Ogden

The trip to Ogden is not beautiful, especially not on a smoggy, murky day. But we love being on a train together, so that's alright then.

D wanted to get on the train. I did too, but kept forgetting we were going to do that in the rush of the last few days. Woke sore and with my hands swollen and aching, not eager to leave home. But I gathered my wits, and we got on the train, took the commuter rail up to Ogden. Sat watching the warehouse stores, trailer parks, bland housing development's backsides, industrial scenery pass, doing a crossword and chatting. Ate lunch at a cafe there, and came back. Did us good just to get out, without me having to drive at all. The journey back was full of stupid parents and ill watched children off to the "big city" to shop on the Friday before Christmas. But we enjoyed being together then as well.

I love that I can make D laugh. And of course, that he can make me laugh, even when I don't want to, especially when I don't want to, which is a treasure beyond compare.

I missed getting a photo of the two figures kneeling by a car in the driveway/back of a building along the track, a male and female in robes. Refugees from a nativity scene, looking like they were about to get in a cab. The scene registered, and I immediately checked with D to see if he's seen it as well. Not people, Mary and Joseph mock-ups, out in the weather between two cars. Surreal moment.

Got out the Tiger Balm and rubbed my hands intensely, put on gloves to avoid rubbing it in my eyes inadvertently. Then the laptop touch pad wouldn't work, so I got out my Wacom pad, and the stylus was still attached - to my great joy. I do like using it, but with the touchpad, it's an extra thing to get in the way. Coming in handy now, as my hands get warm and eventually feel better under the gloves. Good to have redundancies.