Yes!

This post is going to be boring, because all I really have to say is that I am happy. This relationship is going well. Really well. I am happy. Um, what else...Missy and Chloe make me happy. Like, constantly. I'm so blissed out. What bad writing this makes for.

They've made me a stronger, more confident, better man. And I'm more able to help them out when they need it. I'm full of gratitude for C&M and I can't wait until the next time I am with them. I've felt that way for...10+ months now and I still do. They occupy my mind, body and spirit in a way nothing or no one ever has. I love love LOVE it. There's no place I'd rather be than right here, right now. I am having the time of my life. What an adventure. I can't wait to see what happens next. I could go on and on, but for your sake I'll stop gushing now :)

Thank you Chloe, thank you Missy, sincerely, for daring to go on this ride with me. I love you both with all of my heart.

-Red

Mr. Frog's Wild Ride.

Yes, I know it's Mr. Toad. Stick with me here.

There is this cute little froggy video game for your smartphone (I used to play NO games at all), discovered by Chloe while we three were on our one epic ski trip of the winter. The weather was so bad we barely made it to our destination, and the conditions on the slopes were terrible -- so we mostly spent our time eating Mexican food, drinking, and snuggling in huge hotel beds while the wind howled and the snow piled up outside. I know, terrible. Also we played the froggy game. You can send frogs to one another, or just amuse yourself with your own frogs if you're the one in the backseat for a couple of hours. It's harmless, and not particularly competitive (although Red has gotten way farther than me or Chloe, and makes no secret of it, bless his heart). Mostly it's cute.

Among the things I like about the frogs is the "Happy" progress bar. If you cause your frog to eat lots of flies, it gets more happy; it stays happy if you fill its habitat with nice scenery, and other frogs. The happiness doesn't drain away unless you put the frog somewhere dreary and lonely. You can breed your frogs (which is how you get even more interesting kinds of frogs); you'd think this would also increase happiness, but it doesn't -- the mating is rather perfunctory (and in real life I guess it doesn't even require the frogs to interact), so I can overlook that one. Of course in the Trifecta, mating DOES increase happiness, and therefore should happen as often as possible.

Over the recent holiday weekend, we three plopped down in our favorite habitat: the hot, dry one, where we're free to be completely open and relaxed about who we are. No professional obligations. No need to keep up a pretense of respectability. Perfectly okay to express our sweetness in public. After my prolonged fit of ill temper the previous week, I expected this to restore me to 100% even-keeled enduring sanity. Surprise: it didn't. What it did do, intensely, was drive my "Happy" bar all the way to the right within the first few hours. The next day I had a dip: a few minutes of irrational weepiness, with about a half-hour hangover. The rest of that day and night were spectacular ... adventures, excitement, abandon. The next night I had another brief sulk, during which I even scowled at Chloe (unusual), but it passed. The rest of the vacation was blissful. Happy bar upon returning home: 98%.

Since then there have been assorted logistical nightmares, long hours at work, extra family demands pulling us away from each other. These, we are familiar with. My indicator drops by a few percentage points here or there, but surges back when we have a few hours to ourselves. We're planning another trip to the desert habitat, and that alone -- pure Trifecta time to look forward to -- keeps me going.

Variability is tolerable. Ten months, as of today; that shows what we can accommodate.

Chloe is right: this blog is not a representative sample of what our days are like. Mostly we are mellow, healthy, and incredibly kind to each other. I think it's when we get surprised that we make noise, and I'm glad we do.

Keeps me hopping.

We are good.

I have no ulterior motive…I am not here to steal anyone away from anyone else.  I didn’t weasel my way into this, and I was not coerced.   I didn’t expect to be here today, feeling the way I do.  When it began, my only plan was to explore the possibilities and satisfy a vague sense of curiosity. 

Last summer I had lunch with an old friend that I hadn’t seen in 24 years.  I remembered that when I knew him before, I sincerely enjoyed his company – he was bright, amusing, handsome, attentive, interesting…those things about him haven’t changed.  He said he was happily married (but didn’t need to – it was clear to me when I saw them together).  She is so sweet and caring, beautiful, honest, sharp, funny…I loved that they truly enjoyed each other’s company so much.  If that hadn’t been the foundation that we built this relationship on, it would not still exist.  There aren’t enough hours in the day or patience in the world that can add the variable of another person to a weak or damaged relationship and expect anything good to come of it. 

Y’all can be worried about what might be bothering any or all of us at any given time.  Feel free to be concerned about someone being taken advantage of or not being treated properly.   One of the many qualities that makes each of us great individually, and the Trifecta strong as a unit, is our compassion and empathy for the feelings of the others.  We are strong and caring, and we face head-on the obstacles that arise.  This blog is not necessarily indicative of our everyday lives.  It is a place we come to vent, daydream, muse, and explore ideas.  It is a place where we can safely express ourselves and talk about things without fear of hurting anyone’s feelings, OR…(my personal favorite) beating a dead horse.

Rest assured…we are good.