882.

Happy Thursday folks!

I hope you're all somewhere safe and doing well.

I'm gonna try to make this fast because I'm supposed to be sleeping. Also because I need to get it out before anything else noteworthy occurs. 😁

So this happened:

- A family member saved herself and her neighbors from literally being blown to bits a week ago. She had been smelling "a slight natural gas smell" before she left for vacation. Returned home and the odor was stronger. 😮

My relative called the gas company around 11p.m. Gas company rep arrived around midnight and said yep, gas leaking. He proceeded to knock on the door of the neighbor whose unit the smell seemed to be coming from.

No answer. Fire department was called to gain entry. Fire department showed up, opened the door. There was a sleeping occupant who needed reviving. 😱 An ambulance was called. The fire department used equipment to clear the gas fumes from the apartment. The paramedics/EMTs had to remove the occupant from a back door of the unit, started life-saving measures in the grass, then took the occupant to the hospital. 

The next day my relative learned that a faulty gas stove was the culprit and she was thanked for saving not only lives but property as well. Several people in the building smoke and sometimes folks use grills on their patios and thankfully an awful situation was averted.

The mystery: did anyone else smell the gas in all that time? If yes, did they not understand the seriousness of the situation? 😕

- A guy who used to be my neighbor was arrested recently for sexually assaulting several women during massages when he was employed with two local (reputable) massage places.

But he won't be tried for the accusations. He had to be released because of a technicality. 😑 I can't prove he did anything he's accused of. Indeed, my own interactions with him were all fine. However, before he moved, I began reading The Sociopath Next Door. A few chapters in and I realized that something almost undetectable in homeboy's personality did raise my hackles a few times. 😬

🌸 🌸 🌸

Back to Memorial Day weekend: it was fabuloso!

- I had a great time with my dad's family at the quinceañera. We ate, danced, laughed, took photos, tried to crash the wedding next door, and allowed some wedding guests to peek in on our party too.

My cousin truly looked like a princess in her dress. Her parents were so proud and happy. My aunt (grandmother of the princess) was proud and happy too.

We all were. 💓

- The time spent with my friend was fun, eye-opening, sad, nostalgic, cathartic, blissful.

We talked about a lot of things past and present. Things we needed to share with each other, reveal to each other. There was a lot of emotional rawness and intimacy.  (No, not that kind.)  There were tears, laughter, yelling. We looked at old photos I'd taken with me.

We had a cookout at his house on Memorial Day. Some of his family came over. It was good to see them. Sad too. 😶

Really just a good reunion.

(Side note: There was a summer storm one night and I had another "energy" episode similar to the one in post 535. I've also had a few episodes at home since that post, always during weather events. The "why" continues to elude me. 😐)

Our visit was a much-needed chapter in our ongoing dialogue and I'm thankful we were able to get to it.

My friend is on vacation now, with one of his homies. We talked about him swinging by to visit me on his way home but he called the other day to say it wasn't likely to work with his probable schedule.

Que sera, sera...

When we next have time, it will be good to see him again. I love him as much as our connection allows and he knows he's one of the few people who is welcome to knock on my door without invitation or explanation, knowing he'll be ushered in with joy.

Until we meet again, the beat goes on.

🌸 🌸 🌸

There has been more conversing with the Astronaut lately. (See posts 804, 811, 855, and 876.)

He's scheduled to go home for the 4th of July, for a family reunion. He said he wants me to join him, which I just might do.

I haven't seen his people (who are my people too, sort of; more on that later) in almost 35 years. 📅📅

The Astronaut and I met the summer I was 17/18. He lived several hours and several hundred miles away but his brother was married to the sister of a guy my cousin was dating and the Astronaut came with them for a visit to my hometown.

He and I were instantly attracted to each other. We were inseparable the whole time he was in town and thought ourselves in love by the time he was heading back home. (I don't recall how long the visit was. Maybe a few week, maybe a couple of weeks.)

We made plans for me to visit him.

In the interim, there were lots of phone calls and sometimes letters. ☎ 🖊📃 💌📬 ☎

By the time I visited, we were talking marriage. 💍 💒

I loved everything about him, I thought.

But did we even have anything in common? Not much, it seemed.

