Today was David's defense of his dissertation.

I don't know my way around the campus other than to get to their apartment, so Laura and I had arranged that I would meet them there and we would head over there together.

I got there to find the door ajar. I knocked anyway. Laura told me to come in, but as I did so, I caught a glimpse of David's behind as he ran from the living room, "I'm *naked*". Laura was like, "oh, oops". Typical! *grins*

So then David dressed (obviously) and we went over there... his mom was already there talking to... John! He'd taken half of the day off of work to head over, and surprised us all. I was happy.

I think I understood about three words of David's dissertation, which was what I expected.

Afterwards, I helped Laura set up the wine and cheese thing... tried some of the cheeses (not that I remember all of their names, but one of them was the Camembert) and then some of the wine. After the first glass of wine, I consulted with John and Laura about whether I'd be driving any time soon. "Just hang out at our place all night," was Laura's idea. Fine by me!

I had more wine.

Then we went back to their place. I had more wine.

I got past tipsy and into drunk for the first time since the wedding (long time, partly because of... Tara... among other reasons...). Cuddled with David a bit.

Eventually John left and came back and left and came back and there was pizza but he didn't get any and it was all weird. Movie Critters. Paul was just getting there as John was leaving for the last time and I had stopped drinking long before so I was getting sober... Paul and I started to talk and wound up talking in the back room all through the next movie, sometimes with TK (the photographer friend) wandering in to join the conversation.

Oh, and evidently my affinity for oatmeal stout has gotten around, because Arnie got there and handed me a pint-sized bottle, "Here, this is for you". Yum! (I only wound up drinking about half of it, though.)

At some point in the conversation with Paul, I reached between the couch cushions -- I don't know what possessed me to do that, because at David and Laura's, one never knows what one might find there, but it may well be something like a handful of moldy popcorn -- and found a new-looking artist-style paintbrush.

Which sounds weird, but was a turning point for the rest of the evening, in a good way.

The paintbrush turned out to have very soft bristles, as I discovered when I traced it along Paul's forearm. His response was delicious.

I spent a very long time with that brush on any exposed skin: his arms, hands, face, neck. We discussed sensuality, sense play, and a lot about BDSM in general -- TK joining us for much of this. 'Twas good. Turned out there was a large pile of rope/toys/clothespins/chain/etc. next to the couch, too, though nothing that was as much fun as the brush. Mmmmm.

Unexpected, but so nice.