It's Friday Again. what weekend plans have you got?

Dawn

Blessedly none.

M and I are just going to hang out. Maybe together, maybe apart for some of the time.

Tonight, going to play racquetball (our latest venture into physical fitness) - and then the rest of the weekend I've got the graduation party circuit.....

Trying not to do too much in a weekend these days, I am just too tired and crabby on Monday morning for work....and I unfortunately haven't won that d*mn lottery so I can quit and still get my mortgage paid!!

Need some down time, I'm afraid...


Enjoy your weekend friends!
Laura

dd has a softball tournament this weekend. So could take up the whole weekend or we could be done Saturday morning. If we have free time, we might hit Kung Fu Panda.

Continuing to pack up the house, working on homework, and my kids birthday party on Sunday which is always a blast. I have the most awesome kids! And with the exception of one party being ruined a few years ago, our parties are always fun. This year it will be bowling and cake and craziness with lots of presents.

Then back work Monday... But only for 2 days then I am on vacation for a week and a half (so we can move).

Heading out for a week long bike trip.

I am all alone this weekend!!!

This is a first for me in a long long time.

Put my daughter in the van with pastor and 6 other youth for the week.

My oldest daughter and grandkids moved this week to Ark.

My folks are going out of town.

My son is in the basement, but never comes out except for work as he is afraid that I might ask him to do something for his boarding!!!!

So it's me and the dog!!!

It's a gorgerous day so will do some yard work and then head out with friends later to listen to some music at one of the local bars!

Dawn

I took a four day weekend to take the kids camping and the weather channel is calling for thundershowers all weekend..so here we sit. I think I'm gonna snoop in some boxes in the attic and see if I can find more stuff to unpack from the move back in November...haha.

We rescheduled the camping for the weekend after the Fourth so hopefully the weather will cooperate then. I've got a 10 day vacation scheduled the week after that with NO KIDS..woooohooo!

cut the grass and read the book for my book group, "Redeeming Love". It's, basically, the story of the prophet Hosea.

If our next book is full of despair, I'm going to be grumpy.

So far, we've read 3: "Water For Elephants", "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and ""Redeeming Love"

At the next meeting, I'm suggesting that we read something more fun. 450 pages of marital struggles and prostitution is not my cup of tea. It's sort of a romance novel, sort of a western novel, and a retelling of Hosea's struggles with his wife, Gomer. It's good but draining.

Went to my mother's 80th birthday party and got a complete shock that my 25th class reunion was in the same freaking motel.


Grrrrrrrr.

I wound up having to go buy some clothes other than the shorts and tee shirts I brought.

Well, I found out I pretty much have my pick of the divorced women now. woo freaking hoo.

I had put my bio up on the reunion page months ago and thought I had managed to skip the reunion.

Oh, the judge that signed everything away from me was there. He acted really glad to see me and I kinda stepped back from the table and then it hit him. He said that he "forgot" about that. I just laughed loudly and said I haven't. Talk about awkward for him.

Anyways I stopped through Vidalia, GA and got some fresh onions that are extremely coveted. I am shipping some of them to my invisible internet friends up north and some to my GF's mom in Mississippi.

Well, the front yard is cut. I met one of the new next door neighbors when I discovered my dog had gone under the fence into their back yard. By the time I got to her, she was another yard over.

Silly mutt!

Pariah that's too funny to end up in the same hotel as your re union!!!

My weekend was great, ended up coloring my hair Saturday before heading out, stupid, stupid!!! Didn't like the bright orange color that it turned out, thank God that I had a bottle of light brown, so did that.

Went to Outback with my girlfriend, dinner was great, got an extra loaf of bread, I new the bus boy!!!

Went to one bar, the music wasn't to our liking so ended up at our standby place. The band didn't show up, but they had a DJ and karoke.

Played pool, got drinks bought for us, got hit on by a guy that reached my chest, I am only 5'6", not appealing. Was saved by the bar owner. Bowling guy was there, ignored him, meet 3 knew guys, was asked to dance, haven't done that in forever! Was asked out to dinner, am not sure as he didn't get my number and he is emailing my friend Sandy. But we had fun and that was the point to the evening!

Dawn

Three weekends ago my brother, my sister-in-law and I climbed the highest mountain in the region.

Last weekend my colleagues and I organized a day out with two orphanages.

This weekend I am hiking again, in preparation for my 5-day hiking expedition in Borneo.

Think of it, I am tired and if not for the Borneo trip, I'd just like to lay in bed and sleep for a few days.

I am going to the car races with a friend and her son and then there is a festival in the park and we are going to go listen to music.

Tomorrow I am laying laminate flooring in the hall, anyone want to help?

I am hoping to go listen to a friends band Saturday night if not to tired from laying the floor!!!!

So what are you doing?

Dawn

I'm gonna go into work for 4 hours then start on another gun project.

I'm going to build an Enfield Jungle carbine out of a ruined No.4 battle rifle. Got all the parts in, just have to machine the barrel.

Working and going to a Lodge dinner tomorrow and laying low on Sunday.

no plans - wait....go see mom.....go to a wedding....guess I need to go buy a wedding present.

Well, here's what I wound up doing.

Looks we'll be going up to Dahlonega, GA for the 4th.

I guess they'll have fireworks up there over the mountain.

Tabs wants to hangout at a pool all day and me and Drew will probably go and fly my plane and pan for gold. I haven't even started the plane's engine for over 2 months. It really needs to be run. My Uncle has had it in the hangar and has kept the battery up so everything should be fine.

She also suggested we go and float down the stream in innertubes.

I hope it'll be fun as I really need a vacation now.

I've been here a year and have been going full throttle without a break.

Going to Houma for the 4th. Thinking about takin DS boat riding and maybe doing some fishing and crabbing.

I took vacation next week, but not going anywhere, gonna play golf all week.

It's the 4th!!! Long weekend yeah!!!

My daughter has invited her buds all over for a BBQ!!! So I will be cooking!!!

Will work at Curves for 2 hours on Saturday, and then I am hoping to get a friend to go ride ATV's, if not will go up to the hills and go hiking!!!

Sunday will be church and then I don't know!!!

Dawn

Started out pretty good.

I dusted off the Beech and took her for a spin after work.

The old bird's ready for passengers.

Boats... That sounds nice. I haven't been sailing in three years or more.

We're going to celebrate the 4th at my dads, plus a family birthday. I'm making a blueberry and a cherry birthday pie. I just bought 8 pounds of pie cheeries I need to pit. However, it's a small price to pay for real cherry pie.

Independence Day is my favorite holiday. I may love it even more than Christmas. Christmas is so much work and stress. The 4th is fire works and bathing suits, pie and ice cream.

I have tons of blueberries. Anyone want to come pick them? I have little patience to pick, so I haven't made a blueberry pie in a few years, despite having over 75 blueberry bushes and some are over 8 feet high (very hard to cover).

We will be walking in the July 4th parade tomorrow. Rain is forecast for the entire weekend in our area, so a trip to the shore may be out.

Newly, I have raspberries. I have my girls pick them. LOL.

My weekend with the kiddos. Picking them up from daycamp and school this afternoon and heading up to my aunt and uncle's house on Lake Livingston. They have neighbors with kids who weekend up there throughout the summer, and during the holidays, there's a lot going on. They do a bonfire, fireworks, an inflatable water slide, not to mention the lake itself and my uncle's boat.

We'll head back on Saturday, and then the GF is planning to come over in the evening for a couple of hours around just before I put the kids to bed. They can spend a little time getting better acquainted, and then she and I can have some alone time talking or just watching a movie.

Looks like I'll be going alone.

The GF's mother has "become mysteriously ill" all of a ssudden.

Possible drug overdose of anti-anxiety medicine.

I can't go, cause as of today all vacations have been canceled because the cambodians have all taken next week off. A memo came through that we are getting new automated equipment, so they figure to save their jobs, they'll cripple tha company.

I know just WHO I WON'T put in to be transfered into the new department.


Now I can't take a vacation because of them, or go with Tabbi to see about her mother.

Lets see....Parade and Family Picnic tomorrow....Fireworks Saturday and work on Sunday.

Parade is our highlight. It's a big thing here and my store is participating. We borrowed a 2009 RED Dodge Ram Hemi from the local dealership to throw candy from. I'd let them keep my Malibu in a heartbeat as fair trade...

my only plans were to get a massage and go see my mom

However, I got the massage, a manicure, a pedicure, had dinner and saw a movie with a friend.

Today, I still need to go see my mom and henna my hair.

My children have been gone for 2 weeks and will be home later today. Daughter has been home 1/2 a week for the last 5.5 weeks.

AGE, I got to drive one of those for the parade of lights at Christmas time!!! Cool,, What kind of store do you own?

Cind, I be the massage and special treatment felt wonderful!!!

I am having another cook out as we had leftovers from the 4th only 5 kids showed up and I had food for 20.

Did not call Bowling guy and invite, I've decided til he mends his was he is to toxic for me to be around. It's been a week since I've seen him. I have vowed that he will have to do the pursuing, I am done!!! Friends keep telling me different, that he is just trying to find himself, well he needs to look under a rock!!!

I stopped at the heritage fesitival on my way home and got a "Snoppy" decal for my Explorer!!! too cool for this g-ma!!!

Dawn

Dawn,

I am a store manager for a beauty supply house.

We had a ton of fun btw!! Didnt want to give the Hemi back!! LOL

AGE,, Cool I have a friend that is a stylist, so she get me products when she goes to the warehouse. I got a free HC the other night as I wrapped a perm for her, says it's hard reaching the back!!!

Dawn

Went to Dahlonega anyways.

GF's son and I panned for gold and did really well, but I know the woman that owns the mine and I can pick through the hammer mill.

GF had a headache and stayed at the motel and hung out at the pool, her mom seems to be doing better so she didn't go.

The woman who owns the mine gave me one of her cockatoos to find a good home for it. I feel so sorry for him as he is a really good bird, but has a few behavioral problems. My cockatoo doesn't like other birds so he can't stay with me.

We watched the fireworks and they were fantastic.

Dawn

I love my job!! I look forward to going to work everyday! I've been licensed for 28 (WOW) years and never really liked doing hair but liked the business end of it...this is actually a dream job for me.

Yes it is here again, the weekend!!!! Which means our summer is ticking away!!! Darn!!

Saturday I have projects here at home to finish up. My aunt and Uncle are visiting my mom and dad so will probably go out to dinner with them and get caught up on family news.

Also have to get food stuff's together for a camping trip for 25 of the church kids. I am not staying overnights this year, but will help set camp up on Sunday afternoon and then will meet up for ice cream with a guy from the internet that I haven't meet yet, this will be a first for me!!!

What is it that you are doing???

Dawn

A kid free weekend for me. I've a few house things to do (paint my front door, mow the lawn, maybe work on the garage). Going camping in a couple weeks, so may do some shopping for that. Also might catch a flick.

Going to hang out with my twin brother all weekend.

GF had to go to Mississippi, her mom is still sick and they don't know what's wrong. We suspect prescription abuse.

Anyways, one of our shooting buddies is going to let us raid his garden and beehive! He is also going to mine the lead out of his indoor range so we can cast bullets for the Sharps.

Weather has been too unpredictable to fly as of late, so that's out.

Pariah, there are two of you? That is just scary, and you play with guns?!!!!!

Dawn

Children gone for the night.

Currently, it's 5 p.m. Today, I have taken both children for their physicals - same office but different doctors, gone to see my mom, come home for lunch, taken daughter to another doctor appt, gotten ice cream then gone down the road to sit by a pond in a park to eat it, got gas for car, came home to send children to their dad's, taken the dog for her check-up, and come home. I'm in for the next 36 hours....then I drive 4 hours to take children to camp and come back home.

Thursday, the dog gets boarded at the vet and I go up to the camp for 2 nights.

I've had the past two days off...did some shopping yesterday, made my daughter a sundress today and now the kids are putt putt golfing with some friends and I'm watching "Cash Cab" and chilling. I return to work tomorrow for 4 days then have 8 days off!!

woohooo!!!

btw...the Ex marrys the OW next weekend

Well, the GF's mom did overdose on anti anxiety pills and mixed it with SSRI's. BIG NO NO.

Valium, xanax, lorazipam , you name it.

Her doctor was giving her anything she wanted or either she was doctor shopping.

Anyways GF is angry with her mother. She's done this one other time after her ex husband (GF's dad) killed himself. They were divorced, but she still blames herself. He merely self destructed from alcohol abuse.

The GOOD NEWS is she is bringing me back a Shrimp PoBoy from Penns Seafood!!!!!

YES!!!! I'm gettin a REAL PoBoy!!!!!!!

What is a shrimp PoBoy? My dad goes shrimp fishing on weekends and we are sick of eating shrimps.

I have to clean house this weekend because my colleague from Thailand is coming to stay. We are going white water rafting next weekend and a conference after that.

I had a haircut last Sunday and the internal auditor says I'm 'hot'.

A Shrimp PoBoy is a pile of fried popcorn shrimp on a hoagie roll covered in hot sauce and remulade sauce.