He was a country boy, muscular and virile, with an accent that tickled my ears. His parents were still together living in the family home, his momma was a good cook, and he had lots of siblings, things that made me feel secure with him. And jealous of him.

I was a city girl, raised by a single mother and her family (mostly women). Cute and bookish but urban and sparkly enough to catch his eye. Dumb as a tick when it came to establishing and sustaining a healthy romantic relationship, certainly not able to create and foster a viable marriage.

The photos from my visit south, to see him and meet his family, are still in my collection. Decades later, the trip is still a fond memory for me.

My recollection is that we were gonna marry and move me south. We were researching jobs for me and planned to move into an apartment next to his brother and sister-in-law. But something happened and we broke up. Not during my visit but some time after.

Maybe the tedium of being in a long distance relationship with a man I didn't really know became overwhelming. Or boring. Or something else.

I do remember being married to my first husband and having sporadic contact with the Astronaut, Nothing untoward, just a few phone calls and a few letters. I recall telling him how I'd had a dream about his mom and him telling me she'd died the week of my dream...

At some point we lost touch.

Fast forward to meeting, dating, and marrying Mr. Bliss and Bam!

Big planet with billions of people and wouldn't ya know it, the Astronaut and I are now related by marriage. 😵😂

When I reminded him that tongues would be wagging if we attend the family reunion together, his response: So? I knew you first.

Alrighty then. (See definition number 4.)

🌸 🌸 🌸

In other news, I have a date Friday. Stay tuned for more details. 😄

Sweet dreams y'all.


p.s  I just remembered that I must have visited the Astronaut at least twice, back in the day. The photos I mentioned are from a summer visit.

But there was also a visit when we went to the county fair, an autumn event. I remember because he took a photo of me lounging in a wooden glider-type swing but it was suspended by rope from a huge tree.

I was wearing a cream colored v-neck sweater and a pair of baggy floral pants in rust and navy blue, a favorite outfit that season.

That photo might be floating around in the archives. I'll have to search for it.

838.

Baby Bliss is taking me to lunch today. 🍔🍚🍤🍰🍱🍣🍮🍜

Gotta get ready!  😊

By the way, did I mention that Baby Bliss is engaged? 💍

And they're buying a home this week.  🏰

God is good.  🙏🏽

Amen. 😊

718.

In other news, Mercury is in retrograde again y'all.

(See here: HOW THIS MERCURY RETROGRADE IN CAPRICORN WILL AFFECT US ENERGETICALLY)

For me that usually means exes will ooze out of the woodwork.

Whyyyyyyyyyy?  🙀

In the past several days, I have gotten a couple of texts and phone call from guys I've dated in the past.

Guy number one and I didn't actually date but we met on one of the online dating sites last year. We talked and texted for a few weeks but never made it to the first date.

When he texted me last week, I didn't know who he was because his contact was no longer in my phone. He addressed me by my name so I figured who ever it was knew me somehow.

I waited a few hours before texting back to ask who it was.

To make a long story short, we texted then talked. He asked me out for coffee which turned into lunch.

Lunch was good (one of my favorite local Thai joints), he was funny, we had some things in common (I'm 83 percent African-American, four percent Irish; he's 98 percent Irish, two percent African-American...)

But I felt some of his behavior was inappropriate and he seemed close to being manic. He talked loudly about personal subjects, made comments that seemed to offend a few folks around us, asked someone about their political views.

I'm a live-and-let-live kinda lady but his behavior was a turn-off. He was also between jobs and his aura reeked of desperation and despair. I offered to pay for lunch (because it was my idea to extend the coffee hour to a meal and I never want anyone to go hungry if I'm able to feed them) but he said no.

When the bill came, he tried to pay with his credit card. Declined. So he paid with his debit card.

*sigh*

He texted me lots more that day and the next but I had to cut it off.

There will be no more dates and I don't want to hear from him again.

It might sound mean but I can't involve myself in whatever drama he has brewing. If he's truly in need of some help, I hope he gets it.

He has my prayers.

Guy number two is a guy I dated quite a few times earlier this year. I stopped talking to him when he mentioned one day that he might vote for Trump because he didn't like Hillary.

