An incredible weekend

I have had the most incredible stay-indoors weekend. I hosted my last couch surfer before the VIFF begins in 11 days. She was Debra, a self-proclaimed born-again Christian four years my younger from Amarillo TX, who had been traveling a month, pet sitting and staying with other couch surfers. She was referred to me by Nathan Day, a gay couch surfer I hosted last December. He was her first couch surfer.

As different as our backgrounds are, I grew to like Debra quite a lot and want to keep in touch with her. Her age, being closer to mine, is one reason but also her willingness to expose herself to gays to make a more informed opinion about whether or not we are as evil as her dogma has taught her. She did her very best to keep herself open to all the people she met through me. I have not met anyone before her who was distraught over the election of Obama.

And she met several people through me, a wide spectrum of the men who comprise my life, including Frederic (Friday night), nephew Richard (Saturday afternoon), Doozer and Yves (Saturday night) and Rosario, who dropped her off at the bus depot on our way to brunch Sunday morning. She enjoyed meeting them all as far as I could tell.

I think I have her hooked on Settlers of Catan (she won her first game) and she had once done stained glass and had lots to ask about my work too. She was very interested in how each of our families and co-workers reacted to finding out that we are gay. She herself had once led a very wild life full of partying and dealing drugs before turning to Christianity to save her from herself, as is often the reason for such a large transformation. It seems to have worked for her but has not closed her off from ideas and situations that challenge her dogma.

Our time with Frederic on Sunday night was wonderful, a dinner at Kam's Singaporean Restaurant, and afterwards I presented him with token gifts to celebrate him being granted permanent residence status last week: a bottle of maple syrup, dried Saskatoon berries, a book called How To Be Canadian and a maple leaf pin. I reassured him that it was better to celebrate his landing now before Eric gets his landing so that we have reason to celebrate twice.

Richard was brimming with ecstatic stories of his time at Burning Man, most of which we spent stoned, drunk or both. He swears he remembers it all and only puked once. He says it was the most wonderful event of his life so far and definitely plans to go again next year. He said the place was full of gays and had his ass pinched by guys more than ever in his life. He was most impressed with the nudity he saw though: so many beautiful young women dancing semi or totally naked.

Doozer arrived around 6, in time to eat dinner with Debra and I. He bought corn and salad ingredients. Debra contributed two meat pies and I heated some butternut squash soup. It was a great meal. Doozer slept in my bed. He had no other choice but had no problem with it, unlike his husband Flash or our former Polish friend Michal Rogozynski. He cuddled with me most of the night, which was sweet as honey. He wore his sweat pants to bed and made no romantic gestures, which was a bit regrettable but probably for the best. He was up at 6am to off to the bus depot in a taxi before 6:30.

Brunch was at Danzante and Gerry's. Rosario came in from north Surrey to bring Raspberry Showboat, Holly and myself there. Rainbow Strongheart was already there and Paul McGrattan, freshly back from a year in the Maritimes, showed up a while later. The meal was incredible. Rosario brought a delicious curry dish and a hot chutney, Danzante had made bread, spreads and a baked salmon, Raspberry a salad and myself a dozen eggs to stir fry with basil and tarragon, and Holly a fruit pie. It was more than filling. Afterwards we talked in the living room, my head on Rosario's lap as we cuddled, caressed and held hands. After Rosario and Rainbow left, Gerry cleaned while the rest of us played Settlers of Catan. Danzante drove me home afterwards so we had quality time alone. I got back less than an hour ago.

It's raining now, as it has been much of the weekend. I am tired and mellow, feeling as smooth as an ironed sheet and grateful for my life. There have been many wet weather weekends in my past when I have had next to no contact with friends and accomplished nothing, but this was not one of them.