:: twitterpated ::

Spring has come late to these parts; as recently as two days ago (!) I looked out my office window toward the fields and it was snowing.

Today is a beautiful, warm, sunny day and I just walked into "town" to put some things in the mail. Sure, I could have just put them in the out-box for the mail-carrier, but I wanted to get OUT there. I love days like this, knowing (hoping) that Spring is finally here despite the snow-covered mountians in the not-too-far distance. As I walked, I noticed that the red-winged black birds are almost deafening as they flitter around the cat-tails, the meadowlarks are calling, the killdeer are building their nests and everywhere I looked where swallows, chasing each other through the air. Everywhere there is singing, attracting mates, nest-building.

Earlier this morning I had the most lovely older couple come in to the office, wanting to talk about some work happening near their vacation cabin here on the reservation. They were teasing each other in a really sweet way; she was telling me how excited she is that they are finally getting a "real" toilet this summer; no more mid-night visits to the outhouse and, she said looking pointedly at her husband, she only had to wait 30 years for it. "Well you know," he said with a gleam in his eye, "things haven't turned out how either of us expected. I thought for sure by now I'd have me a trophy-wife." She just laughed and said "Here I am!" I couldn't help myself and said "You two are so dang cute; how long have you been married?" They both laughed and he said "Oh, geez, I dunno...40 something years." It just made my day to see a couple who have been together for so long, who have undoubtedly been through a lot during their time together, but they have genuine, palpable affection and respect for each other.

I believe that that's what David and I will be like 40 years from now. We were just saying last night how refreshing it is, in this relationship unlike others, that we can good-naturedly tease each other but we each know, without a doubt, that there is no animosity or resentment behind it. It is so much fun, because we both get the other's sense of humor and can just "run with it." Our foundation is solid enough and we have each been through enough in our lives to really, truly appreciate one another and what we have together.

And that, all of it, makes me feel, well, twitterpated.