Maybe he was joking but I didn't find it funny.

He began texting me the same night as guy number one. It was weird because he didn't seem to want anything specific. He asked me what I was doing, asked me to remind him of how we met, brought up the election, and that was it.

Perhaps it was because my answers were less than enthusiastic. I don't know; I don't really care. He (along with guy number one) is now on my "do not respond" list.

That means their calls will go straight to my voicemail and any subsequent texts from them will be deleted with no response.

Guy number three is a guy I had one date with at least two years ago. We also met online.

What the hell he wants, I can't imagine.

He took me to lunch at P.F. Chang's. The decor was lovely. The food was good, nothing spectacular. His dime, my time...

The date was spent talking, eating, laughing. He told me about the non-profit he ran. He made himself sound like one of the most altruistic people on the planet.

Cool.

A few days after the date, I got a nastily-worded text from him that he likely meant to send to someone else but there it was.

I waited a few hours then responded by saying he had obviously sent the text to the wrong person. I also let him know I didn't want to hear from him again.

He never responded.

Cool.

Fast forward a year or so and I could see that he'd visited my dating profile. (Using the new profile he'd created.) I was flabbergasted when I got an e-mail from him.

I went to his profile, to make sure it was who I thought it was. Yep, it was him. And incredibly, his profile mentioned his recent divorce.

Huh?

I didn't recall us discussing his wife over lunch the year before. Not that his divorce made a difference one way or the other because after that funky ass text I received, he and I had nothing to talk about. But learning that he'd (possibly) been married when we went out and I didn't know...

It was just one more nail in his shoe as far as I was concerned.

So I did something mean. I responded to his e-mail by telling him he was a crazy lying bastard and if he e-mailed me again I would report him to the site for harassment.

He didn't e-mail again but now he's popped up. Again.

He didn't text me. He actually called me several times. I didn't answer because I didn't recognize the number but it looked familiar (I have a friend who has a similar number) so I Googled it.

It came back as being registered to guy number three's business.

Needless to say, he is now on my "reject call list".

If I'm contacted by one mo' dude I don't want to hear from during this retrograde, Mercury and I are gonna have a talk. 👺

And now I bid y'all a fond ta-ta for now.

Time for me to hit the streets with Baby Bliss.

Have a good one folks!  😊

716.

To those who celebrate any holiday this time of year, I wish you the best, happiest, merriest, most enlightening celebration ever.

Baby Bliss and I don't have a script for our holiday celebration.

I put up our tiny tree and decorated it while she was out one day. She expressed her disappointment in a text: I should have waited for her.

My bad. I did allow her to add the additional decorations (bells) that I recently bought after I decided the metallic blue ball ornaments from last year were just a tad too big for our tiny tree. The tiny bells I found were the perfect size but required work before they could go on the tree.

I thought the package I bought was individual bells to be hung each on a branch. Nope. The bells were all on a single strand of silver cord.

Grrrr!

Initially I thought I would have to crochet strings to add to each bell, to get each one on the tree. Then I realized I could cut the silver string in a way that would allow me to use every other bell without having to crochet extra strings.

It's possible that I will still crochet extra strings for the bells that need them. It's a five-step process: crochet the string, remove the bell cap, tie the string securely, glue the cap back on, hang the bell.

There might be 10 more bells needing to be hung on the tree. Ahhh, well... We'll see if it happens during this holiday season.

On to other topics!

Other than the one warm day we had recently (69 degrees) it's been cold here. I am beyond thankful to have a warm and safe place to call home. For those who do not have these things, I offer my prayers and whatever activities I can perform to help resolve those misfortunes.

Monday evening I was exhausted from being awake from Sunday morning until 5 a.m. Monday morning. A nap became inevitable. I shut down the laptop, arranged a few pillows for my comfort, and wrapped myself in my blanket on the sofa. Then I closed my eyes and drifted away.

A few times I surfaced from my sea of snores. I'm not sure if I was fully conscious but I recall seeing the curtains, hearing the t.v., then zoning out again.

Around 9:30 p.m., the phone rang. It was Mr. Skittish. He could tell from my voice that he'd awakened me. He also sounded like he'd been asleep. (He had been.)

