Lokes is leaving tonight. Sniff. He’s gonna be gone for a month. He’s never been away for so long. Furthermore, it will be our first Christmas and New Year without my best pal and the girls’ daddy. So sad.

Don’t think I have the energy to throw a year-end party with all the moving anyway.

Feeling a little blue this morning, packing his stuff. The man has SO MUCH CLOTHES! He’s got more clothes than me. Yea, I know, we’re only packing now?! Guess I wanted to put it off for as soon as I can. Hate it when we’re apart. Don’t know how Jo is doing it, suddenly having her husband tens of thousands of miles away for MONTHS on end. I can’t do it. I need my baby :(.

Yea, I’m pathetic. Screw you.

The party last night was good. About 10-12 people came, all Lokes’ guy pals coming to see him off. Dinner was at his friend Kenny’s place. Kenny is Lokes’ childhood La Salle friend. His baby back ribs and roast boar are to die for. In the end, Lokes said he really had a good time, which was ultimately the most important. I’m really glad his friends did this for him because I know he would’ve just gone quietly if he could. There was the usual reminiscing (many of those friends he’s known for decades) of Lokes and his good old days, jokes, laughter. But ultimately, we parted on what I felt was an awkwardly detached note. It was as though he was moving to Penang instead of Seattle, which was anti-climatic to say the least. I guess these ‘manly’ guys just did not want to say goodbye properly!

I know Lokes will miss his pals, even though he never really saw them much. They have become part of his personality, which is obvious from the times we DID spend together over the years. Last night, it all came back. The spontaenous yet totally synchronised build-up of totally unscripted kidding, culminating always in loud, boisterous mirth. An effect only the cauldron of true friendship can brew.

It is with his friends that Lokes is always the happiest.

We will make new friends in Redmond, but I suspect it will never be the same.