Here's a pic of the one I had the last time I was there.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/poboy.jpg

This weekend I have to do yard work and then on Sunday we are going to see the new Batman movie.

Next weekend is the big GA Sig Sauer group shoot up in Rasaca, GA at the Chestnut Mountain WMA Range.

I'll be loading bullets tonight and tomorrow night as GF works late.

You poor thing.

Pariah - I'm jealous about the Sig Shoot. I need to put more rounds through my P239 .40.

yea i ate poboys all the time while i lived in new orleans... the be good

in other news, think i'm gonna ride my bike to the beach this weekend and say hello to a tiki bar with some friends

party on wayne

Close

Nobody in South Louisana knows what a hoagie roll is

We use FRENCH BREAD baby!

ure making meh miss new orleans lol

last night I had no idea what to cook for supper, so I invented something

I pulled out a pack of shrimp, sauted it in butter and liquid crab boil, and served on rice

I frikin slaughtered it, and DS4 wasn't complaining either

My GF brought me back a half a gallon of Remulade sauce from Mississippi last weekend.

I put it on everything!

It's incredible on asparagus!

Pariah,

What's in the sauce that you have?

From a recipe I found on the web.
I've never made it, but it turns out a speckled orangy color.

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp. finely diced onion (optional)

Blend all ingredients together in a bowl.
Let stand for flavors to blend.


Add 2 Tbsp. dill weed to replace your normal tarter sauce on fish.

Thanks!

Remoulade

Now since we're both single guys, we can be particular about the details, so real mayonnaise or the fake stuff? I love Dijon mustard, especially with some good cheddar cheese.

I really liked your video of casting bullets. If you ever hit the Lou' (as we affectionately call the St. Louis metro area), the first beer is on me.

Speaking of beer, I thought some people here were going to blow a gasket over InBev's purchase of AB.

There's a Stella on my computer desk right now.

InBev can only make that watered down swill that AB makes better.

There's a BW brewery here in Atlanta and there is a Miller brewery down in Albany where I moved from.

Thanks for the comment about the bullets. We pretty much have to cast for the Sharps rifle as ammo for it is over a buck apiece off the shelf and making rounds gets them down to 10¢ apiece.

There's lots ov videos on the youtube we've done to do with shooting. Before anyone asks, yes that's my twin brother.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=screamingcockatoo

You need to take a road trip and join us sometime.

We have so many toys to shoot and everyone is welcome to the fun.

You too can make a 100 yard pistol shot and go home with that feeling of accomplishment that you can do something that very few can accomplish.

Well boys here in South Dakota we consider Mountain Oysters to be our to die for food!!!

And my daddy makes the best rhubarb wine!! I have a brother that does brew his own beer though!!! They have tried for a rhubarb beer, something like "Pink ^ss" was the name they came up with for it!!!

I hit the Arts in the Park up at Spearfish, beautiful little town in the Black Hills if you ever get to visit!!

Stopped in Sturgis on the way home, you have heard of the motorcycle rally they there haven't you?

And then stopped in Rapid for a Christian out door music Festival, it is so cool to see generations hang out and rock together, tonights main act was TobyMac. A little funky for the likes of South Dakota but I walked past an older gentleman with his farmers tan and he was getting down to the beat!!!

It was a blast and will go back again tomorrow, I got to play with my grandson while there as my DIL took of with her friends for a little while!!!

Have a safe weekend all!!!

Dawn

I took the kids and my daughters friend to a water park on Friday. Left my son at my sisters for a week and the girls and I lived it up in a hotel room for the weekend. We had a ball!!

3 more days left of my vacation!!

I have a forum get-together shoot to host tomorrow.

We are going up to the WMA range in N GA until early afternoon and then having a cook out and pool party at a friend's house.

Holy moly I have my whole arsenal loaded up and ready to go for everyone to get to play with.

There's a few old timers who can't wait to get their hands on my WWII stuff.

Working tomorrow.....Off Sunday...gonna work on the tan.

I went on a shoot with some friends a couple of years ago to an indoor range that rented us some full auto stuff; a Thompson, an M16, and an Uzi. Those along with my two friends' respective arsenals=FUN.

One guy has an M1 Garand and I about pooped myself when the empty clip popped out of the magazine. *PING* LOL! I wasn't expecting that!

We were shooting Wolf though and the range was poorly ventilated. By the time we were finished, everyone was coughing up thick black globs of goo.

Good times...

I let a kid and his father shoot my garand a while back.

And an old timer have a go with my 1903a4 yesterday.

Ralph schooled me real good. He don't speak much about his time in the military, but he puts his money where his mouth is.

If you are EVER, EVER down the ATL way, I'll take you shooting.

I've got family in Knoxville. It's kind of close. Maybe the next time I'm up there I can work something out.

Wow. I never knew there were so many gun freaks on MB. I'm the only one in my family without a gun. Even my sister owns a shot gun. My dad and brother collect guns. I've been seriously considering buying a shot gun so that I can shoot with my dad. Any advice would be welcome. We do have a gun club near by, too. So I could take some lessons.

Besides, there have been a few famous Annie's. Of them, I like Annie Oakley the best.

Green - Need to know what you plan on shooting to help make the right determination. Paper targets? Potential home intruders? Neighborhood cats who poop in your flowerbed?

You said you want to go shoot with your dad? Where? You don't want a shotgun if he's target shooting at a range for instance.

Dad shoots trap and skeet. Bro hunts, plus does some target shooting. Step-dad shoots targets, trap and the odd groundhog. Mother has an airpistol she uses to shoot the squirrels who raid the bird feeders.

I may want to shoot a home intruder, but I don't anticipate I'll need to. Of course, if the country goes to heck in a hand basket I may need a gun to fight. Mostly, I would want to shoot trap with my dad and sister.

Dad does have a rifle and a couple of handguns for target practice and protection. Not to mention the odd cannon.

I like your family already!

I've shot trap and hunted before, but I always did it with my uncle's old Ithaca 12g pump. I know that people who are really into the sport can literally spend thousands on shotguns purpose-built for it.

Maybe consider a decent all-around 12g shotgun with interchangeable barrels. One for trap and skeet (I assume some kind of choke might be required?), and a shorter (18"), chokeless barrel to leave on it for home defense. Practice with it enough so that working the pump becomes second nature. It's easy to forget that part in a panic, high-adrenalin situation.

Good advice, thanks.

I went white water rafting last weekend and my river guide was really cute, muscular, cute, muscular, cute, muscular and I can't stop thinking about him even though he is a little too small sized for my preference.

He was yummy and I jumped into the river just once so he can come rescue me. He did.

Ruffled,
I can see the smile on your face as you wrote this.

He didn't haul you into shore by your flotation devices, did he? CPR? Sounds like you started off with a good idea, but failed to follow through.

What, no mouth-to-mouth?

This weekend is my birthday!!!! Actually Saturday is my birthday but am hosting a 9 pin scotch doubles bowling event on Friday night to celebrate!!! Should be fun, then we will h it the local watering hole!

Saturday night a bunch of us girls will probably go out!!!

My daughter is leaving in the morning for 3 weeks with her dad and my folks left this morning for a week, so a whole week to myself, without someone asking what I am doing or where I am goind!!!

Dawn

Happy Early Birthday Dawn!! Gonna play "the game" this weekend while at the watering hole??

Oh yeah!!!!!

Dawn

Have a Happy Birthday Leo!


They'll still ask, by cell phone.

Happy birthday daybreak. I'm just a couple months away from mine. Next year will be the blowout party for the next major milestone.

It's both payday and a no-sales-tax weekend, and I think I'll do a bit of shopping for some new shoes (guys like shoes too, although not to the extent of some women!) and some new dressy-casual shirts this evening and see what's at seasons end, etc. I'll hit a couple of places, maybe some dinner out, and maybe tip a few at the tavern (I have to touch base with my constituents) before the evening is over. Tomorrow I would like to do some yard work and then will attend a party in the evening with friends and neighbors to celebrate the opening of a friend new deck. Sunday I have a tentative M&G (Meet and greet) with someone I've been emailing, texting, and calling for a while. We're going to meet at a quaint town that's the half-way point for the both of us. There are several winieries, breweries, etc. there and we'll make the day of it. She's not my physical type but has other attributes that compensate.

I'm sure there will be another adventure layered in there somewhere. I never have a boring weekend even if I attempt to make it so!

TGIF!

Happy Birthday!

You guys are all going to have so much fun. I'm going to be stuck painting my bathroom. That and my mom is coming to lunch Sunday. Should have enough partial painting done for her to criticize effectively. Oh joy!

Happy Birthday Dawn! <sparklers & cake here>

I shall be alone this weekend. Will be organizing my photo albums and bathing the cat.

lol newly!!!

Ruffled ----Bathing the cat? do you really do that?

Yes they will ask by cell phone.

But all summer I've been messing with my kids per text messages. Sent them one "I am getting married!!!" It was 2 am!!! I got back "Are you drunk?"

So this weekend I think I will do the picture text with the police and my hands behind my back head down being put into the patrol car!!!! I know most of the cops in our little town and they will play along!!!!! That should get the kids good as long as they don't call grandma/grandpa at 2 am!!!!

booka let me know how the meet and greet goes. I have one tentative for Wednesday, his birthday!! Half way between the two of us so about an 1.5 hours.

Plan on having a great one!!!

Dawn

It was a fun weekend!!! Got to bowl, had fun with that, got to see grandson # 3. Went and had drinks after bowling, played quarters with some misplaced Sturgis Bikers, got a mind blowing birthday kiss for being the winner of the quarters game and that it was my birthday.

And got a date for later in the week, so over all a good weekend!!!

Dawn

Dawn, you have grandkids and your kids have grandparents so you have four generations in your family?

Yes, I do bathe the cat. I prepare hot water in a tub with suds and towels. She pretends to hate it, but in actual fact enjoys the attention.

Ruffled---

I am not a cat person so didn't know that cats would let you bathe them!! Interesting, I am sure it helps if they have grown up doing it!!! My brother had a cat that had a definite personality.

Yes we do have 4 generations in our family. Actually all 4 generations bowl, my dad is 70 and he carries a 190 avg, then there is me and I carry a 155, my daughter carries a 155 too and then my grandson is 3 and he bowls with the bumpers but has a 70 average, last year we all bowled on leagues.

Kind of a cool sport you can start at 2 and do it til 102!!!

Dawn

Went to a water park up on Lake Lanier or as we in GA call it, the Lanier Landfill.



There is a water slide there called the commode.

Yes, it's a hugh bowl with a slide really high up and it shoots you areund the rim and you go round and round until you reach the center hole to get flushed.


What I found strange was the number of attractive women my age that would strike up a conversation with me standing in line.
My funny southern accent would become the focus of the conversation.

Pariah----We use what we have to attract others!!!!! I myself find a southern drawl charming and intriguing!!! I can't wait to meet the guy that I am talking to now that is originally from Oaklahoma, I love his accent!!!!

Dawn

I usually use my pet cockatoo to open a conversation.

She is light years more effective than a dog, everybody has a dog.

You can't take the parrot every where with you can you?

Dawn

Not everywhere.

It's just too dangerous for her to be on a boat or out in the open where hawks might be present.

However, she will ride anywhere with me in my lap or on my arm and amuse the motorsts around me by doing her cockatoo tricks.

When I lived down in South GA, I'd take her everywhere, to the bank, package store, work.

She prefers women and is extremely gentle and playfull. Her vocabulary is amazing and she is a regular chatterbox when being played with.

I'll try to summarize my weekend. If you require more detail, email me for my annotated weekend summary.

Friday did clothes shopping after work at multiple places, still buying summer clothes, will plan a similar expedition for the fall. Blew a wad at Costco. Got home after dark, choked down a leftover sandwich, and headed to the local tavern for drinks and conversation. I stayed until almost close and headed off to bed at 02:00.

Saturday housework, yardwork, and tons of text messages for date-a with woman-1 on Saturday night and date-1 with woman-2 on Sunday. Cleaned up and headed to my favorite upscale Mexican place for date-1 with woman-1. Drinks evolved into dinner and had a really fun time, but not sure about this one. I am currently dating for fun and have zero expectations and am not actively pursuing "the one". This person was interesting enough to see again and I told her so. Dinner was very good, a sea bass in a raspberry-chipotle sauce, even better than it sounds. I sent her on her way with a closing hug, dashed home, changed, and headed for a party at a friend's house to celebrate the inauguration of his new deck. Great conversation was had and get a phone call out of the blue from woman-3 but my phone dies after being used hard during the day and the conversation is cut short. I left the party and hit the rack about 23:00, very early for me on a Saturday night, but had date-1 with woman-2 to look forward to.

Slept till about 09:00 Sunday, then up and clean-up to drive to a mid-way point in a historic river town for date-1 with woman-2. She arrives and we start with hug and a kiss, had a very enjoyable time with a lot of kissing, hand-holding, etc. Left about 17:30 and home by 18:30, beer and cigars while sitting outside, some chat with the neighbors, one of which brought me 2-sixes of Bass, then a quick pizza, finished "Memoirs of a Geisha", and off to bed.

