In the meantime, life goes on. Let's see...
My Wonderful SisterI had an awesome email conversation with my sister. In the before-times we didn't get along all that well. My fault for not being real, I guess. But we're so much closer now. Even though I'm 11 month older, I sometimes feel like the younger sister. I have so much to learn, and she's so cool about it all.
BusinessMy business is going through some changes. The company in Italy - whose planes I was attempting to sell, with little success - has decided to pull out of the US. It's disappointing, but not unexpected. It really doesn't change much that I'm doing, since I haven't had any serious support from them for at least a year. I'll move on without them.
HNTFriday was my first HNT session in three weeks. My electrocutioner was sick one week, I was at Sun-N-Fun one week, then she had family in town. So to make up for lost time, she cranked up the zapper and switched from her usual blend method to thermolysis, and while it was much much fast, it was also a lot more ouchy. I called off the session after two hours. This week we're going to try two hours in the morning, a break for lunch and refreshing the BLT, then another two hours in the afternoon.
On the way home in a raging rainstorm something hit the windshield of the RocketSkate and left a nice long crack. Time to call the insurance company again.
A Busy SaturdayWe were up early to get to a concealed firearms class. I have a diploma with my name on it, and a target with a nice tight grouping in the middle of the bad guy's chest. I don't even have a handgun yet, just some .22 rifles and a 20ga shotgun, but I'm going to go ahead and get the carry license anyway. When I can afford it I'll consider getting something to use that license with.
After class we went to the big outlet mall in Orlando, and I acted as enabler for Cassie to justify buying a few things. I even bought myself a Vera Bradley wallet.
From there we went back to Universal Studios, and continued experiencing the simple joys of being ourselves and being together.
We stopped for our traditional Starbucks fix on the way in, and Cassie snapped this:
On our upcoming trip to Europe, we'll be taking the train out of King's Cross station, so we decided to get this picture, with the thought of duplicating it at the real thing in about 5 weeks.
Everything went wonderfully, and we decided to go back to the Red Coconut Club, where we'd been treated so nicely last time we were there. On our previous visit the waitress had been really cool and attentive, and on our way out had whispered in Cassie's ear, "You two were so beautiful together tonight." This time couldn't have been more different. The band packed up at 10pm, and we were completely and deliberately ignored by the waitress working that night, while she served all the tables around us. We're mystified by the treatment - it's not like we were being embarrassingly demonstrative or anything - but it's a sure bet that we won't be going back again.
We were both so completely exhausted that we couldn't even make it all the way home without pulling into a parking lot to get a nap. It was another late night getting home.
A Relaxing SundayWe slept in late, and I brought my sweetie a coffee and her laptop in bed, and let her relax and enjoy her morning off the hamster wheel, while I looked into more options for our upcoming trip. We finally got moving and had a great breakfast about the time other people were having their lunch.
It was time to do a little puttering. We installed some framing timbers around one side of the house, and filled them with potting soil in preparation for planting some greenery to bright the place up. We were both pleased with the way it turned out.
After cleaning up we got out the grill and made ourselves The Great American Comfort Food Dinner: Grilled burgers and onions, a salad, and baked beans. We watched a movie while enjoying our flame broiled epicurian delights - after which I dozed through most of the rest of the movie. It was a wonderfully laid-back day with my best friend, but it had to come to an end. I hated to leave, and I admit to having some ocular leakage as I went out to the RocketSkate and drove away.
Monday......started out with my doctor's appointment to talk about my latest lab results. I covered the results of that appointment in another entry, but the other thing I remember about the visit is how normally everyone treated me. I'm usually able to get the ladies there smiling, so they're happy to see me. It's so different than what I'd envisioned it would be like when I came out to them way back when. The old staff treat me nicely, and the new staff don't know about my past. After all, the records show Stephanie and an "F". They have to look closely to see the F64.0 Transsexuality diagnosis way down in the records.
I got a surprise in the early afternoon. I was included in an invitation to a neighborhood lobster potluck dinner. It was at the house of the guy who has given me the hardest time over pronouns, although his wife sent out the invitation, and she's always been nice to me. I made my signature pineapple cole slaw and took some chicken in a marinade I made, for the "turf" part of the dinner. The hosts supplied the Florida lobsters they'd caught themselves - they're divers and always end up with more than they can eat themselves. I'm not complaining.
Another surprise was the way almost everyone treated me. Not as something special. Just as their neighbor Steph. Though I hung out with the women for the most part, I also had good conversations with the guys. After all, we all have the common interest in airplanes, so we always have a topic of conversation.
This was my outfit for the party:
The biggest shocking surprise though, happened as we were saying our goodbyes. The other alpha male - the one who had told me last fall that he was no longer comfortable around me - gave me a big hug. I don't want to over-analyze it. I just want to think that maybe we've turned some kind of corner and he's come to grips with who I now am. I wanted to thank him, but I think I'll keep quiet and just enjoy the new acceptance. I don't want to make him self-conscious about it. I did have some minor ocular leakage as I thought about it, though.
Tuesday: My Favorite Airplane is Back!The owner of the airplane I'd built flew up this morning. The plane is due for its annual condition inspection, and since I have the official maintenance certificate (with the correct name on it!) I can do the inspection and sign the logbook. He flew me to lunch at Tampa North airport, and the waitress called me "honey" and "dear" and all the other terms waitresses use for women. She even winked at me a few times. I doubt she was flirting. I think she was just happy to see another woman in the airport cafe which is predominantly occupied by men. I suspect she thought I was the airplane owner's wife. (Squeee!)
We flew to the owner's house, where I hung out for part of the afternoon with his wonderful wife, who has been a kind of mentor to me. Incidentally, today I wore white capris, a white tank top, and a teal paisley 3/4 sleeve buttoned top left open. I thought it was a cute look, and it was perfect for showing my slowly growing girls while still disguising my lack of waist and hips. My friend complimented me on it, so I guess it worked out okay.
Since they both travel a lot, they had recommendations for our upcoming trip, and we talked at length about things they've seen on their globe-trotting adventures. It was a wonderful visit, but I had to get home. I got back in the plane, this time on the left side, and flew home. Ahhhhh...
I'm showing the seat reserved for my special copilot:
Off to trivia, where we lost miserably. It was still fun. Afterward, everyone else went home, and I stayed in the square, again enjoying being me and listening to the kick-ass 70s cover band.
And here we are, pretty much caught up. Tomorrow is lunch with my Bestie, another therapy session, and a social gathering with one of the Orlando T groups. I'll fill y'all in on that stuff later.
Stephanie
