Doctors, generally speaking, know what they're doing, my friend. I'm sure she'll be fine. I can upload some tunes for you if you want. Any genre preferences?

Yeah, relax and listen to some music, let the doctors do their magic.

Well, see, coughing blood is how her late father discovered he had lung cancer. So there's that.

No music available at work. Thanks for the offer, though.

I've had lung infections twice, and both times I coughed up blood. She'll be ok - you'll see.

Well now that is the suck. Distract yourself by telling us all about her. How did you meet? How did you propose?

Thanks, ico. Yeah, I'm sure you're right. I'm just stuck here doing whatever it is I do for a job with a lot of time to think. That's never a good thing for me.

jrossi4r, we met when she used to work here. On her last day at work, I asked her if she wanted to go get a beer; after we'd had a couple, I told how attractive I found her, which apparently was the correct thing to say. :)

After we'd been going out for a year or so, we took a vacation here. It was October, so the weather was on the damp side. One night, as we sat in the cabin and watched the storm coiming in off the ocean, I just asked. Hadn't really planned it, but I had been thinking it.

Of course, that was a few years ago. Dealing with her father's illness, settling his affairs, school, working on the house she inherited, etc., have sucked up amazing amounts of time. We hope to do the deed this year, but who knows.

Isn't she the one called Science Girl? Is she a MetaChatter? If not, why?
Why? Why? Why? Why? Huh?

bmarkey, I know this is scary, but she'll be fine. After some antibiotics, it'll clear up. Just think good thoughts.

And for the sake of distraction, here are some photos I took in LaPush a couple years ago.

Yes, she is indeed Science Girl. No, she is not a Metachatter; I don't know why. I've suggested that she might enjoy it, and I think she lurks from time to time (Hi, sweetie!). We met matidaben and lipstick thespian for drinks a week or so ago, and she enjoyed that. As did I.

You've actually been to La Push, mudpuppie! No one I know had even heard of it until we started going there. We've been back twice - that picture was from this summer.

In a cabin by the ocean is a fantastic place to propose, bmarkey. And you're obviously pretty solid if you can get through death and whatnot together.

She'll be fine.

I've just been told that I can go home in about half an hour, so that's what I'm gonna do. Thanks for humoring me, y'all.

It's gonna be okay, bmarkey.

I don't really remember why we ended up there. I think we were staying at a B&B outside of Forks, and the proprietor told us that LaPush had a good restaurant. I'm pretty sure that's why we went there. I was fascinated by the place, though. Extraordinary beauty and extraordinary poverty, shoulder to shoulder. I loved it and hated it at the same time. I hate the whole Indian Reservation thing. Feh.

Good luck to Science Girl. I hear it's tough to be sick if you're a health professional, because you know about everything that can go wrong. I hope everything turns out OK.

Things are a bit different in La Push these days. Between the resort, the grocery/gas sation, the marina, the restaurant, and the seafood packing, the Quileute are doing OK. It's not a booming metropolis, but I don't think that's what they want, either. They haven't felt the need to open a casino, anyway.

Look, a butterfly!





(just trying to distract is all...look at the butterfly, damn you! STOP LOOKING AT ME!)

I always loved how Cape Flattery kept showing up in Donald Duck comics. It turned out one of the writers lives in Seattle and is a friend of a friend.

I'm planning a weekend jaunt to either the Olympic Hot Springs or (more likely) Doe Bay soon. Healing waters and all that.

Pacific Beach / Moclips is cool, too. And Westport is a really cheap vacation in the winter. Anywhere on the coast is, actually. The secret is negotiate the motel rate. In the off season, you can get very good deals when they're mostly empty.

And beachcomb for storm wrack.

Come spring there will be razor clams!!!!

Thanks again to all who held my hand. The older I get, the less it takes to send me to wig village. Anyway, I was relieved to come home and find Scienec Girl not coughing up chunks of lung. Yay for that.

The only place I've found on the coast that I absolutely couldn't wait to leave was Long Beach, WA. We were coming back up the coast from California and found ourselves there on the Fourth of July. Every fucking yahoo this side of the Cascades was there, trying to walk in front of my car.

We had wanted to find a motel for the night but pressed on to Bay Center. We found a nice, quiet little place that was owned by the local bar/restaurant. Later that night, we watched the local kids setting off the fireworks they'd bought on the res. Much better.

Late to the well wishes and distraction bmarkey, I hope all turns out well. And congrats on the engagement. Take it at your pace[s]. :D