Just your average singly-guy weekend. Of course, it will take me all week to recover!

Geez booka! You sound like you have 48 hours in a day instead of a weekend!

I shall be attending a wedding and a BBQ on Saturday.

I sometimes wonder why I have a house as I'm not there that often. Monday BBQed at the best friend's house and had much need man-talk. Tuesday spent at home relaxing. Wednesday mowed the lawn and spent the rest of the time texting and talking to woman-2 and woman-3. Lats night the company sand volleyball game which is always a blast. Tonight date-1 with woman-3. Saturday is boys night out with friends and neighbors and will most likely start but not end with the local minor-league baseball team. Sunday is open at the moment, but will probably BBQ with the best friend again in a Sunday evening tradition and if the date works out well tonight, I will inquire about her plans for Sunday and would love to go to one of the local Catholic church picnics, which are a big deal where I live. I'm working the beer stand at my churches picnic that is the Sunday of the Labor Day weekend.

Now I have worked at networking in many area. But really something is happening now all on it's own and I am in high-demand.

That's not to mention my political career (I am an elected official) and the help I'm giving to some of the candidates in my party for other offices.

Life is good. All of this 20-months out of my divorce.

I gotta work.

But it'll pay for the $300 starter I put in GF's car yesterday. I can only imagine what a garage would have charged her.

Well I had an early weekend!!!

Started talking with a guy from an online service at the end of last month!! Just emailing, then chatting, then texting and calling. I've never done this before but have a GF that has used the service and has meet some real nice guys.

Anyways he asked what I was doing on the 6th of Aug I asked what day that was Wednesday, his birthday, would I care to meet and go out, he is 3 hours away!!! I am not working and so way outside of my box and comfort zone I said yes and made a suggestion of a place halfway or as close as half, half is the state line sign and there is nothing there for 30 miles on either side!!! I can't tell you what pocessed me to say yes to this but I did, I figured I would chicken out and told him such and he said that that would be ok, but that he would really like to meet me after talking to me on the phone, thinks that I am funny and sweet!!! My friend pushed pretty hard for me to keep the date. He suggested that we go to Deadwood a gaming community here in the Black Hills. Friend and I had it set up if I needed a rescue, I didn't, we hit it off big time and enjoyed the whole day together starting with lunch and some slot machines to a beautiful drive in the Hills and an awesome dinner. My friend called to check periodically on me and he would smile and say that it was nice that I had such dear friends!!My son called once too as well as youngest daughter!

We have talked or texted each day. He asked if he could come here to help me with some home repairs that I haven't gotten done yet this summer, I explained about my family and how pushy they are as well as embarassing and that there are 3 generations of them to get thru, Didn't scare him, my folks live across the street. My oldest daughter is going to be the deal breaker as she is the most severe with the 20 question game!!! But she is not living here so will be via phone. I asked why and she said mom remember how you use to be when I was dating? UGH! how things come back and bite you in the butt!!!!

I asked what it is that he would like for my family to know about him before hand and he said that he was honest and caring with being a hard worker!!!

He works a rotating shift and so will have 3 days off in the middle of the week again before going back to a day shift.

I am not sure where this is going but have the outlook that I am going to enjoy the ride for the duration, with no expectations or strings attached. Just having fun hanging out with a new friend!!!

So don't nail me for the online thing, I did do a search and found nothing that stood out or scared me!!! He has his own teeth!!! And my profile said that was a biggy!!!!

Anyways, an update!!!

Dawn

It's that time of the week again.

I have worked overtime for 2 weeks straight and was not able to take a vacation again this year too.

So my GF suggested we get away to a bed and breakfast up in the N GA mountains.

I booked the weekend here......

http://www.lilycreeklodge.com/index.htm

She is BEYOND thrilled and I hope to get some much needed rest.

My twin brother is going to pop in on Roxy and make sure she is fed.

I love being Catholic

I'm going to a singles soical tonight the diocese is putting on.

Not sure if there will be beer, but hopefully something better

women

I don't know about Friday night yet, have the possibility or two of a M&G (meet and greet) with one or more of a possible 3-women or will go back to the place I went last Friday to observe the action there. I have a very unusual first name and very rarely (twice in my life) run into someone with the same name, but lo and behold another one has moved into my neighborhood. I caught up with him last night while walking his aptly named Labrador Moose and he intimated that he would be headed up to the same place I'm thinking for happy hour, so I might join him. He is about my age and id divorced. We may actually have a lot more in common and it might be nice to become better acquainted with him.

Saturday evening my neighbor Tim will take me to another neighbor's bachelor party and then we will attend another party at a mutual friends who has promised me there should be a good supply of single women.

No plans for Sunday although the big festival in on in my ex-city and I might traipse there at some point in the weekend for a look-see. Otherwise if the weather is decent, will plan to BBQ at my best friend's house as is our Sunday custom.

Of course, there are bound to be other adventures as well.

Pariah, enjoy your time with GF at the lodge.

I'll jump in here, because for once, I have something exciting going on this weekend! Tomorrow, bright and early, I hop on a plane and fly to Sturgeon Bay, WI to attend a client's memorial service (I'm very close with his widow) and then having dinner with another client and his wife who have a large sailing vessel (aka yacht) at the Sturgeon Bay yacht club.

Then, I'm going to do something that I've said I'm going to do for a few years now. I've extended the trip for another two days - BY MYSELF in Door County, WI. I've booked a cute little B&B near the beach, rented a convertible, and will read, sleep, shop, eat and relax....BY MYSELF.

This will be a big test. While I like alone time, this is alone time in another state, no picking up the phone to gab with a girlfriend, no chores to do, no nothing.....I've got to entertain myself in another city for two whole days.......

Everyone, have a wonderful weekend!
Laura

Pariah - enjoy your weekend - the B&B looks lovely.............

I tossed a good friend of my XBIL out the window of my airplane over a lake a few years ago.

Well, his ashes anyways. He wanted to be scattered over his favorite fishing spot.

Truly,

Enjoy your weekend!!!!! Have fun with the convertable. You might have a look see at a night spot in the local community!!!! Great place to try flirting!!!!

I envy your 2 days away from home!!!!!

Meet up yesterday with the online guy again---didn't get the home stuff done but did go ride the quad for awhile and that was fun. Like I said not looking for anything permanent, just going to enjoy the ride.

Fair starts here in town this weekend so will hit the tractor pull Friday night and the demo derby Sat night, probably followed by the beer garden!!! Am going to have to learn to drink the stuff as they don't serve anything but!!!!

Everyone enjoy, summer is coming to a close I head back to school on Monday and the kids come on Thursday!!!!! It's been fun while it has lasted!!!!

Dawn

My mom is in town for a visit right now. I'll be introducing her to my GF tomorrow night. Taking everyone to dinner for my mom's b-day (belated). That will be interesting...

Mmmm Sea good luck with that!!!!

Mom's can be pretty tough!!!!! I've always tried being the cool mom when my kids brought dates around!!!!They never complained, I can remember how awkward my mom made things at times for me!!!

Dawn

Weekend long family reunion (fri-mon)

It's all my immediate family and aunts/uncles/cousins from all across the country. We try to do it every 4-5 years. This is the first time it's only a long weekend. We usually do an entire week.

Each family (4) take a day and plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, & snack around the firepit before bedtime (usually my cousin's husband from California brings his guitar) and activities for the day.

One year we did Holidays. My immediate family did Halloween and it was sooo much fun!! We did a haunted walk and everyone had to wear costumes. We also had each family build scarecrow.

Another year we did board games. My Aunts family did "clue" and the end result was my cousin and her husband getting married and it was a surprise to everyone including her parents.

This year the theme is of course the Olympics. My family has come up with a bunch of water themed games where they will earn bubble gum coin medals. (we have the podiums and the theme music that will be played by everyone on kazoo's). One of them is "bring Grandma home". Each family will put their mother (4 sisters) one at a time into a row boat and they have to pull her across the pond with rope. Mind you they are all in their 70's and 80's!! It's going to be a hoot!!!

Last count there will be 68 people in my aunt and uncles backyard in tents or in the house.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Ronda

Holy crap!!! There better be a lot of booze! I know I'd need a lot of booze if I was gonna hang with 68 of MY relatives.

Thanks Day - Mom is usually pretty cool. I expect it to go well.

Ronda,

That sounds like way to much fun!!!!How did your family ever get started with the reunion? I miss that from my childhood, since my grandmothers died, I haven't seen half of the cousins! Kind of sad!

Dawn

let's see...

mowing the yard
putting away the last few boxes from the move
cleaning
working out
hopefully adding some music to my music page
doing homework for college
planning my schedule for next week
figuring out who is watching my kids next week since the summer program they were going to ended last week.

too much excitement huh?

LOL Seabird!! Very little to No alcohol is there. I think my cousins from California keep beer in their tent though. LOL I come from a family who doesn't drink but only on holidays and special occasions.

I think it started one year just for the heck of it (my son was 3 years old; he's now almost 18) and when everyone had so much fun with it and we were able to catch up with family we hadn't really spent time with since childhood (1970's) it was then it was decided that we should do it again 5 years later.

This will also be the first year that Great Grandchildren of my aunts and uncles will be here. 4 Generations!!

What makes it work is our parents encouraged us as kids to bond with our cousins and we became more like brothers and sisters than cousins. And now our kids get to experience it. We do it BECAUSE of our grandparents too. We know they would love to be here with us do all the crazy/fun things we do.

I remember as a kid not going on elaborate vacations but instead would go to Kentucky, New York, Virginia, or Florida for a month and stay with relatives. We would take turns. And those kids would come up here to Pennsylvania to stay. When I got out of high school I went and lived in Florida with my Uncles family for a year. One of my brother lived in Colorado for a year with my Aunt's family and actually graduated from Colorado Springs High School.

I guess I should start packing the car up and get my kids moving! Have a great weekend!!

Ronda

Back home from spending day one at the reunion. It was so great to see everyone again. Everyone has aged in looks but underneath they are still the same people. We have such a ball together!!

I guess this morning after breakfast they had opening ceremonies and then a rubber ducky race across the pond and a flip flop toss to see who could fling a flip flop the furthest and then rock skipping contest. After lunch they had an hour and a half to make a boat to sail across the pond. The first one to reach the island was the winner. We laughed so hard and so LOUD! After dinner the boys made 2 campfires and my cousins 12 year old boy got out his mandolin and played for us. Before you knew it two more cousins were playing guitars and singing. A small group of us played Yatzee while listening to the music and eating popcorn.

Hated to leave but my son has an away football scrimmage tomorrow morning. The charter bus leaves town at 7:30 am and game starts at 10:30.

We got a sneak peak of what is scheduled for tomorrow. 6 am Jog for the athletic ones. then they have arranged for a Trolley to come and get half of the family and take them to town for a historic tour and then the Trolly will come back and get the other half and take them on the same historic tour. After that there is a watermelon seed spitting contest and a pie eating contest. And I also over heard there will be RIBS for dinner!! YUM. One year we BBQ'd an entire pig!!

To bed I go!! Been a long day!!

Ronda

P.S. Just when I commented that it's basically a "dry" reunion. I guess my sister and a bunch of cousins were up till 2:30am drinking wine and beer!!! LOL Times have changed I guess!!

Going off on my own to do some camping. It will be good to be able to enjoy nature, get some exercise and reflect on things.

Tractor/Truck pull was awesome!!! Very Loud though!!! Fair is in town til next Sunday, lots of stuff, demo derby, concerts and rodeos!!!! Lot's of potential to play quarters!!!!!

Bowling guy was at the bar when we stopped on way home, haven't talked to him since before my birthday, told him how mad I was that he didn't show!!!

Oh Well!!! To bed I go!!!

Dawn

My friends and I drove up north for a little R&R.

Last night we went to look for tarantulas. The neighbour's dog came along and started barking and jumping up a tree. I shone my torchlight up and spotted a slow loris. Its eyes were reflective red, like a pair of alien's eyes up a tree staring at down at us slowly and surely. Three of us were on the ground trying to photograph him. It was quite funny because we could only see the eyes and the forehead each time the flash went off. We were just looking at those eyes, trying to photograph him for at least twenty minutes!

In the morning we visited the tarantula holes again. All of them have eaten and receded deep into their little caves.

I had good food, good weather and good company (my friends, not the tarantulas) this weekend. I feel truly rested and happy.

The tarantula hunt sounded fantastic!

We went up to the vineyards and wineries up in N, GA. Tabitha was THRILLED with the wineries. We did the tours and tastings of real wines. I bought a couple of bottles for supper in the coming months.

She learned to appreciate GOOD wines and how to tell the difference in them. Quite a difference from growing up in the bayou.

We toured up through the mountains and picniced on the side of the road by the mountain stream.

We dropped by the gold mine that I frequent and Tabbi videoed me panning some gold out and I made her a pendant out of what I got. I know the people at the mine really well as we both have cockatoos so I kinda get a little better treatment and ore.

