I told Caligirl that I would be willing to move there so as to make it easier for kidlet. Very shortly after she returned to Cali (putting her on the plane was the hardest thing I ever did), asshole decided to move to the east coast and give up all rights to kidlet. Since Cali wanted a change, and with my physical restrictions, we decided she would move here. We further decided that when kidlet got out of school for the year, I would fly out there, and we would drive back here together. 3600 miles in a car in August...if that didn't end the relationship, nothing would.
So five plus months of planning, crying, and generally doing what long distance couples have to do later...it was time for me to fly to Los Angeles. The flight was uneventful, but that quickly changed when I touched down. There had been a last minute change of plans...originally kidlet was with family my first two days there as Cali had to work her last two days. But that fell through, so I was in charge of kidlet...I knew I was going to be a dad, just not that quickly. :-)
When we all got to the hotel room, I took a shower. Since I didn't have kids, I didn't realize that your stuff isn't private when you leave it sitting around. When I get out of the shower Cali girl is laughing and trying to be angry at kidlet all at once. You see...we didn't want to do the proposal on line or on the phone, so all though we knew we were getting married, I had never actually asked her yet. While I was in the shower, kidlet had rooted in my stuff and showed her mom "the pretty ring she found"...so kidlet actually gave cali her engagment ring, not me.
The rest of my stay there was great...kidlet and I hit it off, and to this day I couldn't love her more if she was my birth daughter. We all went to museums and all kinds of places doing family things.
Later on Kidlet stayed with her grandma and Cali and I went to Las Vegas... kind of a honeymoon in advance. It was awesome. She loved showing me all the sights, and we had a great time just hanging out.
The drive home was tiring, especially for Cali as she did all the driving, but there were so many beautiful things, and little moments of joy, that I wouldn't have traded it for any number of flights. As a matter of fact we are driving back there this summer for vacation.
It is now August 2002 and we have arrived in Canada...two weeks before our marriage date. That's PLENTY of time to plan. LOL
Most of the stuff from here on, you have probably picked up on Cali's blog... Delays galore in immigration stuff. Ups and downs, and a few sideways...lol. But as I look back, I realize that I am happier, healthier, and so much better off then I was before that kinky (and beautiful) elfette happened upon my little slice of the internet.
Happy Valentines day Cali Girl. I love you. I love you too kidlet, although I doubt you will ever read this.