We talked for 15 or 20 minutes then said good night.

Generally we talk at least twice a day, sometimes more. We text throughout the day too. We've shared a lot of our life histories with each other, unexpectedly developing a good friendship along the way.

It's probably why we enjoyed our time together when he visited December 10 and 11.

I got him from the train station late that Saturday morning. We came to my place so I could finish packing my overnight bag. Then it was time for lunch. We ate at a local McAllister's Deli. When we finished it was check-in time at the hotel.

The same guy who checked Mr. Skittish in last time he visited was at the desk. He remembered us. In the room, I took a shower, put on my lounging attire, and hopped into one of the queen sized beds. He took the other bed.

We started out watching telly and both ended up snoring. A few hours later, I woke up hungry and knowing my glucose level was seriously low. Lucky for me I'd brought some leftovers from home.

Mr. S declined my offer to share my food with him so I dined alone. But he was hungry too. We dressed and made a food run. Back at the hotel, we talked, laughed, and watched telly while he ate.

We stayed up late and woke early Sunday morning. Early-ish, around 8 a.m.

It was a lazy morning, no rush to get up. I got up around 10, showered, got dressed, packed my things, and tossed our trash from the night before. He took his time getting up to shower. I helped him pack, making sure he had everything, hurrying him along as he sat around lollygagging after he was dressed.

Not that I was anxious to go but I didn't want us to stay past checkout. Also his train was scheduled to leave shortly after noon and it was a 30-minute drive to the station.

We grabbed a fast food breakfast and ate it on the way to the train station.

It was after noon when we arrived but we knew the train was running late because we'd checked the schedule online about halfway there. We sat in the station talking and laughing while we waited.

The attendant made the announcement for the impending arrival and told folks to head for the gate. We hugged and kissed goodbye. He walked out to the gate and I waited on the other side until he got on the train. We waved bye several times, laughing as he walked toward the train.

He boarded and I headed off to do a bit of shopping. Window shopping really because there was nothing I wanted to buy. My gas tank was a few notches short of half a tank so I filled it after I left the store then headed home.

Mr. S texted me when he arrived home and called me later that evening. He was happy, saying how he'd had a really good time and he was glad he had come to visit.

The next day was his birthday. I texted him a birthday greeting shortly after midnight.

We talked and texted on his birthday, mostly about how much we'd enjoyed the weekend.

Over the past week or so, we've been talking about taking a trip up north when the weather warms up.  There's a place he's been wanting to go for a while and he asked me to go with him. I think it's nice that he invited me. Whether or not we actually go dwells somewhere in the future.

If we do go, I'll drive. My car is good on gas and he works two jobs every day. He deserves to sit back and enjoy the ride. I'll probably decide where we sleep as well. Our destination is very near my home town and I know the areas to avoid to ensure our safety.

Maybe we'll visit my parents on the way up or back.

We'll see.

He also wants to go to Vegas, which should be fun. I haven't vacationed in Vegas since the early 90s.

Mr. Skittish is a decent man. Somewhat gullible too. He can be thankful that I'm not one to take advantage of those sorts.

It's nice to know good people.

Amen.

715.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. If not, I wish you success in accessing the tools necessary to overcome your obstacles.

My weekend was fun and informative. It gave me an idea for a new business venture:

Action and Adventure Chez Bliss

Has your life become boringly predictable? Are you in need of a fun and exciting getaway that offers you a glimpse into someone else's blissfully chaotic days and nights?

Yes?

You should sign up for a weekend or week with me, K. Bliss!

We'll visit my colorful neighbors, engage in funny/daunting/frightening conversations with random guys we meet on online dating sites, go on at least one date with at least one funny guy from an online dating site who strikes our fancy, eat delicious cupcakes from my favorite local bakery, visit my favorite enchanting lakeside park, and much more.

Weekends are $1,000 and include lodging (Friday-Sunday), roundtrip transfers to and from our local airport or Amtrak station, all ground transportation, and meals.

A one week stay will set you back $4,000 and includes all of the above, commencing Monday and concluding Friday.

Reservations should be made at least two (2) weeks in advance. 

683.

Tuesday's date went well.