Anyways here's pix of the wineries and the pendant.

http://s529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/

UGH! Finally home from Reunion!! What a long fun weekend. We are all sunburnt, tired and crabby so off to bed we go!

I think the last count from total photos taken was 967. LOL

Ronda

Fair is in town this weekend through next weekend, seen Joe Nichols in concert tongiht!!!!!

Believe I have been ditched by the online guy!!!!

Youngest daughter comes home on Tuesday!!! I've missed her!

To bed as I work for the first time tomorrow since June!!!!

Dawn

Had a really rough storm up my way last night. I had a tree exploded by lightning outside the house and it was too dark to inspect this morning on the way to work. I konw it got blasted good from all the debris falling on the roof.

Anyways, here's a video of me panning gold up in Dahlonega.

Pariah,
That looks like it requires so much patience.

I painted a wall over the weekend, spent 3 hours actually painting, 2 hours prepping, and about 12 hours increasing my anxiety to paint a single wall inside my home.
For those who say it's just paint, and it can be redone. I think I'm officially a paintphobic. My greatest fear is having to repaint it.

My blood pressure rose quite a bit.

Here is my abridged summary:

Another action-packed weekend from what might be the best summer of my life. Let’s start Friday about a half an hour prior to quitting time when my cell rings with a number I do not recognize. I normally will not take a call whose number is not matched with a name in my phone. I did not take this one and let it roll over to VM. The VM was from Maureen (from Yahoo Personals) and she must have been calling me from her home phone and she was interested in getting together. I should add that prior to this point Maureen has commented more on the content of my profile than anyone else. So I waited until I got out of work and called her from the parking lot. We had a nice little chat and agreed to meet at McGurk’s (very nice Irish bar/restaurant in the next town) at about 18:15. I hustled home, took care of a few items, and then zipped down to McGurk’s and sat at the outside bar and the spectacular weather has continued here. Maureen was a bit late but I was unconcerned as she did not call me. I didn’t even glace at my watch as I know that women take longer to get ready and are perpetually late.

Maureen was attractive to me and has the most mesmerizing and beautiful eyes. We greeted with a hug and I had her sit down as only one seat was available at the bar at the time. I noticed about the first 5-minutes that her hands were shaking a bit out of what I would presume was some initial nervousness while your operator was calm, cool, collected, and devastatingly charming. We immediately launched into conversation that extended for about the next 2.5 hours. She is very easy to talk to and had charm of her own. We have a lot of things in common and I felt very comfortable with her. We finally got to the point in the evening where something needed to happen and she has 2 14-week-old Labs and needed to attend to them, so I paid the bill. But, there was a bit of interesting stuff going on in the background involving someone from my past who showed up the last hour we were there.

It was...my XGF Cyndy! She waltzed in with a group and kept looking over at me. I told Maureen a bit about her and Maureen was very funny in wanting to scope-out Cyndy (she said it was a female competition thing) and said that Cyndy’s hind-end looked big. I told Maureen she was much prettier than Cyndy. It was amusing and uncomfortable for me, but I knew in the first 5-seconds that I was going to be an emotionally mature adult about it rather than telling Cyndy off in front of her people like she might truly deserve. So I walk Maureen out and Cyndy’s whole table is silent and looking at me as I walk by. Funny, funny moment. I wave two fingers and say “Cyndy.” and kept walking. Not a word came from her table. Funny stuff. So I walked Maureen to her car, she said she would like to do this again, we setup a tentative date for Saturday the 23rd, we had a very nice hug, said to her “May I call you this weekend?” and she said yes and then sent her on her way.

It was way too early for me, so I headed to The Dog (The Dog Prairie, world famous local tavern) and watched some of the Olympics and hung with my crowd. I was tired and headed home to bed at about 23:00. I popped awake about 07:30 Saturday and did some housework, read the papers, got cleaned up and headed to Lowe’s after touring 2 local nurseries. I bought 6-shrubs on sale that will go in the backyard and picked up some miscellaneous stuff and then a lunch at Del Taco. I called my best friend while in town, left a VM, told him I was headed over, and then did head over and caught him in his driveway, where he had just listened to my VM. I have joked with in the past that as my emergency contact that I will bleed-out before he gets my VM! I ended up spending several hours over there with his neighbors and I caught him up with my news and had much interesting conversation and beers with his neighbors. I got home late afternoon and took care of a few things around the house, had a quick dinner, and then met Tim (neighbor) at his house at 19:00, and he, I, and Tony (neighbor) went to neighbor Mike’s bachelor party. We had a good time and I met many people and made many connections to other people I know. I already knew quite a few there. We left at about 22:00 and Tony had to work the next day. Tim dropped me off, it was too early, I packed up and headed back up to The Dog, which was relatively quiet at the time. There’s been someone that I’ve wanted to catch-up with for a while, a former alderman who is a very polarizing person and a big-shot wealthy guy in town. He waltzed in and we sat down for about 2.5 hours of some very interesting conversation. The usual crowd eventually showed up and I had more normal routine of circulating around to greet everyone. I left about 01:00 and went home to bed.

I popped awake at 08:30, turned on my radio show, and immediately thought of Maureen as it is her favorite radio show as well. I read two papers, talked to Jim and Pat (Pat wants me to get a check-up from her dermatologist, next door neighbors) and started on some yard projects and ran again to Lowe’s to get 2 more bargain shrubs (not done by a long shot yet) and picked up some mulch and sand and got home and went at it. Chris and Shelly (other next door neighbors) invited me over for lunch and after that I kept going with the outdoor stuff, eventually spraying everything for bugs and pressure-washing the driveway. I then drank a few beers, smoked a couple of stogies, got cleaned up, and headed to the St. Joseph’s parish picnic in Josephville, which is the town that adjoins my town to the west. I know people there including the Father of the parish, so I rolled in there and found that about 1/3 of the people were from my town and settled in with my homies. I had much discussion with many people and eventually went inside for the family-style dinner and sat with some very nice people and their 4-young children. I had the best fried chicken that I think I’ve ever had, not a trace of greasiness and steaming hot. I had a nice conversation with the people at the table and commented on how well-behaved their children were, which from me is a high compliment.

Went back outside and ran into Jill who cuts my hair. We had a long and interesting conversation with details to follow, but one funny aside first. Jill is 22 and gorgeous. Dave (runs The Dog Prairie with his wife Jo Ellen) notices that I’ve been talking to her a while and he walks by and gives me a little thumbs-up sign and I bust out laughing and explain to Jill what Dave did and that he though that I was hitting on her! I’m still chuckling about it. Anyway, almost the whole discussion was about Robin (Jill’s workmate). When I saw Jill on Thursday for my haircut, I did not see Robin as that’s her day off, so I asked Jill to say hello to Robin for me and that I would like to take her dancing. Now this must have precipitated quite a conversation between Jill and Robin on Friday and Jill gave me a huge amount of intel on Robin, her dating history, what she’s looking for, that type of stuff. This is all very interesting to me and where I felt before point that Jill was semi-serious about referring me to Robin, now Jill seems very serious of being my wing-woman on the Robin issue. Jill encouraged me to join them on Wednesday evenings at the other Irish pub. So, I took this as some very interesting developments on the Robin front prompted by some of my casual remarks. I’m going to guess that me not coming on strong to Robin has demonstrated some value to her. I gave Jill some specific intel on me to relay to Robin. So, I will inquire about what’s going on this Wednesday and take it from there.

I had many, many people to talk to at the picnic and ran into several people from Mike’s bachelor party and worked my way around the crowd. I finished with Dave and Jo Ellen and we discussed our upcoming church picnic. Jo Ellen said that I must absolutely wear a Dog Prairie T-shirt for the beer tent so I’ll have to negotiate something with her. Dave asked me what shift I wanted )I'm working the beer tent at our picnic) and I told him that I was working the whole thing. He told me to be there at 11:00 on Sunday the 31st. I should work then about 9-hours until the beer runs out. Dave asked me if I knew how to tap a keg and I laughed and said yes. Of course I know that! I told them that I’m looking forward to it and I have told a million people to come and see me at the beer tent.

I left for home at twilight and stopped across the street after pulling into the driveway as Tim and Jen and Chris and Cara (all neighbors) were standing in Chris and Cara’s driveway and I caught them up on events and we had some Bud Light Limes, which are not that bad (I prefer dark beer). We had fun and Dave from next door came over and we talked about maybe going to a University of Missouri football game. At about 21:30 I said my goodbyes and went straight to bed.

It was 58 when I got up this morning. I did have a nice email from Maureen that she sent Sunday morning when thinking of me.

There is no way I can describe everything in this post. I had an absolute blast all weekend long and was completely positively buzzed about how much fun I had at the picnic.

You paint like me. 6 months to agonize over what colour. Another 3 months to agonize over how you're going to do it. And in one weekend, it's done. I have some grey hairs especially dedicated to painting and I've only done 2 rooms so far :RollieEyes:.

Booka, that was the abridged summary? You aren't kidding it was action packed!

Heck, it was filled with hot chicks, kept my attention for the whole read!

I'm about 21-months out of the divorce. My life has reached some sort of critical mass where things are happening for me. I'm just being who I am, not the guy who suppressed all of this for an opposite-personality XW. Her shackles are one, baby, gone. I'm to the point where I can book every night with something either productive or entertaining.

I have many blessings and the kind of full and rich life that I have always wanted. And I'm just being who I am.

To those who aren't quite there yet, it can happen for you too.

A few hot chicks don't hurt either. My revenge is my personal success.

I sent the panning video and pix of the winery tour to my XBIL.

You can bet it's getting back to XW that I am light years more successful now.

Wow after all that booka/pariah my life is boring and dead!!!

Working on the networking thing a little more though!!!!

Dawn

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who stresses. I know GG can just paint rooms in a snap.

I don't even agonize over the paint color. My divorce buddy (friend from my divorce support group from 6.5 years ago) is a designer/decorator who waltzes in and leave me paint colors.
Sometimes pillows or other decorative items show up at my house too. She'll be at a store and see something that goes and will just drop it off.

So, at least the paint colors are fantastic (if not the paint job). Now I'm told I need to change my pillows (which she picked out), but that they'll work well in her new house (which thankfully has a great pool which I will use alot).

My life is far, far less exciting than Booka's, but it is fine with me for now.

I guess my life is as exciting as I want to make it, but it's kind of weird sometimes that I don't have to make a lot of effort at it and things just happen.

Rule 1: Never refuse an invitation.
Rule 2: Get out of the house at least one weeknight a week.

There will be more rules to follow. I meet many new people a week because I have a gift for meeting people. Not everyone is born with it but I do believe that anyone has room for improvement and the only thing holding most people back is there own insecurity. will that person validate me as an individual? I don't care, my value does not go down in the transaction. I may meet a person only once, but they will remember me.

I have my first two referrals waiting in the wings. That tells me that I've finally reached a critical mass in that area. A referral is worth a lot more than an online dating lead.

I guess one point is that I'm happy by myself and don't have to date at this point to b happy. I can date for the fun of it and just be myself.

Someday I'll write a book! Keep up your networking efforts. Go where other people are. Let me know if you have any questions.

I should note some updates while I'm at it. Maureen and I had a round of emails yesterday and then I had a pleasant call with her last night. She paid me a very nice compliment (I'm wondering if she has intuited my love language) and I returned it. I floated the idea of an informal date Thursday and to my surprise she was interested. She also invited me to a LRB concert next month and I have accepted. She then told me something that no other woman has ever told me. She said it was okay for me to check up on her family. Her family lives in the next town. Both my town and her hometown are very small tight-knit communities where it's possible to make an inquiry as to a family's reputation. I've already started inquiries.

It's all very interesting.

I am happy to report that I survived my "weekend retreat" alone...

I arrived in Sturgeon Bay, WI on Friday morning - clients picked me up and we attended the memorial service that I flew up for. Had a nice time, I, at the tender age of 46, was the youngest in attendance - so the old men were having a great time talking to me (YUK! EWWW!!)

Then, another client picked me up, and he and his wife took me for a tour of the Door County peninsula and out to dinner - had the BEST walleye I've ever tasted - soooooo fresh!

Lights out at 10:45 pm in the cutest little B&B right on the bay. OK - now I'm on my own until Sunday afternoon.

Woke up Saturday - went for a run along the bay - and oogled at all the rich and fancy people's houses. Came back and ate breakfast. Then, I got in the car and drove back to some of the little towns that I had seen the day before and did some shopping. Bought myself a little piece of jewelry (since no one else buys me any, tee hee) and some dark chocolate treats. Drove back to the B&B taking the route along the coast, and stopped at two beaches - took in some sun and a few photos.

Had dinner at a local restaurant, soaked in the B&B whirlpool tub, settled in for some Olympics viewing, and had a great 10 hour sleep!

Drove back to the airport (got lost) and stopped at the casino that is right across the street (I had some time to kill) - lost $30.00 and flew home!

Tired when I got home, but refreshed and happy that I went! It's a little hard to entertain yourself when there are no chores to do, no appointments to keep, etc., but, I managed!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend!

