Incredible times are made up of tiny details, seemingly insignificant nuances, moments that are out of context or irrelevant things that, when taken out of the reality they were part of would seem to pale into insignificance, but it’s the bigger picture that pales and shrinks away in the light of these tiny things.

I’ve just experienced ten days made up of a billion tiny details, each one taking things to a new dimension, a higher factor by an order of magnitude, life changing tiny details. Too many to recount, they fall into that blur, whirlwind, tornado of experiences, like a jigsaw in a blender. I’m changed, I’m evolved, I’m recreated in a new world (universe). I’m not ready to explain some of the fundamentals of this yet, my words fail me, but I wanted to mention a few of them nonetheless.

If I were pressed to put a name to some of these stitches in time, I would try with simple descriptions like… Chicken tenders, chaise longue, young band, carpaccio, Irish band, “go to” bar, bad band, cigar guy, pink bikini, TENS unit, trapped tampon, tabasco is not an “extra”, room service tray politics, queue woman, wedding group and random guys, Carlos and Mary, sowing kit (tin). They really they are so numerous to do them justice here because, as I mention above, they are the whole point, the sown threads (cotton) in the rich tapestry, each stitch in the bigger picture. It’s important to note that the “bigger picture” wouldn’t exist without the details that bind them together.

Several of these tiny facets stand out among the others so it’s worth recounting the one that gave birth to a theme, a title, a smile built into a few words, one that had us both in hysterics several times.

I went to get ice, not properly dressed (no underwear) so I could make us a drink at an almost acceptable time of day. Being in the room at the end of a corridor, it was quite a trek to the Manitowoc machine in the “ice” room so I ran, meeting no-one (no doubt they’d think I was mad sprinting the corridors if they did). Arriving at the machine, I put the ice bucket in place and pressed the “button”. Lots of noise of churning and ice cube jumbling came from the machine, but no ice came out.. Broken, busy, still freezing? I don’t know but clearly no ice here. I summed up the alternatives, return with no ice (hmm, not really an option), find staff (yeah right), go to another floor (good call).

I took off for the elevators and hit the up arrow, rode a lift to sixth and found a working ice machine, filled my bucket and returned to the elevators.

It appeared that the elevators were busy due to time of day and some maintenance (watch this space for another story) I pressed the down arrow and inconvenienced a packed elevator car full of people with suitcases and a fat lady in an electric buggy thing. Shuffling into the corner of the car, as I cradled my ice bucket to me and pressed the button for the fifth under the watchful eye of the crowd, I felt the need to give an explanation for stopping them, not once but twice on their journey.

“Ice machine broken on five” I said, to everyone and no-one in particular.

“Bummer” came a reply, which lifted the mood and I replied, “Not a big trip to sixth”. The doors opened, and I shuffled out, sprinting back to my baby.

“No ice on five” was the statement I delivered when I returned to our room and it stuck as I recounted the story and we laughed so hard we had tears on our faces, re-running the scenario over and over. Tiny micro-stories in the context of the week (10 days) but this one so significant it added to our vocabulary permanently, somehow summing up the bubble we existed in, our own reality full of love and countless orgasms (sorry).

To you, my omnipotent being, my love, my life. It gives me an all over warm feeling when I think of how comfortable we were by the end of this most recent chapter, I truly feel evolved alongside you. Thank you for every moment, your statement “Happy birthday baby” had me stopped in my tracks, tears in my eyes, swelling in my pants. Soon, my love, soon together again.

Universe, you did the time distortion thing again, just not long enough. The reality bubble you provided was incredible, but I need more, so much more. Please, I am at your mercy.