In fact, lots of things went well Tuesday. Really well. Unexpectedly well. From traffic to the lines in stores, I sailed through my outside activities.

Yesterday the paramour and I had ice cream after work. Waffle cones. (Dipped in chocolate which I didn't like but those were the only waffle cones left.)

My ice cream was orange dreamsicle with french vanilla (side by side, not mixed); he had mixed mint and dark chocolate.

We sat in a small park area between the ice cream shop and another store.

Good ice cream, good conversation, and yes, some good kisses.

Before we knew it, dusk was settling around us, nudging us towards departure time.

At dark he walked me to my car where there was more smooching.

The hormones were just running amok...

Today we have a date scheduled to start mid-afternoon which is why I should be asleep. (It's after 4 a.m.)

Silly ole me is still awake but drifting off, as I should be. I'll be flipping the "off" switch in about five minutes.

So I bid y'all a most fond farewell and end by saying "more later" because there shall be.

Toodles!

632.

Happy Saturday y'all!

What do you have planned?

It's another busy day ahead for me.

Earlier this week, Baby Bliss began purging the treasure trove that is her closet.

The yield: two giant bags of trash; one decrepit papasan-style chair (trashed); one giant, filthy, fabric suitcase (trashed); one laundry basket full of "I can sell these online"; another laundry basket full of "mommy wants this stuff"; a tall fabric laundry hamper and a small suitcase full of "going to Goodwill"; one child-sized sleeping bag and a Trader Joe's paper sack full of goodies that will go to grandma.

The best part: Baby Bliss found a card hand-written to her by Mr. Bliss in 2004 as well as a small locket containing a photo of Mr. Bliss and one of his sisters. She almost cried.

For the past several days, we've been carefully sorting trash from re-useable and cleaning items that are to be given away.

Today I am responsible for parceling out what's being given away because I'm heading out for another of my many social obligations.

It's a mid-afternoon date with the girls for someone's birthday.

I say "someone" because I don't know the birthday sista but the party is being given by my good friend and intriguing socialite, Miz A.

My life has truly become more interesting since meeting her last fall.

If there's a cool event going on, Miz A has either planned it or she has an invite. Either way, if I want to be included, I'm in.

She gives lots of birthday parties, casual gatherings, activities centered around special events (Superbowl, etc.),  all affording me the pleasure of meeting new people who may or may not expand my circle. I've had a great time at every event.

And did I say "a date with the girls"? That may not be true.

Yes, it's a party for one of Miz A's sista friends. However that doesn't necessarily mean just womenfolk. Miz A has many many friends, male and female. Sometimes we all converge upon a location at once, like a swarm of locusts.

One never knows who might be in attendance.

Rest assured that I shall dress accordingly.

That is all.

631.2

Although I was just plum worn out earlier, I wasn't able to fall into a deep restful sleep like I wanted.

My pillows were uncooperative, my daughter was busy turning lights on and off as she bustled around, and my mind wouldn't slow down.

I drifted off several times only to awaken with every odd sound.

At some point I managed to stay asleep. Lots of dreams in about 2.5 hours of snoozing but I can't remember a single one. I do recall the presence of the Scorpio. (My Friday afternoon lunch date.)

When I awoke again, it was after 10:30. I got up and somehow lost an hour because when I looked at my phone again, it was after 11:30 p.m.

Strange.

So, more details about Friday's date:

 - Parking near the venue was awful. I drove around for a few minutes before I found a good space.

- I arrived before he did, and only a few minutes late. (Thank you overly full parking lot.)

- He was shorter than I expected. Not a big deal.

- He was casually dressed: jeans, striped polo-style pullover. Nice quality fabrics. (I have an eye for these things.)

- He was handsome in a way that I wouldn't have noticed if we'd crossed each other's paths somewhere like the mall.

- He was very masculine but not macho.

- He was articulate, well-spoken. But I knew that from our phone conversations.

We met at the bar and ate there. Which led me to believe he has eaten there before (if not often) because the restaurant was full and the bar was empty and I felt like he knew those things already. Or perhaps he called ahead and got the 411. Or something else entirely. (I am always aware that not everything I think is the absolute truth.)

