The other day, Moose was ill. It was just a headache but it lasted days and it made him feel thoroughly wretched. We were due to walk Luke back to the station to see him off after his weekend visit down in Plymouth, but Moose looked and felt so poorly that I told him to go back home and sleep. He deliberated a moment, then took me up on the offer, hugging me and saying "thank you... for being you."

I've been with Moose over four years now. He's always telling me he loves me and reminding me how happy he is to be with me, but for some reason, that statement resonated so much with me that now, days later, I'm feeling compelled to blog about it. Call it the spirit of the day, I guess.

I've not made life especially easy for Moose in a lot of ways. I'm not about to say that he's perfect and I'm a monster - we have ups and downs like any couple, and the long distance element of our relationship lays claim to most of the downs - but I have a tendency to obsess over things long after they've subsided. I'm a dog with a bone, extremely high maintenance and extremely emotional. Hey, passion runs both ways!

But in that moment there was this tired, raw, genuine thanks. Not thanks for saying he should leave us and sleep. Not for buying him juice or for being sure that he had painkillers. Just a thanks for being the person who doesn't for one second demand more from him than he should be giving. For being me.

Moose tells me he loves me all the time, and I believe it every single time, but there was honestly something so much more meaningful in his thanks. For every down we've had as a couple, for all the inconvenience of loving somebody who lives hundreds of miles away, I'm somebody he's genuinely thankful for.

And honestly, I'm so I'm thankful for that, too.

Every year, I try to buy Moose something extra special for special occasions. Sadly, he's not very easy to buy for at all, because his biggest interest is gaming and he generally buys anything he really wants himself before I get a chance. He's also not a huge fan of 'stuff', so whenever he actually wants something, it's usually very cool or unusual, which is why I bought him a Diggle plushie last Christmas.

Our game at the moment is League of Legends, and merchandise is still pretty thin on the ground, despite it being the biggest online game in the world right now. For a start, Riot hasn't cashed in on the huge phenomenon that is the Poro. Poros are fluffy little balls with huge tongues that bounce around the Howling Abyss map. They're adorable and silly and why Riot haven't made official merchandise of them yet is anybody's question.

I've had my heart set on making him a Poro for ages. Ideally I wanted to make a life-sized cuddly one, but while sewing skills continue to allude me, I figured I'd go back to basics and buy some Sculpey. I haven't messed around with modelling in years. As a kid, I used to make clay dragons and unicorns all the time (thanks to my family's collection of Enchantica) but it's not something I've really thought much about recently.

I'm really happy with my little Poro! I sadly accidentally spoiled the surprise for Moose by flipping through my phone's gallery and showing him a photo before I'd given it to him, though. :( But now he sits pride of place on the PC tower, waiting patiently for a Poro Snax.

I'm so happy with how this first figure came out, I'm considering making some to sell online and at conventions. I'm not sure how well figures sell (as opposed to jewellery/charms) but it can't hurt to try! I might also try making some of Lulu's cupcakes, too...