Laura

that actually sounds like fun!

this weekend the kids and i are going to spend it with my parents. we are school shopping and swimming in my parents pool. it will be nice and relaxing (except the school shopping part).

eh, i love hanging out with my kids. for right now, they are all i need. i'll choose them any time right now!

MLHB, sounds alot like our weekend. Driving down to a friend's house with a great pool, cabana, pool table, HDTV and Wii. Staying the weekend. The kids go from pool to basement to play Wii or DVDs then back to the pool. Many other friends will drop in and out, with lots of kids to enjoy. Imagine 8 screaming girls doing Wii singing contests. Adults cook and hang out poolside to read and relax.

We can't wait. It's like a great vacation at a real home.

8 screaming girls?
i hope the adults have access to some good alcohol! lol

I'm completely on my own this weekend. Jill is enjoying the clean, cool air of CO with her folks, and my kids are with their mom in RI. I might weed my flowerbed and take a bike ride.

Other than that, I plan to sit around the house with the remote in one hand and a beer in the other. I guess if my butt itches, I'll have to scratch it up against the back of the couch, because I ain't putting either item down for a second.

I'm playing in a baseball tournament. See my thread in Divorced for details. Getting the jitters about it now!

ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE EATING CHEETOS!!

DS4 is with his mom this weekend

I'm supposed to have a "I have a friend I'd like you to meet" thing from my buddies wife this weekend.

Regardless, I'll be on the golf course, and also drinking beer and scratching my butt on stuff.

See? BC knows! I learned the trick from my dogs.

I don't think I'll wear a shirt all weekend. Heck... I might not even wear pants.

It's gonna be awesome!

I gotta work.

I've put in 14 hour days for the past three weeks plus every other weekend.

I can't wait to see this paycheck.

There's a gun show here on Saturday and my older brother is coming up to it and I think I will go after work with him as I only have to work til noon.

I will have to resist buying a new toy as we want a new TV at home.

My son has a Varsity Football Scrimmage tonight. Tomorrow I work half a day and then myself and my kids, my sister and her family and my two brothers and their families are taking our Mother (she's turning 70 next weekend) to a Japanese Restaurant where they cook right in front of you with flames and food flying everywhere. Working on Sunday and Monday. Have Tuesday and Wednesday off. Kids go back to school Tuesday and I like to be home for them the first few days.

Well, after work, I met my older brother at the gun show and managed not to spend over $20!

My XBIL came too along with the airport's AP mechanic. Mechanic friend told me that my X needed a date and can't get one, but she refused him. He asked if I was still with GF.

Anyways My older brother took us for BBQ and I took them to a huge gun store here.

They left for their 4 hour trip back home and I went over to my twin brother's house.

His apple tree was damaged in the storms and it had to be cut down.

So I put my man skills to use and baked some pies.

I can't wait to take them to work on Monday!

LOL WUT???

Sorry Pariah, I'm suffering a little cognitive dissonance here. Lemme see if I can get this straight. Your XW needs a date for something, but turned down your XBIL's mechanic friend.

Then mechanic friend asked you if you still had a GF?

Was the intent to see if you'd be available as a date for your XW???

Please tell me I got that wrong because poetic justice like that only happens in the movies.

Oh... And how in the hell do you manage to only spend $20 at a gun show???

Are you feeling alright?

Yeah, I think XW is having AP mechanic give Pariah reports.

He made a comment about me making too much money and I commented that two grand a week isn't a whole lot in Atlanta.

It'll get back to her for sure.

This past month ripped me a new one with having to buy propane, buy tires, send GF to see about her mother and make repairs on her car and then the mini vacation last week for me to spend much at the gun show.

In the next few weeks I have plans to acquire a few more toys and I am almost finished paying off my medical bills form my gunshot wound and the taxes that tore me a new one this past year.

I'm also saving up to buy another house.

I landed on my feet and I have wind in my sails.

Oh, XBIL who is about to be a Judge spent $20K on Lugers at the show. XW always wanted to be like her sister, financially care-free. I didn't fit the bill. OM seemed to fit the bill, but he had that family of his to keep getting in her way.

Love the gunstore in Butler. Doesn't take a long time to get there from Ellaville.

Well the fair and activities are all over for another year!! Had a lot of fun, spent some time in the beer garden after the rodeo, those cowboys were sure young!!!!

Decorated the church and did the flowers for a friends wedding, she is 57 and this is her first marriage, she is the sweetest person, just this round little thing, plain jane all the way, but she was beautiful on Saturday, What love can do to you!!! He is older and was a widower. They are just cute together, gives one hope!!!!

Bowling guy asked me why she had never married before, said wasn't sure but that maybe she was waiting for the guys to mature!!!!

School started last Thursday for us, that way we only have them for 2 days to do the back up work find out what they lost over the summer and so on and then we have the next week to move them forward!!!

I leave on Wednesday after school to visit my grandboys in Arkansas. I can't wait!!!! It's an 18 hour drive though!!!

So that covers my next weekend, with labor day being the end of summer, do we want to continue this thread or start a new one for the fall/winter?

Dawn

OK ladies, here's my pies from my new found baking skills!

They didn't last until 8:00AM when I brought them to work this morning!

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/pies1.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/pies2.jpg

2K a week Pariah? holy %&^$! I sure was dating the wrong guy from atlanta!

Here is a summary, I would need a freaking camera crew to follow me 24/7 to capture all of the action!

Wednesday night I went to a Nine Inch Nails concert downtown St. Louis. It was a very interesting show and a more interesting crowd. I took off both Thursday and Friday. Thursday I met Anna, my friend and fellow alderman, and we attended a Republican club luncheon in O-town (the neighboring town). It was an interesting crowd and I had a good time. I went out Thursday night for a while to Elmer’s in P-town (another neighboring town) where I was charmed by the cutest bartender I had seen in a while. I then went to The Dog (the world famous Dog Prairie Tavern in my town) and had much conversations and some beer there.

Slept in Friday and just puttered or most of the day, went to McGurk’s (Irish bar restaurant, fabulous outdoor bar area) in O-town for dinner and drinks and met some interesting people there and said hello to a couple that I had met earlier in the season at a party. Anna then called and wanted to meet at The Dog with her neighbor Cathy, who I’ve met several times. We grabbed a table and had some very interesting conversation and the scene got interesting late as the people from the Ducks Unlimited dinner started rolling in. A guy I've known since I lived here came over and joined us and told us a bit about his very interesting life. It was very amusing and I left at about 00:00.

Saturday went to Lion’s Choice (better than Arby's) in O-town for lunch and in walked the father and son that I met at the luncheon on Thursday, they asked to join, and that sat down and we had another interesting conversation. We were later joined by a prominent jeweler (and former alderman) from O-town that I had heard about. The father and son own and manage quite a bit of commercial property in O-town. All in all an interesting crowd. I like the son and him and I could become good friends. They collectively know where all of the bodies are buried in O-town and must have a pipeline into my town because they knew about everything going on there. I wandered onward to Lowe’s and Home Depot looking for bargain plants, found 2-more shrubs, did some grocery shopping and headed home. I didn’t have and plans or ambitions for the evening and stayed home, watched movies, and went to bed early.

Sunday up and at them early, read the papers, texted back and forth with Maureen, planted 5 out of the 6 large shrubs in the backyard, took a lunch break, and then mowed the grass front and back and had a few phone conversations with Maureen and we set it so that she would come over to my place for the first time at around 4:30pm. She was a bit late and that might be a trend for her but I tend to make allowances when it comes to women! The weather was gorgeous and we sat in the driveway, talked, listened to great music, and drank some beer. I took her for a tour of the house and she said some very complimentary things about it and both my tastes and style. She was also impressed by my tool collection. We had a great time and after seeing my tools and taking interest in all of my dimmers, she said that she has a honey-do list for me for her place. She left close to dark and I hugged her, she kissed my cheek, and then we looked at each other, she brushed some hair out of her face, and we kissed. It was very nice. I then sent her on her way, texted her later, and we’ve been exchanging emails today. She was looking for some song lyrics and I found them for her and emailed them to her, said some nice things about her, and she replied that I’m melting her. Not a bad bit of work via email! I took a walk through the neighborhood for a beautiful orange sunset and touched base with a few neighbors, finished a movie and headed off to bed.

I saw NIN back in 1992 at the Roxy in Atlanta.

It was an AWESOME concert. Trent Rensnor threw a whole pizza into the audiance like a frizbee and then he threw a pitcher of beer.

So you went to a NIN concert and a Republican Club luncheon?

yes, that is definately uuhhh.......interesting

I doubt if they'll be playing at the convention

I am a diverse person with very diverse interests. In my old age I listen almost exclusively to alternative music while being fiscally conservative and probably middle-of-road socially. I defy a lot of labels. I like all types of people but vastly prefer sane ones.

I'll concur and say that NIN will definitely not play the RNC. Amazing show though. NIN, that is!

One would wonder given the angular velocity whether the pepperoni would hold to the pizza or not. I have no doubt about the beer.

Hey Booka! I just spent the weekend in St. Louis taking my boyfriend's daughter back for her sophomore year at SLU.....are you anywhere nearby? We tried and tried to visit a well-known restaurant "Sweetie Pies" in Mangrove, but they were closed for the entire month of August for vacation! They had another location in North County(??) that we drove to - but they were closed.....so we went to Vesuvio's Italian in North County. Really good.....Hit the Galleria and had another dinner at Maggiano's.........maybe we passed each other on the street??

Laura

SLU is in the Lou'. I'm about 35-miles WNW of SLU. I've heard of Sweetie Pies but have never eaten there. Vesuvio's I've not heard of. There are in my opinion a plethora of good or better Italian restaurants in the metro area, better overall than other cities I have been in. North County would put you a bit closer. I know where the Galleria is and occasionally go to the Crate and Barrel nearby. I've always wanted to try Maggiano's.

If you head out this way again, give me a heads up and we can all meet for dinner someplace.

You got it Booka! Looks like we'll be back in 9 months to pick up all the stuff that we just dropped off! Went to the art museum and the Science Center - awesome day trips.

Yes, you should try Maggiano's - order one appetizer and one entree and you could feed 3 people! It's very good. I live in Chicago and we have awesome restaurants, but yes, I will agree - St. Louis has some fine dining establishments! So, yup, I'll give you the heads up when we get back down there - would be fun to get together.....

Ah, Chicago. I had a most memorable meal in the fall of 2006 at what I recall and Gene and Georgetta's in the River North neighborhood. I felt that at any moment during the dinner that Tony Soprano would walk out of the back room. Very interesting. The waiter was haughty and I felt that he only approved of me two times, once when I asked for the angelhair Arrabiata rather than the potatoes and the lovely Mt. Veeder Cab that I ordered.

I do love Chicago and miss an Italian beef sandwich, which are hard to find in the Lou'. Good luck to your Cubbies.

I was in Sarawak (Borneo) last week...

Day 1: Flew in to Bario on a 19-seater. Took a long walk in the evening, birdwatching and visiting longhouses. It rained and we had a rainbow and a fantastic sunset afterwards. Bario has no electricity, no phones, no newspapers. The town runs on solar energy. Had fish and local pineapples for dinner.

Day 2: Trekked to Pa Lungan. Pa Lungan has a population of 72 and is only accessible by foot. It is completely self-sustainable. The women tend to the fields and the men hunt. Our host whipped up a fantastic dinner of vegetables from the jungle, soup, wild boar stew and chicken curry. Had sweet rice wine for dessert. That night the women taught us the hornbill dance and the men taught us the hunter's dance. Then all of us did the bocor-bocor, it is like line dancing. The villagers go to church every morning at 6am. I stood at the balcony in my pajamas and listened to the hymns and a short sermon. We had eggs and pancake for breakfast and tapioca porridge before setting off.

We hired three guides from Pa Lungan.

Day 3: Spent a night in a jungle shelter and bathed in the river. Saw millions of stars and I think I spotted a shooting star. The men went night hunting and got us a wild boar. Had rice wrapped in fragrant leaves for my lunch pack and a slice of roast boar. It was juicy. And the rice was really good! The trek was very pleasant and our guide showed us how to make a simple trap for small animals. We saw about 10 helmeted hornbills. I learnt how to identify the laugh of the bushy crested hornbill although I couldn't see it.

Our guides turned out to be funny men and made us laugh throughout. I learnt how to make a kettle out of a biscuit tin.

Day 4: Trekked to Kalimantan. The trek was very narrow and slippery. It took us 9 hours. Climbed over fences, tresspassed on somebody's paddy fields and nearly got chased by a water buffalo. Curry wild boar, spinach soup and local vegetables for dinner. Very tired.

Day 5: More trekking! Climbed a 1,100m hill over to Ba Kelalan, our last stop. The view of the valley was magnificent. It was Sunday and we can hear the villagers singing hymns in the background as we descended. We checked into our dormitory which is about 300m from the air strip. Later, we illegally climbed over the airport fence into a orchard. The owner was very generous and allowed us to have as many oranges as we liked. Pluck, eat, pluck, eat. We walked to the next village to make a telephone call. Saw lots of cinnamon bitterns and moorish hens on paddy fields. Had iced lollies - lychee flavour, very good! Had some wild berries. Black peppered boar, ox tail soup and BBQ chicken for dinner. More pineapples.