I let him decide on the appetizer, the meal (which I shared with him), and dessert (which we ate with our appetizer and is something I usually don't eat on dates). Normally I make my own decision about what to order but I figured a change of pace could be nice.

He ordered a stout and I had a Shirley Temple (that the bartender refilled several times).

Our food was really good.

The appetizer was a lobster queso with what appeared to be freshly-made tortilla chips in pretty colors.

Delicious.

The  wedge of key lime pie we indulged in was tasty. Not as tart as I prefer but what made it taste better was us taking turns feeding it to each other. He started it and I was happy to play along.

For the main course, we shared a shrimp and strawberry salad festooned with pecans and garnished with fresh jicama. Also delicious.

Our conversation covered everything from our children to politics.

He also spiced up our dialogue with a few tidbits that had me all hot and bothered, a feat not easily accomplished as I like to imagine myself as having seen or heard most things known to wo/mankind.

Definitely a Scorpio, this guy.

Overall, I was nicely impressed but not... swept away.

When that happens (as I was so fortunate to experience with my dearly departed Mr. Bliss), the whole world will know.

Until then, sleep beckons once again. I've been awake since 10:30 last night and I can feel myself drifting off again...

630.

TGIF y'all!

Another day, another first date...

Lunch at 12:30, at a nearby hoity-toity venue.

Well alright Mr. Moneybags!

I like money as well as the next girl. It affords one a life of leisure and I do like to relax as often as possible.

However I was raised in a frugal household and with few exceptions, that's how I live.

I'm all for a man showing a lady a good time by digging deeply into his wallet. But if we're gonna get to date number two, there had better be some darned good conversation and substance to go with that bankroll.

I'm just putting that out there, you know, for the Universe to hear and respond.

Keeping all that in mind, I'm running up on my call time folks. It's 10 minutes to 11 a.m. If I'm not in and out of the shower by 11, I'll be holding up the show.

This man has to pick up his offspring by 2:30.

And we know how long my first dates can run.

Miss Queen of First Dates is signing off.

629.

Last night I had another "first date".

It was interesting. Unusual. Different from any date I've ever been on.

The activity, one which helped me explore and push past boundaries, was one I had agreed to. I thought I knew what the result(s) would be. For the most part I was correct.

I was a bit apprehensive, afraid too. But I didn't let those emotions stop me and I'm glad I pressed on.

The result was beautiful in a way I can't describe. I learned new things about myself.

It was unexpectedly one of the most pleasurable dates I've ever had.

Magic is real y'all.

But only for those who believe...

628.

Note: this post was written the morning of Sunday, March 6. In a frenzied rush so I wouldn't be late for my date, I forgot to hit the "publish" button until I returned home from said date, in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Mea culpa.

***

The weekend has been very very good to me.

Fun so far.

I actually had two "first dates".

Both in their early 50s. Opposites in some ways... One tall; one short(er). One opened the car door for me; one did not. One African-American; one Caucasian. One a northern transplant; the other raised in the south.

Both guys asked to see me again today.

My Friday afternoon date invited me out and said "maybe" we would get something to eat.

My Saturday evening date requested the pleasure of my company for an early Sunday evening dinner.

One guess as to who shall be allowed to bask in my dazzling aura today.*

Ahhhhh, the life of an unattached woman...  It's not without its bonuses and I absolutely reserve the right to follow my dating bliss.

And now I must get ready to get ready because I musn't be late.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I'm late more than I'm on time. But I'm proud to say I made it to my Friday afternoon date on time and I was able to "adjust" the time for last night's date. So technically I wasn't late.

Today I plan to be on time too.

Wouldn't you know, it's turned out to be a three-date weekend.

Lucky me.



* Lest you dear people think I'm being conceited, it's tongue-in-cheek. While I love myself without reservation or hesitation and I know I'm the best catch for He-Who-Is-The-Best-Catch-For-Me, I don't believe every man is or should be enamored of me.

Some men just can't see the brilliance I exude. Why, even those who do don't always understand it.

So?

The world keeps turning darlings!

Amen.

627.

There must be something stirring in the heavens and it's not Mercury going retrograde because I checked.

Whatever it is, it's dragging a few of my "exes" along with it.

I'm not sure if I should be laughing or running.

