A Year of Dan & Jo: July

By the way, I’m wearing the smile you gave me.

Mid-June to early August was going to be visit-free for us which means that July was going to be a long and frustrating month with nothing but a 48 hour visit in June to keep us going.

The school year was drawing closer to an end and I was very much at the end of my tether there which made it harder to be away from the one person who always knows how to calm me down (without ever actually using the words “calm down”) and make me feel utterly content just by being around.

Dan and I spent a lot of time in July making future plans. We wanted to rent a cottage somewhere in the middle of nowhere and pretend we were alone in the world. He wanted to bring me to one of his favourite festivals. Wouldn’t it be fun if I could go to his friends’ weddings? His dad asked if he was ever going to meet me. We made new plans for New Year’s Eve. It was not only an important distraction but also an affirmation that we were both committed to a future together.

I distracted myself with a few social engagements but there was a four day school trip coming up that I really wasn’t looking forward to which meant I was grumpy and short most of the time. Leading up to it I told him all about the different activities we would be doing but I also spent a fair amount of time simply repeating that I didn’t want to go. Must have been super frustrating for him but instead of telling me to buck up and get on with it he just let me be a sourpuss. In the end I survived it thanks to daily contact with Dan who was cheering me on from across the channel and asking for picture updates from the Belgian Ardennes. I sent him sexy shots of my shorts and hiking boots combo, the horses at the farm next door and a really hot picture of me in a kayak. Thank goodness for the EU and its new roaming laws which meant it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg to use my own phone subscription in Belgium! I even ended up having fun, much to my surprise.

I know how to turn a guy on

The week after my school trip was my last full week at work and also the week that Dan went to Benidorm with his friends for a stag weekend. He regaled me with horror stories from what I can only imagine is the cesspool of civilisation while I sat in on meetings and teacher study days. He told me there was karaoke, sun, loud English tourists, alcohol poisoning and even some sun stroke thrown in for good measure. None of it was his which was a relief. Oh, and one of the guys wasn’t allowed on the flight back home because he was too drunk/sick looking. Sounds like a really great time. Dan doesn’t drink so he was able to send up to the minute updates on events. Including a conversation had on his balcony with the ladies on the neighbouring balcony about how they didn’t dare go out at night, even together, because it was so scary. Good times. Let’s just say I’m not in a hurry to get to Benidorm any time soon.

The weekend after he went to a festival and told me all about the rain and mud and how it would have been way more fun if I had been there. He couldn’t message much because the reception was dismal but we still managed our good mornings and good nights.

He sent me this picture from the festival. Just look at how happy he is. 🙂

Until his phone battery and powerbanks were empty and then we experienced our first ever completely contact-free 24 hours. He managed to send a few last messages telling me he’d borrowed a powerbank from some girls camping near him but his (super ancient) phone was just about to give up. Then there was nothing for over 24 hours. It was really weird and not something I would like to repeat any time soon. It was very lonely and quiet without his message ding and I didn’t know how to fall asleep without his “Night night beautiful x”.

Thankfully I wouldn’t have to wait much longer to hear him say it out loud. With July coming to a close we only had three more days to wait until our two week summer holiday together and Dan quickly ordered himself a brand new phone because he couldn’t stand not being able to get in touch with me. [Honestly, though, I can’t believe that iPhone 4 even worked at all anymore; who still has one of those old bricks?]

July was the second, and last, time this year that we wouldn’t see each other for over a month. I know there are lots of LDR couples who go much longer without seeing each other and I feel for you guys, I really do. If you hardened pros have any tips for us amateurs, please leave them in the comments, they’d be greatly appreciated.

( … to be continued … ) xJI

Also in this series: January // February // March // April // May // June