I bought a stick of the local salt. It is high in iodine and is wrapped in leaves. It has also has high mineral content and is supposed to be good for joint pains. I gave the rest of my money to my porter and guide. I gave his wife a lipstick and his kids a bag of lollipops.

Day 7: I am home. Traffic jams and pollution.

Friday - son's varsity football game
Saturday - the beach with my mother, 2 brothers and their families, my sister and her family and of course my kids. We each take a ton of food and stay at beach from mid-morning til sunset.
Sunday - catch up on housework.

Wow! That's sounds incredible!

It was a very good trip.

The people were very open, friendly and helpful. We had perfect weather throughout. I am now feeling a little blue from having spent so many days in the company of so many nice people and then the long weekend all by myself.

Bario is very charming and I am tempted to make another trip soon.

Please know I'm not being critical or trying to rain on your lovely memories of your exciting trip, Ruffled. In your description of your trip you mention a few times that you trespassed on local peoples' properties and in one case took food. I wonder how this will make them view visitors, particularly if most were Americans. I imagine the first few people to do as you did might not cause too much concern. Magnify that by lots of visitors and you can see where there might be some strain on what appears to be a people of good nature and also generous. I hope you understand my thoughts, I mean no disrespect for you or your judgment.

We went back up to the vineyards up in Dahlonega and tried three different ones this time.

We had a good time and I found a fantastic little BBQ place off of Auraria Rd.

My YD and I set out Wed after school for Arkansas to see OD.

Drove 7.5 hr that night stopped in Omaha.
Drove 9 hrs the next day.
YD did her share of the driving which made it nice for me!!! The heartland of America is gorgeous!!!

Got to see and play with my 3 grandsons til Saturday afternoon. Had a blast!!! I needed time with them, I miss them sooooooooooo much!

Started back Saturday pm went through the Ozarks, found a 64 Ford Galaxy, will call on it this week, my dad has been looking for a project car for years!!!! Stopped in Knob Noster, MO. We had lived there for 5 years seen friends and attended the 25th anniversary of the church we had attended!!!

Left there Sunday and headed for Omaha, Had birthday cake with one friend and doughnuts this morning with a HS friend.

So was a great weekend!!!

Ruffled your trip sounds excitinag and exotic how did you ever pick Borio to go to?

Dawn

Kind of a crappy week ahead of me. Working 10 days in a row. Birthday is tomorrow....and I'm WORKING! LOL Son's football game Friday night. Preparing for Store Inventory all this week and weekend. My Boss will be in town Sunday and Monday for the Inventory.

I plan on taking a 4 day weekend next weekend. Y'all are welcome to come to PA to visit!

I'm getting my hair cut Saturday and sending an 8 inch pony tail to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program.

What a wonderful, kind thing to do Cinderella!!

Another absolute blow-out weekend full of fun and activities.

For a summary, which centered around our annual church picnic on Sunday (137 kegs of beer sold!):

Friday: I had Friday off and ran some errands and then stopped by the picnic grounds to see if they needed any help and ended up staying until after dark.

Saturday: House and yard-work and then went to a bar in the evening with friends to watch a college football game. Many adventures took place there and I ended up with a new phone number. Went home at a reasonable time.

Sunday: The big day, read the papers, got cleaned up, and headed down to the beer stand at 11:00am. I ended staying until about midnight, working the full shift until the beer ran out about 22:15. The cops chased all of the customers out and the workers stayed behind to do some housekeeping and drink some beer. My very good friend and fellow alderman Anna and her husband Kerry joined the crew and amongst many political discussions we found time for general discussions as well. I ran into hundreds of people that I knew and added some new ones to the list. The selection of women was most excellent and I made quite a few tips and not only flirted a bit but was flirted at a lot. There was someone in particular there that I fancy and I managed to squeeze in a little interaction with her. I had a fantastic time, had my A-game the whole time, charmed many, worked with some of the best people I know, did a lot of bonding, gave and received much humor, and will be thinking about it until next year. I saw Dave last night who runs the whole beer sales and he jokingly told me that he expects me to be running the whole show in 5-years and I knew that he really means it. I of course accepted. I was one tired puppy dog when I got home.

Monday: Took it easy during the early part of the day and then went over to my best friend’s house and we had a few Coronas and some filets on the grill and talked about women.

Tuesday: We had a special BOA (Board of Aldermen) meeting last night at 19:30 that lasted about 90-minutes. We got a lot down because the mayor was out of town. I predict a good fight when he gets back! Fellow alderman Anna and Ericka retired with me to the local tavern and we had much discussion and a few beers and I stayed out way past my bedtime and got home about midnight. Anna has a habit of keeping me out late. She is married, probably not happily, but I keep everything on the up and up. She is definitely the smartest woman that I have ever had the pleasure of actually liking and for some reason appreciates my company. I like to refer to her as my co-conspirator. Through a interesting coincidence, she happens to know the certain someone from the picnic that I was interested in and Anna and my mutual friend Cathy knows this person well. So we’ll see what Anna and Cathy can do for me in that regard.

Tonight, I don’t know. There are several possibilities but I also need to catch up on laundry and get some sleep!

Pariah,

What varietals do they grow in Georgia? In Missouri where I live there are quite a few wineries and the big varietal is a Norton.

Thanks. It just seemed like something I could do to help someone live a happier life...something that wouldn't cost a lot, take a lot of energy, wouldn't make too many demands of me. And, if I don't do it soon, I will have too many shiny hairs to do it. For some reason, I'm getting these shiny very blond hairs and they don't want too many of them.

Before and after pictures please. People still talk about my long hair but I find the shorter hair much easier to maintain.

My hair is very straight and very fine. I have a nice quantity but it is SO fine that I have a tiny, skinny pony tail. Currently, it is down around my shoulder blades.

I figure I will end up with it around the tops of my shoulders though I wanted to end up w/ it around my collar bones. However, it's so long that I think that is increasing my shedding. The dermatologist has said for several years that my shedding was a bit heavier than she would expect for my age. I know stress can worsen it and I've been concerned about the shedding so I guess that may be making me shed worse. I guess it's time to go back to the liver enzyme injections. Fun fun fun.

If it's not in a pony tail or hanging limp, I put it up in a rope-like thing around my head. I get lots of compliments about that - from men and women. It may not be fashionable but I can do it in 2 minutes and lots of people like it. I suppose it's my version of Katherine Hepburn's bun.

I've done short hair before and found that it cost more (products and frequent hair cuts) and took longer by the time I used the blow drier and the assorted brushes, etc. It's not as easy for me as the twisted thing.

As a man, I've had various lengths of hair all of my life. Last year I said what the heck an didn't cut it for over a year. My hair is fairly fine and to my surprise gets very curly beyond a certain length. In the course of a year, it grew down to my shoulders curled, so I don't know how long it was when it was straight because I never really brushed it out. I would brush the ends upon occasion as I was starting some little baby dreadlocks.

So this wild hair (literally) went on for over a year and there are people who never saw me with short hair. People still talk about it and I guess that it made quite an impression. I am back to short hair where its very short on the sides and longer on the top. I pat it dry, brush it forward, throw and dab of gel on and fuss with it just a bit as it dries. Very simple and I really like to look. The poll among those that matter to me is about 99.9% in favor of the current look. I am very happy to have hair at my age and the natural blonde tones override almost all of the grey.

But enough about my hair!

my vote, if i count booka, is that the hair looks much better short. you were blessed with a nice full head of it that is for sure! most women would kill for your hair lol

my weekend plans? are you ready for some FOOTBALL?! my son has games all weekend. that is where i will be.

I haven't seen my real color in 26 years...lol. But I do know there are a few shiny ones up there...I blame the EX and my kids! LOL

Yes....I blame my children. It's certainly not my age. BTW, my younger sister has been coloring her hair for 15 years or more. Me.....Nope - except for highlights and the recovery period after I tried to highlight my own hair and had to dye it to cover up the mess I had made. That was a hard 12 months or so before I got it to a color that could grow out.

Hello nams!

Understand your concern. I have never trespassed on anyone's property until this trip and it was just too much fun to miss. The locals pointed out the way and unfortunately, requires jumping over someone's fence. On taking the oranges, we met the owner earlier and he invited us to visit. The other way of getting to the orchard was to walk round the airport, so we took a shortcut and walked over the airstrip. There are only three flights each week, so the airstrip/airport was deserted. While at the orchard, the owner gave us permission to try as many oranges as we wanted. This is the person who experimented with orange and apple cultivation in tropical climate.

By the way, I want you to know that I am not an American and I am travelling in my own country.

This weekend I shall be a good girl-- cleaning the house and ironing and catching up on work.

I never ask a woman what her natural hair color is. It's a rather immaterial question.

The Diplomat states a fondness for blond hair. I no longer have that. However, I keep telling him that all he has to do is agree to pay for it and I can have it done. However, it is an expensive, ongoing ordeal.

Having once had a good hair stylist fry my hair due to ongoing, repeated chemical processing - back in the 80s during the big hair perm days when I also highlighted - I am not eager to go there again. I'll settle for highlights - IF someone else pays for them.

I am a licensed hair dresser so I do my own!! Heck of a lot cheaper! Plus I'm the manager of a beauty supply store so my employee discount helps even more!

Good idea Booka to not ask... Although I tell if asked.

I figure what's the point to ask, they might not even remember!

LOL that's probably VERY true!!!!

All right, I have two very good FFs (female friends) Anna and Kathy and they did some checking up on the person that I had some interest in and that I ran into at the picnic last Sunday. It appears this person is in a relationship (but likes to flirt nonetheless) and there are some large questions about her "personal stability". I've asked for examples out of curiosity.

Anna and Kathy are neighbors, I know Anna through the BOA (Board of Alderman) as she was in office prior to my election to that body this past April. As an aside, I am a political monster when it comes to the local-level politics and have some distinct goals in that arena. I have made many contacts and am still exploring it. But back to the subject at hand, Kathy is on the P&Z (Planning & Zoning) Board, so I know her from that and via Anna. Both are married with children and everything is on the up and up between them and me. After being married to a cheater/lair, I'll never go there.

I was appreciative that Anna and Kathy would take up my cause and I have no doubt that they will have additional efforts in that area. Anna had a friend that she wants to introduce me to. Both Anna and Kathy entertain frequently and Anna has invited me to her next party that she said would serve as our mutual birthday party and her's is a week after mine. I will wangle an invite to Kathy's.

So there are a lot of good points in living in a small town and having a lot of friends. My goal is to get involved enough in the community and doing enough stuff in the community that people speak well of me and that the word gets around so that if a woman should inquire, she will hear good things. That's not my primary reason for my goals but could be an added benefit.

I am very happy as a single dude and could fill my schedule with activities for every night. I am currently looking for a volunteer organization that I would be interested in working with. I often wonder if I could ever find a woman that would add to the experience rather than take away for it. That's been an elusive goal.

Hi Ruffled,

I'm sorry I assumed American. These days that can make non-Americans pretty nervous especially when traveling. I'm glad you understand my concern.

I love to travel and have done quite a bit. Post divorce...not so much. I look forward to the day when I can get back to it.

Me, too!

My middle name should be 'Go' or 'RoadTrip'.

I would like to travel more but don't have much of a budget for it. I did go to Michigan twice this year. I'd like to go someplace exotic but that's on the long list. When you start from scratch late in life, there are other priorities.

My plans for this weekend include going to see Cross Canadian Ragweed tonight at The Pageant in the Lou' and then tomorrow night seeing my favorite local band Big Easy in a venue that I've never been to in Wentzville. I'd like to get in a little dancing. And who knows what else may happen, call me Mr. Spontaneity!

Well, my plans to finish painting my hallway are falling through as we speak. Anyone mind if I vent a little? If so, just skip ahead.

I was out last night until late. I didn't check my voice mail until this morning. There was a vicious one from my mother spewing venom because it was selfish of me to not be home and she needed to speak to me RIGHT NOW and it was URGENT how could I be so inconsiderate as to not be there etc.,etc. I called back this morning. Here's the urgent situation:

My brother is moving stuff out of his storage locker. He's giving some junk (yes, junk - bits of broken furniture) to my DS. They have someone who will bring this junk 1/2 way to my house Saturday (why this had to be arranged last night and not today is beyond me). It's an hour and a half drive. I'm supposed to meet her there and pick it up and bring the junk to my house. No mention of how or when DS is going to pick it up and bring it to his house. He doesn't even have a car and comes by bus when he visits.

So I asked about the vile message and why she just didn't call my cell phone. OH, she says, you mean this number ###-###-####? (correct number). :RollieEyes: Well, I didn't want you to have to pay for anything. Okay, so it really IS ultimate selfishness to *gasp* leave my house for an evening because God forbid that a true emergency happen that someone needs to contact me for - I might have to pay????!!!!

