12 bites.

There have been a lot of moments to write about. Somehow, it was never the right time.
Today seems pretty good, though.
Know why? I'm procrastinating something else. It's only fair that the truth behind the writing comes out. Last night, while I slept, a bug bit me 12 times.
12.
12 times.
So my goal today is to destroy all life but me, my husband, and the two cats. And maybe the refrigerated baker's yeast. This apartment will be clean of living things. I'm still freaked though, so I'm going to procrastinate the bug battle for just a little bit longer.
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I'm a bit of a hypocrite. All of that preaching. for cohabitation of all things. The native american ideal, that we own nothing, no land, but share with all creatures. It hasn't stopped me from locking my doors and windows, but it does usually make me think twice before destroying a spider's web or smashing a flying nuisance. Before buying something off Amazon if I can get it at an independent store nearby. Before walking past someone hungry and on the streets if I have anything to help them with. My home is fairly eco-friendly. Many of our things are recycled, upcycled, or straight out from the dumpster. (a 5 foot tall cat tree?! we had to have that. Those are like, 400$ when you buy them.)
We use cloth towels, not paper towels. I try to only eat fair trade, when I can. We barely use the lights, and not only because one of us is a day sleeper. We don't use electricity to heat our house in the winter, recycling pallets from the garbage pile in our fireplace instead. I love buying local designer clothes (and who am I kidding, that's not because I'm eco-friendly.)
I suppose the line is always drawn for us. Survive. Survive. Thrive. Kill or be killed.
So today, the war begins in this house. You don't bite me 12 times without inspiring a little bit of the survival instinct. .
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I went to a wedding this last weekend. It was lovely. Their pastor did not mispronounce their names, deliver a sermon against specific request, or forget the vows that we wanted to say. 
(someday the husband and I will have a do-over, and it'll be in a real garden that actually got watered with an officiant who cares about our requests, and it'll last about 10 minutes. not that I'm bitter.)
More importantly, this wedding showcased beautiful love.  A relationship as it should be- respectful on both sides, long lasting (they've already been together for 5 years), willing to work for the success of the partnership- not needy, not demanding. Truly just love.
In contrast, some of the other relationships I've witnessed in the last couple weeks leave me shaking in my boots for the fate of love in the world.
For the sake of anonymity, I won't name anything specific. Couple 1, though, their relationship smacked of the selfishness of one and the willingness to put up with anything just to have a place in the world for the other. Understanding comes on many levels, and simply living with someone rarely means that people understand each other. Look at how many times roommates have problems.
Couple 2, they're just a mess all over. Any time one part of a relationship is ashamed enough of their actions to lie about the other person, to lie about situations and actions, is a great sign of forthcoming unhappiness if it's not already evident.
I'm so glad I have my lovely husband. We're coming up on 5 years together and 3 years married, and he just gets more handsome and kind and funny every day. He's also no longer giving me food poisoning when he cooks, which I think is a great thing.
True love is a partnership, is a trying, is a working sort of thing. An understanding sort of thing. An all encompassing sort of thing. A shared dream.
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Germany is coming up soon! I can't wait for European bread and coffee and beer. and walking around and hearing a different language. Another grand adventure!