When it's come to friendships in life I have been absolutely, miraculously blessed. That special type of connection most people may not experience even once in their lifetime - you know, where you mesh so well this freaky spideysense-esque bond develops - I have stumbled upon multiple times. There was this funnier, taller, cooler, quirkier, bearded man version of myself hiding on the opposite side of the country I had spent most of my life unaware of. Peter has had my back through some really crappy moments; at a point in life where my world was shot down to nothing, I honest to God had absolutely nowhere to go and no one to turn to. But I had Ventura and someone in it who was waiting to welcome me with open arms and a lot of love.

I soaked up every moment I spent in California, without feeling the need to document it, which was very strange for me. The peace I felt during that time, I can't even describe. It was such a thoroughly soul soothing visit.
We stayed at a family friends' while he was house sitting. I would get up in the morning, walk outside to their deck and stand there in awe. Just standing. Just staring. It overlooked this wide open landscape and the light turned into this warm golden blanket, trapping everything underneath it's glow. We played middle-of-the-night billiards, watched Fantastic Mr Fox, and hung out with the coolest dog ever. After a few days we made the swap to his house. (Legitimately one of the snazziest spaces I've ever been a guest.) Morning time would come, I'd sleepily roll out of bed and lull to the truck, we'd head to the highway and end up at his work; I'd nap in the dashboard sunshine until he'd jump back in and wake me. I sat in on lectures and went to theatre meetings, fell asleep in the grass next to campus lakes and sunburned half of my face. We bumped into (hilarious) relatives while out for seafood, gave kisses on horse noses, walked the "famous" Little Miss Sunshine pier during a very cold night, took photos, went exploring, every day and every second was an adventure.



























It was freeing. A time and a place you weren't tensing every muscle while walking on eggshells, afraid of what happens next. Afraid of the fact you don't even have the slightest clue. You could exhale this long sigh of relief knowing that you aren't needed to be anything other than what you are and this other person doesn't need to be anything other than what they are, you just go, you do, you live.