Since it looked like it was a potentially rainy day, Azura and I decided to go ahead and hit the beach early, just in case. We took Dickens with us, and went for shells. We parked up near Johnny Mercer's Pier (cut in half in one the more recent hurricanes) and walked down to where Marie proposed to me, only 6 days ago.

There were a lot of local people out, walking, looking for shells, playing with their dogs. Doing what we were doing, basically. We came home with a bag full of shells, some of them pretty interesting looking. Only a few were 'pretty. Some had nice textures, some were just different. We found a conch shell that had been eaten away by the elements, but still had a very visible spiral structure. It was just grey and pockmarked. I really liked it.

Azura and I had decided to hit Books-A-Million while we were in town, since I had a gift certificate from my brother. (Well I left it in Charlotte, but we went anyway.) and I was going to go to Hungates, a craft and hobby store that hasn't made it to Charlotte yet. Mom decided she'd like to tag along, if it wasn't a big deal. Personally, I thought it was a great idea.

So, we gave Azura the craft and hobbies tour of Wilmington, searching for Roborally, books, crafts, whatever struck our fancy. And of course, giving Mom and Azura a chance to chat.

We went home and had the excellent meal my Dad had been cooking all day. Then, after dinner we moved into the den, and I cut the TV off. And announced that I had an announcement to make. I could see the worry in my parent's eye, I think I was a bit melodomatic, but I really needed to get Dad's attention before he disappeared, or Mom went to bed, or whatever..

Then I was blunt. "Mom, We're getting married." I saw the shock settle in.

We talked about it for awhile, but it wasn't anything really bad. They don't know Azura yet, and mom has this problem with how we met. Over the Net, that is. Mom doesn't realize how many net.friends I have. In fact, with most of my RL friends scattered to the four winds, they're mostly net.friends too. But for Mom, it's where you meet that counts. Well, I don't know how to meet women in RL. I don't pick women up in grocery stores, and I don't go to bars. And would Azura and I be doing so well if I couldn't have directed her to my online journal?

Eventually things settled down. We told them the date: March 21st. {That's the spring solstice.} We told them our only requirement: No churches. {I just couldn't deal with it.} And we talked, about it, about things, and eventually got tired.

Dad pulled me into the sun room for his 'marriage' talk. I don't want to make light of it, but I know. Marriage is forever. It's important and something to work on. I know that, I believe that. I have my own twists to the institution, but I know Azura and I will be together forever. Or I wouldn't have said 'yes'.

Then Dad started onto another track. Where will I be when I'm 60, will I have enough money? How will I plan for my future. Basically a scare tactic, declaring that I should have some alternate income. Of course, Dad had his own ideas. Amway. Multi-Level Marketing. This will never end, since Mom's involved now. I lost my ally. Azura is a pretty good new one, though.

Azura and I stayed up a little later, as Mom and Dad drifted off to bed. We twined embroidery floss for a new project of mine, and talked about things. Then I went back up to my single bed, and went to sleep.

Generic Joe's A Typical Male