And, when I mentioned that I don't have space for the junk and that I'm in the process of decrapifying my own house because I want to sell it, she tells me it's my problem - she doesn't have room for it either. Doesn't the dumpster have room? Did I mention this stuff is JUNK!!!???!!!!????

And why bring the junk to me - my DS lives ON THE WAY for my brother to drop it off. NOPE, instead *I* get to spend my Saturday afternoon driving halfway around the countryside to pick up some moldy junk that I don't want. And somehow this is *MY* problem???!!!!!

What do you think the penalty for not showing up will be? AFter all, I'm selfish for simply not being home.

Thanks guys, I feel a little better.

What's wrong with saying you don't want it and you won't be there to pick it up??

Ouch! But of course you will be under my control as here is you plan for the evening, tell toxic mother that any important call should be places to the phone that you will have in closest possession. Tell DS that it's time for him to grow up and that he needs to deal with said junk himself. Establish a boundary that it will not come to your home. Tell your brother you won't be there.

You are going to need to erect some serious boundaries with several people in your life, including bunches with your toxic mother.

Oh, and go out and have fun all weekend. Put your needs first for once, it's a liberating experience.

I will be on a seek and destroy misson for the hornets infesting the deck.

* Call son and ask if he wants the stuff.

* If he does, have him be at your place at time to leave, get the stuff, and take it directly to wherever he lives. OR, tell him he needs to find a friend with a truck or van (or rent one) and he needs to go meet your family to get the stuff.

* If he doesn't, have him call your mother or brother and tell them he doesn't want it.

If your son is old enough to live independently and is not significantly developmentally, mentally, or emotionally challenged, he is old enough to take care of this for himeself as he benefits from this 'gift' - not you.

Football game tonight....My cousin's daughter, my aunt, my mom, my g/f and her son are coming with us.

Work Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

OT question...anyone have any suggestions on how to get over the fear of traveling? Flying, driving it doesn't matter. I haven't traveled since before my kids were born and I would LOVE to do it but the fear holds me back. Well I should say..the "what ifs" hold me back. What if I get lost, What if I miss a flight, What if my car breaks down.....BLAH!! Plus I have a mother like Tabby that condemns me for doing things for myself or by myself even though she did the same thing when she was my age. I am learning to stand up to her now at 42 but it's been a long long process of getting to the point where I can't worry about pleasing her or anyone else for the sake of my sanity.

Anyways.....I know it sounds silly and I should just do it once to break the fear but ARGH I just can't do it. I want to take my kids to Philly and DC next summer and I want to go to Memphis alone. I'm such a freak!! LOL Any suggestions?

What is the nature of your fear? Traveling alone?

Hey, you wanna go to Memphis - 4 hours from me. I can go down my street, turn left, turn right a mile later so that I get on the interstate, then - 4 hours down the highway - I'm there!

So, what happens if your car breaks down on the other side of town from where you live? You deal with it.

Do you have a friend who lives 100 miles away? Could you make it there?

You know, if it's your desire to travel, you can tackle this in baby steps.

(If you have a cell phone, you might not have to tell your mom about a little adventure - go and, if you need to call her, just use your cell phone. If she asks what you're doing, tell her 'not much...just sitting here'.

Then, if she berates you tell her you know you need to live a fuller life and learn to embrace the joy of an adventure.

What if Orville and Wilbur Wright had not dared to live a dream or embrace adventure?

Strictly in general terms, where do you live that you're 4-hours from Memphis? For the record I live in the St. Louis metro area.

I am about 300 miles from St Louis in the heart of the Southeast.

Since I have to be guessing I guess somewhere in Kentucky.

Close - I'm south of there. Somewhere in Middle TN.

Ah, a woman of mystery I see. Shall we say Louisville then?

I am not so coy, I live in a small burg along the Mississippi River in NW St. Charles County. That alone should provide enough clues!

Booka...it's traveling in general...would hate to break down and have my kids with me or be alone and be stuck somewhere and not know anyone...

For me once I got pregnant with my son 18 years ago my life changed. No more bar hopping...etc. I've lead a very cautious life because of my kids. If I make a mistake it not only effects me but it effects my kids. And now that my kids are getting older I feel like maybe I can get the old me back a little bit. Certainly not by bar hopping but by traveling and living life again.

I have a friend in MS about 5 miles from Memphis and we've talked for 7 years about me going down there. It would be a 6-7 hour flight with one stop or a 900 mile 14 hour drive.

bbs...gotta get my daughter from school

That's too bad about the travel thing Ronda. When I was 14, I drove with my brother from Texas to California. He was a month away from 21 at the time. My sister had just moved out there with her family a few months earlier and we were bringing out her car which she'd left in storage. The trip across Texas took a full day, and we actually broke down outside of a little town called Van Horn. The service station we stopped at had to order the part from El Paso and it took 3 days to arrive. Our 3 day drive ended up taking 5 and half days.

It was one of the coolest experiences of my life. The fun of traveling is the adventure for me. Not knowing what awaits me between here and there.

Seabird, that is hiliarous, because we took the same trip to California from Texas when I was 14! There were 4 of us in the back seat and my dad had to pull over several times and give us a whippin on the side of the road for a little backseat boxing! [line up against the car while I take off my belt!]

BTW, I won $1400 by baseballing a trifecta at Santa Anita on that trip.

Ronda it is then. Let me ask you this Ronda, since your divorce, have you had an adult life of your own separate from your children's? I'll hazard a guess that you have not. If my guess is true, you'll need to do some work on you to become a complete person independently of your children. This will involve building your self-confidence where you you view a trip as an adventure rather than with fear and trepidation.

I drove 450-miles one-way to Michigan by myself twice this year and back, including returning in February through 200+ miles of true blizzard conditions.

I'm heading down to a concert hall in St. Louis by myself tonight. I have found that attending concerts by yourself is actually quite enjoyable, you have no one to entertain but yourself and can focus and the performance a lot more. I know I will enjoy myself and have absolutely no fear at all of going by myself.

I should note that I rarely see a woman at a bar by herself so you're not alone in that crowd. I can say unequivocally that divorced women need to be far bolder.

I live in the Nashville, TN area....and I love to go to the symphony The last two years, I've had orchestra view tickets - behind the orchestra, looking at the conductor's face. The swell of the music is incredible.

Love to travel.....I've driven anywhere I really wanted to go for years. I've put my small children in the car and set out at 4 p.m. headed to Florida so I could drive most of the way with them asleep. We've always gotten in the car and gone where we wanted - when I could afford it. Hasn't been often enough, though.

BTW, my daughter tells me I still need to get a life.

I was out dancing with a msle family member once. A man approached our table and asked me to dance. While we were dancing, he pressed a piece of paper with his name and phone number on it. Apparently, he was a gigolo. When my relative tapped me on the shoulder (and I was grateful because I was getting bad vibes), the guy asked me about what was going on. I told him that was my body guard (he is 6'3" and has a black belt in karate) and my family wouldn't let me go out without him. He looked really concerned.

Anyway, if I go out, the only men who approach me are very blue collar and I am sure there is nothing wrong with them. However, I imagine that not many blue collar men would be interested in the things that interest me. I've educated one man on wine, food, music, travel, and more.

I never get approached by men who interest me. Don't know what that is about. Some women may be turned on my men in uniforms. I'd much rather have a sharp dressed man who knows all that stuff but can still wear jeans and t-shirts, do yard work, and play hard.

I tell myself that I need to do this for ME...and I WANT to sooooo badly!! My son is almost 18 and my daughter is almost 12 so it's not like I can COMPLETELY live my life for me which is why I'm feeling the trepidation that I am....I suppose. Part of it also is my fear of failure and being out of control. Yes I'm a control freak to an extent. LOL I'm also a planner. I have to plan everything out just so and if I think there is a small loop hole where somewhere could potentially go wrong, I'll bag the entire thing.

Truthfully it took me a LONG time to let my kids go on field trips with school. I would be up all night the night before they were to go...just sick to my stomach with fear that something would happen to my babies! At first I would make them stay home so they would be safe. But eventually I forced myself to let them go so they could have wonderful experiences. I still get that way on occasion but I don't act on it and I don't make it known to them.

Like I said, before I had my kids I loved to travel. I just need to buck up and DO IT and quit bellyaching about it...LOL

you get brave enough to go to memphis and I'll meet you for a tour of Graceland - I've never been there though I've driven by.

HA!

I just got this in an email

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Love the ones who don't just because you can. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.

So, put those kids in the car (get a AAA membership so someone will come rescue you and get the car checked out by a mechanic) and head out somewhere for a one night trip to go see......a ball game. Go for a night at a state park.

Ronda, take a friend if you need someone to help you cope in the event of a difficulty.






_____________________________________________________________

BTW, a few weeks ago, I met The Diplomat in Boca Raton where he was traveling for business. Friday, while he was at work, I got guest services at the hotel to drive me to the art museum. When I finished there, I went to Mizner Park. He picked me up after he finished work - using our cell phones to find each other.

On Friday evening, we discussed the fact that they had just evacuated the tourists out of the Keys because of Hurricane Fay so there wouldn't be many people there. So, Friday night, we packed up and got everything together. Saturday morning, we drove to Key West. We came back on Sunday evening. And I flew home on Monday.

Heck Cinderlla, you take me to all of the best BBQ places and I'll meet you there!

I love the pulled chicken at Hog Heaven!!! The baby back ribs at Calhoun's are pretty good even if they are a chain. Memphis is really more famous for Barbeque. If I'm gonna eat out, barbeque is not my usual. The children and I loved Herbert's in Franklin but they closed when the land was bought for road widening. Jim and Nick's is pretty good.

I used to love the barbeque and hot fish from this trailer parked in the parking lot at a gas station near where I used to work. I alway's prayed extra hard when I ate there. You would have thought I was nuts for going there.

Oh, there is Neely's and there's Nick's. In my part of town, there's not as much barbeque as there is other stuff.

Right now, my area is deficient on good Chinese though we have good Indian and good Turkish. I know a place with great burgers and great pan fried grouper. A family-friendly sports bar - it's even non-smoking now due to law changes.


----------------------------------------------------------

I used to get my hair cut by this woman who moved here from Australia - she was fascinated by the variety and quality of the food here. I've planned one MB get-together. I could do it again if there were enough people interested.

I have not been to the St. Louis Symphony is quite some time and perhaps I should add that to my list. I was in a Beethoven mood Monday and played the Emperor's Piano Concerto as well as the 5th and 9th. The 9th is my all-time favorite piece of music.

Tonight I'm going to see Cross Canadian Ragweed at my favorite purpose-built concert venue in University City, The Pageant. I'm guessing it holds about 3,000 or so. I doubt there will be that many tonight for this rather eclectic band. I've seen tow other remarkable concerts there this year, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (with The Duke Spirit as the warmup) and what I consider the best concert of my life by Devotchka. After the Devotcha concert I downloaded every one of their albums. I Saw Nine Inch Nails several weeks ago. I have very diverse musical tastes, same for film, same for food, and the same for wine.

I wonder why blue-collar men are attracted to you.

May I suggest that if you can identify a man who interests you that you approach him. Be a bit bolder in that regard.

Ha, I can't beat Cary Grant, but I clean up well in an casual style and rarely wear T-shirts.

You might want to reread and revise your comments about uniforms!

I am not a rib man, although love pulled-pork, do like chicken, and am mad about brisket.

I can't think of a place for good BBQ in this entire market although many people make very good homemade BBQ.

Booka - I can't figure out the man thing.....It doesn't matter where I go. How I'm dressed. And I am much much more a wine and symphony woman than a beer and baseball woman.

The Diplomat is a corporate exec kind of guy. My x is an electrical engineer.

Maybe I should go back and relearn the art of flirting and being coy.

Well, you could do worse. I seem to attract the extremely irrational

So if it's not the way that you're dressed, is the the venue? Is it your mannerisms that you've adopted after living with an engineer? Believe me, I understand the engineer personality, my Dad is an EE.

When things produce the same unsatisfactory result its a time to change tactics.

I don't understand other people's attractions to me. I do understand my attractions to others and know that if I follow my normal ones I'll end up with someone like the XW all over again. So, I consider other things, a personality being very similar to mine, and and intellect that will match mine. These prove to be elusive traits in these parts so I know I'm looking in the wrong places. I've given up on meeting women at bars, except in extremely rare circumstances they don't represent the value that I require.

So, dish on the Diplomat. How serious are you for him? How did you meet? Who was attracted to who?

I love going to the Symphony but yet I'm very much a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl. I'm mostly attracted to the same kinda of man too. Uniforms/blue collar/cowboy kind will turn my head. Stuffy white collar men do nothing for me on most occasions. A man in a tux like at the Symphony gets my attention though! Also I prefer dark hair men over blondes.

I'm going to try even more harder to get over this travel thing. It's on my list now!

Gotta head out to son's football game. Check in later

Ronda

I am a natural blonde and have little preference for a woman's hair color. I consider each on their own merits.