In this instance, it was this one: Fun Young Guy. And this one: A guy who got no individual mention (although our second -- and last -- date got him some serious side-eye).

It's probably best to laugh as I run sprint the hell outta dodge.

Fun Young Guy called me last night from a number I didn't recognize (therefore not yet on my "block" list), a dirty trick I have no patience for.

Obviously he really wanted to talk to me or hear my voice. Or maybe he just wanted to know if I was still breathing. (Because he's been calling me periodically for a year with no response.)

But that's his issue. The last few times we saw each other, he really got under my skin.

Yes, I know there's all sorts of fodder for self-improvement in interacting with someone who really gets your goat. But once I know the cord has a short in it, I don't think it's wise to keep plugging in the appliance. Nasty shocks might ensue. Time to get rid of it.

Truly, I don't like to hurt people's feelings because it's been done to me and it doesn't feel good.

But I'm hoping that the text I sent after our terse (me) and barely-courteous (me again) conversation will be enough to deter him from contacting me again: Please delete my number and do NOT call me any more. Thanks. (Insert smiling emoji here.)

Leos...

***

The other dude should have just let sleeping dogs lie.

Like, for real.

Our second date (Halloween weekend) ended when he got into an argument via cellphone with an "ex".

Yes, during the date.

He e-mailed me the other day on the website we met on, apologizing and asking to make it up to me.

Dude...

If ever there was a time to be rude, that second date was probably it. However, I exited like a lady and not the slash-you-to-shreds-with-my-tonuge Gemini that I can be.

My response to his e-mail was peaceful.

Zen-like.

Actually, it was Nichiren-like.

***

Hmmm... Now that I think about it, three exes emerged from the mist.

Last week I got an e-mail on the dating site from another guy I had two dates with (also last year). He tried the okie doke: he was sorry that things didn't work out for us but I was such a great lady that he wanted to see how I was doing, if maybe we could go out again...

*chuckle*

After he acted like a toddler when I asked a question he didn't like, after date number two?

Ignore.

***

Et maintenant, because it's Friday and I have lots on my to-do list, this sista is about to rev it up to a higher gear.

I have a "first date" at 3 p.m. and a few errands to run before it's time to get all glammed up. 💄👗👡

.

624.

So about that date...

Quite a tale.

Here it is:

- We started out with a late afternoon lunch at one of my favorite places. It was a two-hour meal, punctuated with good conversation and lots of laughter.

- We went to the mall to walk it off. (Yep, I do this on a lot of dates.)

- We discussed seeing a movie but the idea was nixed in favor of more sedate activities.

- We ended up at an all-night venue.


However, before we got into our respective vehicles to head out and over, he said he wanted to pick up a six-pack of beer.

Okay...

He bought a 12-pack and put the box in the bed of his truck. Silly ole me thought he was taking it home.

At the venue, we settled in, talked and laughed more.

Next thing I know, dude says he's gonna run out to the parking lot for a smoke and a sip.

A smoke and a sip? 😲 (No emoticon visible? Insert astonished face here.)

My window seat offered me a full view of him puffing and chugging, an immediate turn-off. Two beers and cigarettes later, he returned.

There was more conversation but my thoughts had shifted to other things. Things I could be doing at home...

Dude took a couple more trips to the parking lot, to smoke and sip.

Well all righty then.

I knew he had suffered a personal trauma a little over a year before. No way did I expect him to be 100% healed but it was troubling to see him in what I felt was a downward spiral.

His was still smiling and seemed chipper, but his spirit was altered after the beers. He wasn't slurring or outwardly impaired but he wanted to talk about topics I consider off limits for dates, like politics and religion.

Who wants to get into a debate on a date? Especially with someone who's been drinking...

There are many topics suitable for discussion in mixed company: the weather, pets, fashion, food, Mars...

When I said no to politics and religion, he turned red as he struggled with struggling to engage me in the very thing I had just declined to participate in.

It was clearly time for an exit strategy.

Thankfully, he decided it was time to call it a night.

A few more hours passed as I luxuriated in the peace of my own company and the buzz from overheard conversations of others in the venue.

On my way home, I stopped to treat myself to breakfast.

