2 be Bliss, as I dance along the road to Nirvana...

What a fantastic weekend I've had. Lots of driving, visiting with friends old and new, and food. I even had time to squeeze in a few dates. Laughing, noshing, dancing, crying, kissing... I loved every minute of it all. The reward for being such a busy bee is needing a good ole Epsom salt-baking soda soak. As soon as I eat my last bit of leftovers, I'm diving in to zone out until the water chills. Sayonara y'all.

Oh happy day y'all! The volume of my life has gotten incrementally louder in the past few days. The possibilities for "new and/or different" that have come into focus recently are... interesting. Nothing that needs deciding right now but eventually I'll need to make a few choices. I'm thankful for the opportunities. * * * Moving right along, my modified carb plan has resulted in a better fit for one of my favorite skirts. Here is the "before" photo (taken in late April 2015): Here is the "after" photo, taken this morning (about 15 pounds lighter): It will be a challenge to keep it off and lose more with cold weather creeping in but I'm up for it. Thank goodness for exercise DVDs and YouTube. Here's to fighting the good fight! Amen.

Exhausted. Been awake for at least 22 hours straight. Time for a serious snooze. There's a date scheduled for 2 p.m. but I might not make it. Oh well... Hitting the pillows in five. I shall sleep well. More later. Amen.

A day out with the girls on Veteran's Day morphed into an all-day affair. We had lunch, shopped, walked, shared girl talk and giggles, and ended with beverages on the boardwalk in the big city down the road. We had a fantastic time. Tomorrow I'll be joining one of the ladies for another evening of sisterhood. She's a recent addition to our group and already feels like family. On Sunday several of us are meeting for jazz brunch at a new N'awlins restaurant down in the big city. I might be exhausted come Monday but God knows I wouldn't want to do without my sista-friends. I'm so thankful to have these ladies in my life. Amen.

Second date went well for the most part. We caught a movie, a good one. Better than I thought it would be. He's such a gentleman. We held hands during the movie and kissed after the credits rolled. It was an almost-chaste kiss that had the potential for more but the lights came on, the staff came in to clean, and we were forced to abandon the maneuver. After the movie we headed off for another stroll at another nearby mall. The date ended with conversation about seeing each other one evening this week, to talk (his words). Hmmm... Okay... On another note, this Daylight Savings Time sure has me in a tizzy. Can y'all say "exhausted"?

How does one recover from a really good first date? By putting up ones feet and vegging out in front of the telly for a few hours. And for those who want details: - He is tall, dark, and handsome. Much better looking in person than his photos. - His smile is beautiful. Fantastic teeth.  (A great smile always makes me swoon...) - He gave me flowers and a card before we hugged hello. (The graphic on the card referenced a conversation we had earlier this week about favorite childhood movies. Nice touch.) - We took a sightseeing cruise, had dinner and a subsequent hour of conversation at a nearby restaurant, then took a stroll at a local shopping area. - We held hands as he walked me to my car. We hugged and exchanged a few sweet awkward kisses as we said goodnight. - We have a second date planned for Sunday. I'm exhausted. Time for bed.

Today is a Date Day. No, the date will not take place on foreign shores. It will, however, take place off-shore. There was some discussion of postponing the date until tomorrow because of today's weather forecast: 100% chance of rain. It was pouring rain when I woke up several hours ago. Surfaces are still wet but the rain has stopped. So date on for today. In the multitude of conversations we've shared in the past week, I know he's a stickler about being on time. That means I need to concentrate on being early . It's close to 10:30 a.m. We're scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. As soon as I'm done drinking my morning lemon water, getting dressed to run an errand, complete said errand and return home, I can prep for my date. It's only about a 20 minute drive to where we'll meet but I do need to make a quick stop along the way. Looks like I'm working with less than two hours here... Which means I need to get my butt in gear. Right. Now. ...

In the past few days, several friends have spoken of loved ones dying. Two of the people who died were young women. One was in her early 20s and had just had a baby last year. I know death is one part of life we must all endure. Still, I'm saddened each time I hear the stories; primarily because the people who tell them are sad about their feelings of loss. I'm thankful in advance for the healing we all need and shall receive. Amen.

God, You sure are funny. No passport required but the next (first) date involves a water vessel. Bigger than a fishing boat but smaller than a cruise ship. Although you know I love the water (beautiful beaches specifically), you also know I'm not fond of boats of any size. Yes, I agreed to the fishing date. But only because I'd never been fishing and I was curious. Now I can say, "Been there, done that" and cross it off the list it was never on. I'm not gonna go into the details about me and boats. It's likely that I've already done so at some point during the years I've blogged here. I'll just end this by saying, "Thank goodness I can swim". Amen.

A link to a great article about reversing Type 2 diabetes by changing your habits :  How to Reverse Diabetes Naturally - Wellness Mama This information is the same as what I was told by the nutritionist my doctor sent me to back in April. Please share. It could save a life. Your life, if you so choose. Because if any life is worth saving, isn't it your own?

ISO: the protocol for a first-date invitation that requires a passport.

Good morning God. It's raining out so maybe we're in similar moods today? I'm in a curl-up-on-the-sofa-with-a-good-book-and-tea kinda mood. How bout you? Um, while I have your ear, let's chat for a bit. The past couple of weeks have been fun, interesting. Lots of fun dates, good food, good conversation, good kisses. An unusual number of kisses in the rain. Got my third one the other night. So far, no one has managed to impress me in the ways that are important to me. Which is... okay, I guess. After all, dating is a social activity at its core and I am a social butterfly. But it's been a few years since I re-entered the dating world. I've seen lots of masks. Some glued on so tight that they might never be removed. I've also seen some fall so fast that my my mouth hung open at the speed of the revelations. It's all good because it's all God. However, I'm now ready for something different God. I'm ready for the man who h...

Believe and it shall manifest. Amen.