*** Tale ends here.  ***

As a woman who neither drinks nor smokes, I choose to date men who embrace tobacco-free lifestyles; I prefer to date men who don't drink at all

However, I'm not averse to dating a light drinker.

Herein lies the quandary.

My definition of "light drinking" may mean one beer a week, countered with someone else's two beers a night. Sometimes this disparity isn't evident until a few weeks or months have gone by, depending on how often we see each other.

No worries. I'm a live-and-let-live kinda gal.

What other people do with their time and money is their business and I need not allow it to impact my life.

It's simple: If I've had a few (or several) dates with a man who I later learn is what I consider a heavy or problem drinker, no more dates with him.

The reason: If I'm interested in dating a man, questions about amount and frequency of his drinking habits are on the list with all the other questions I ask. If his story and the actuality don't match, it signifies something deeper that I don't want to be party to.

From experience, I know I can't have a true friendship with a man who is (what I consider) a heavy or problem drinker. Same goes for a man who smokes.

If we can't be friends, we can't date.

Been there, done that; donated the tee shirt to Goodwill.

623.

One date, two dates, three dates, four...

Okay, I haven't had quite that many dates since my last post. Two, I think.

There was a date scheduled for Friday evening but it's been postponed until Saturday afternoon.

It's not a "first date". I already know this guy. We met (online) last summer. Our first date was unusual in that it was a swim date at his house.

Before he and I met in person, we e-mailed, talked and texted for a while. He was very comfortable with forwarding me personal information about himself that I was able to verify on my own. With the help of a good friend, I was able to gather additional background information on my new suitor.

It appeared that everything he'd told me was true. Coupled with the supplemental information from my friend, my new suitor was either a regular nice guy or a psycho who'd managed to fly below the radar.

Overall, it was a lot of behind-the-scenes work for a date but absolutely necessary under the circumstances.

When we finally met in person, it was at a mutually agreed upon public location. We hugged hello and sat down. He showed me his i.d. and we laughed about it. Then we talked until I felt comfortable enough to follow him back to his house.

As I followed him, I made a pre-arranged phone call to my good friend to verify/relay my suitor's address and tag number.

His home was at the end of a long-ish driveway. He had a beautiful garden and well-tended grounds.

We went inside where it was a bit chaotic. Which wasn't a big deal. I knew of his circumstances from our first conversation and knew the chaos was only temporary.

It was a lovely afternoon, splish-splashing in his backyard under a blazing hot sun. I stayed for a few hours after our swim. We ate and drank, listened to music, he serenaded me with his guitar, we played with his dogs, talked...

He was such a sweetheart.

That was a good first date; I headed home tired and happy.

We've kept in touch but the effort of dating would have been a bit much for us at the time.

We live almost an hour apart, when traffic is ideal. Not terrible but not great either. Our schedules didn't mesh well and the distance exacerbated that issue. In addition, he was in beginning stages of recovering from a traumatic event and I knew he needed time to heal.

So conditions weren't conducive for fostering a romantic relationship.

(And they may not be now. Who knows. And it's not something I need to be concerned about at the moment. Because although anticipation is exciting and fun, I'm learning to embrace living in the moment.

Regardless of what does or doesn't happen in the distant future, I know he and I will enjoy each other's company while we're hanging out.)

When he called me Thursday afternoon, we hadn't talked in several months. He had crossed my mind about a week before so I was happy to hear from him.

In the midst of our catching up, he asked me out. I was momentarily surprised and hesitated a beat too long I guess because he told me to take a day to think about it.

I knew I would say yes but I took the day to think about it.

He called me Friday afternoon and I said yes. *chuckle*

We planned to meet in the evening but later decided to move things to Saturday, today.

He said he would call at noon. Which leaves me approximately 7.5 hours to snore.

Good night y'all.

.

601.

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"?

600.

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.

599.

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.

Here's to a day of shared fun and laughter.

Ciao folks!

597.

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.

595.

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

594.

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 has worked out the kinks, comes just as he is, and remains steadfast. He'll know that I am already who he wants and needs in his life and shall remain so.

And when the time arises, we shall individually and jointly evolve into that which moves our shared endeavor toward its highest good.

I give thanks in advance for that which shall manifest because I believe.

Amen.