Put it on your short list. Start building your won adult life. You'll need that skill set as the birds will eventually leave the nest.

Ah, The Diplomat. Met in January 2001. He lives a long long way away - in the same town as his two children. He has said, all along, that he is leaving that area when the youngest one graduates from high school. She is a junior this year. They live w/ their mom....oldest one is starting his second year of college out of state. Didn't want to move off and leave them. Can't fault him for that.

I live in Middle Tennessee. I won't move my children away from their dad and 3 grandparents and I won't leave them with their dad. Can't fault me for that.

So, we've seen each other through the years. Talk almost daily. Share more w/ each other than we ever shared with out previous spouses. But, when we see each other, it's not real life - usually. His employer does have an office in my city but it's not one where he could permanently work just due to the nature of his work. My employer, while one of the largest employers in the state, does not do my current work in any city but the one in which I live.

So, we can continue as we are for 2 more years then we will have to do some reassessing. I don't know where the relationship goes then. But, we are a good match. Our children are ok with us as a couple.

How did we meet..........well, we met on an internet bulletin board where we posted as anonymous people responding to a myriad of other people.

When I was careening out of my relaitonship with Bachelor #1, he posted wise advice to me. He recognized that a lot of my issues at the time were related to needing a real job and offered to help me with my resume. He prodded me on through my very long and half-hearted job search until I found something suitable. He originally got my phone number from a woman who was also on the bulleting board.

Thanks for sharing. I will reserve all comment.

I find myself mostly ambivalent to dating although I do go through various phases of dating. I had some experience with LDR's and have little interest in them at this point. I'd prefer something a bit more immediate but even that presents its own problems. I am convinced there is some amount of chance involved in the process but that without actively working at it that the amount of chance decreases. I am very close to getting referrals from several sources that have my interests at heart. I'm hoping that proves a better experience than the online experience. I have my dating stories to be sure.

The good thing for me is that I'm very relaxed and comfortable in my life. I know that I could make it the rest of my life single. That's not my goal but there is comfort in that knowledge. I could get very heavy into public service and expend a lot of energy in that direction and perhaps reap a few rewards. I keep a good attitude and zero expectations and tend to enjoy all experiences what what they have to offer at the moment, including dating. Maybe it will all end in a fairy tale, I don't know. The good thing is I am strong, emotionally mature, tenacious, and very selective.

So life goes on post-divorce. I can live for today, I can live for tomorrow, and I can plan about a month in advance. The past is dead.

Too much serious dissertation there, let's all have some fun this weekend! I'll make a fine effort at having some fun and entertainment this weekend and after several days of rain, the sun is now shining. Enjoy!

It wasn't my first choice but, years ago, a bunch of us from that board got together and there was chemistry.

The understanding is that, should either of us find someone as good or better for us, it's ok and we may pursue that relationship. In 7 years, that hasn't happened for either of us. Despite my going to school, working, going to church, going all sorts of places, I've not found anyone and, despite his living his life there, he's not found anyone else. So, that's how it is.

Do I 'need' someone to make my life complete? Nope. Would I like someone. Yup. But that is not necessary. Perhaps, at this point in my life, this is exactly how it should be. My children and I have fun. They are teenagers and we still have fun. How cool can life be?

OK - not much fun on the agenda this weekend - but tonight, going to play some racquetball with the old BF - I've been taking lessons on the sly and plan to whip his a**! Then, we will probably go out for a greasy burger and fries after the tenacious workout! Makes sense, huh? Duh!!! No wonder I can't get rid of those 10 nasty pounds!

Tomorrow, I'm going shopping for new carpet for my family room! I've been snarling over the ugly, worn out, old, smelly, yucky carpet that has been in my family room for the 12 years I've lived here (and it was here for 10 years before that, I'm guessing) - so I don't care if I have to sell my soul to pay for it - I'm SICK of it and gonna get some new stuff! You GO girl! Gonna volunteer a few hours at the women's retreat at my church - serving lunch and cleaning up. The retreat was a lifesaver for me when I was going through my divorce, and I try to participate in each retreat as it happens.

Sunday, hopefully the sun will shine in Chicago and I'll have a BBQ with BF and maybe his newlywed daughter. I am dying to see the wedding photos!

Two weeks from now - VEGAS with my best girlfriend in the whole world! (if I win, I'm gonna buy carpet for the WHOLE HOUSE!)

Ya'all have fun with whatever you have planned!

Laura

I didn't mean "old" boyfriend, I meant "current" boyfriend, who happens to be old!

My big haircut is tomorrow at 10. I don't know what style I want. Have NO idea. Just know that I'm having 8 inches cut off.

Cinderella - I don't know what your specific demographic is; age, location, etc... I can understand your preferences though. Have you considered going to places where your type of preferred man might hang out and then take the first step?

Short of the gym, I think I've done most of them. It doesn't bother me enough to add more to my life at this point.

GF has to work so I'm off to make bullets for next weekend's shoot.

The weekend at the wineries earned me a new toy that I'll pick up next Friday afternoon from the gun store.

Had an awesome weekend with my kids. (I just love hanging out with them!) My son had a football championship this weekend. 2 games Saturday and 2 on Sunday. His team ended up coming in second place over all and got a huge trophy plus some MVP medals. We sat in pouring down rain to watch the games but who cares? I'll be sitting in snow to watch them soon!

I have found that, as long as I have my children, nothing else matters in life. That is why I would really like to have one or two more... They grow up way too fast.

I have to say, this move has been so great. The kids in this new community have really accepted my children. I was nervous at first, as I know a new school can be hard. But they have melded right in and the kids have been great. The ones on my son's football team just took him right in like they had known him their whole lives. I do think it helped that I had them involved in the summer youth programs so they met some of the kids already. But I am just so thankful that God has protected them like this, and made this move a very smooth transition.

Now that it is fall and then winter, I can tell you my weekend plans already: football, then hockey. That is where I will be until next March on every weekend! And I wouldn't have it any other way...

Had a fun time at the concert for a different take on the music scene via Cross Canadian Ragweed, a lot of caps in the audience and some very drunken revelers, so in addition to the entertainment there was an amusing audience, very crowed, and I scooted out before the last song and headed to the local tavern back home, having 2-beers with Dave and Jo Ellen and Dave and I had a very long and very political discussion. Headed home at about 01:15 as the 3 of us agreed we were tired.

From that point onward I did not leave the neighborhood the rest of the weekend. I didn’t feel like going anyplace and wanted some alone-time. Did bunches of yard work Saturday and partied at neighbor Tim’s house in the evening. Sunday did major housework and caught up on some sleep. Nice weather all of the way around with the windows open since Friday.

This weekend, I watched “Fearless”, 4 out of 5, “Deep Water”, 3 out of 5, and “We Own the Night”, struggling for a 3 out of 5. Netflix has restarted after a 90-day vacation. There were quite a few themes in “Fearless” that resonated with me. I view my divorce as a death-like experience.

So relatively low-key for me but it's what I wanted.

NOW, IN KEEPING WITH THE "IDIOTVILLE" THEME:

REAL LETTER I GOT FROM ONE OF MY DOCTORS:



This is to inform you that, after carefful and agonizing consideration, I will be retiring from clinical medical practice as of August 31, 2008 in order to pursue unique intellectual property development opportunities in intraoperative nerve integrity monitoring. I also expect to do more songwriting, which one of the main reasons that I came to...

And your weekend was?

ok...too short...nice

And, I got my hair cut off....i'm lucky if it's an inch long at the back hairline.

but you did it for a wonderful cause.

you are MUCH braver than I am cind.

Too funny on the drs. letter!

mlhb

Cin.....I wanna see pictures!!!

When I find my digital camera, I will post some.

Wow here it is Wednesday and I forgot about last weekend!!!

I had bowling guy put my ceiling fan up and track lighting in my hallway up!!! I still don't get him!!!

Then I had a bunch of girl friends come over for girls night and we ate, drank, watched movies and had a ball!!! Sandy has a new boyfriend that she knew 25 years ago and hooked up with online. One minute the guy is a nerd and she is moving on and then he is the sweetest thing in the world and dotes all over her. It's fun to watch!!! Connie and I believe that this is the one!! But anyways Connie says to Sandy that the new BF reminds her of Shrek-Sandy was offended by comparing him to a big green guy and Connie is no, no it's how he dotes on you!!! I just happen to have a full size movie poster of Shrek in my basement so Connie and I run down and take pics and send to Sandy!!! So now when george calls Shrek appears on her phone!!!! Love is so grand!!!!

My YD is bowling on my league Sunday nights with a team of guys, we started this past week. It's going to be way to much fun, they pick on her unmercifully and she dishes it right back at them as well as giving it back to bowling guy who I am still bowling with!!! She carries a higher average then any of the guys so she will get hers back in!!!!

This weekend I get to put a new window in my dining room, finish up insulating the family room floor and go help bowling guy with the PeeWee bowlers, and then bowling myself on Sunday night!!!

My life is boring, haven't played quarters in a long time, nor done any online dating. HELP I need a life!!!!!

Dawn

Looks like my weekend is going to be spent riding out Hurricane Ike. Crap... This is really, REALLY going to suck.

Seabird please stay safe

I'm going to try. NHC is forecasting a possible monster. I'm 60 miles inland and not in any of the storm surge zones. We bugged out of town when it looked like Rita was going to hit along with every other Tom, [censored], and Harry. The roads were jammed up like crazy and there were probably more fatalities because of the evac than there would have been if most people had just stayed. I'm not going through that again. I'm a little concerned with flooding, but mostly with high wind and tornadoes. I really hope that Ike doesnt' intensify into a high Cat 3 or 4.

The aftermath is going to suck too. No telling how long we'll be without power, etc...

I'll be taking the PRAXIS 2 test for art. Yikes!! NOT looking forward to that. Most people who take it tell me they come away certain they've failed.

Hope everything turns out ok Seabird.

I've got my mom visiting Saturday. Sunday my partboarder is taking my horse to a show. In between there I need to finish painting my hallway and get my laundry done. I might try to go out Saturday night if possible but we'll have to see.

I go and pick up my new toy from the gun store tomorrow!

After the shoot, I gotta put 2 more tires on GF's car and then she wants to go eat.

She doesn't like to go shooting so that is my "alone time" where I can just go relieve my stress, the concussions bother her nerves. Another effect of her brain injury.

Sunday we are going to go to the thrift stores and possibly a movie.

She also wants to go look at new cell phones as mine is still all broken up from the wreck I had back in April and her's is the one my XW gave me. She don't mind it, but she wants one of the cooler new phones.

We also are going to look at some houses to rent closer to work. I'm driving 60 miles now and it's really getting to me after a year of driving it.

It's costing me over $120 a week in fuel alone, but my review is at the end of this month and there will be a substantial salary increase, I don't want to spend my raise on fuel, I'd rather spend it on a house.

Here is a link:

Hair Cut

There, I changed the date on the subject to this weekend.

Friday night I'm uncertain and can always go to the Irish pub that I like, the food is good, the atmosphere good, the scenery excellent, and did drop some hints towards my luncheon date of yesterday that I would be available if she wanted to do something. I also need to perform a few errands out in preparation for the wedding that I'll attend of my neighbors Mike and Gen on Saturday.

I have a bonus on this check and am interested in some good-sized trees for the backyard from the local nursery run by two brothers, one of whom I know as he sits on the P&Z board. They're open limited hours on Saturday and I want to seek their advice on what to have them plant. Then the wedding is in the ex-town at noon at a Catholic Church and I really want to go being an official Catholic now. The reception is back in my town at the Knights of Columbus hall at 17:00. I'd like to get something done between the wedding and the reception if possible.

No plans yet for Sunday and a lot will depend on the weather and the prediction is that the remnants of the hurricane will bless up with another 4-5 inches of rain, so I might be checking the movie theater schedules.

Good luck to those in the hurricane's path. Please prepare as I do with over 100-bottles of wine, many bottles of bourbon (snake-bites and such), and about 100-cigars, that should tide me over and would be a good basis for anyone's emergency kit. If you're going to suffer, you might as well suffer happy!

Well things are getting *interester and interester... Turns out the XW had some surprise emergency outpatient surgery today. Tonight is my single overnight, and normally I'd take them to school on Fri morning and they'd spend the rest of the weekend with their mother. The X had agreed that they kids would be best weathering the storm with her since she's a little further west, has a 2nd story, is protected on two sides (town house), and has resources to bug out to Austin if necessary. The plan was for her to pick them up from my house tomorrow afternoon, but apparently she's in a lot of pain from the procedure. There's a decent chance the kids will end up staying with me throughout the weekend.

Jill will also be here with her sister and her dog. This will put me in a technical violation of the decree since we're not allowed to have any unmarried, unrelated members of the opposite sex overnight while the kids are present. I'm doing her a favor though so she's just going to have make an exception for me.

I'm the one who insisted on the restriction anyway, so she might not even care one way or the other.

*I know that's not really a word. It's a pop culture reference.

cinderalla, that is really amazing. My daughter is doing that next year when she goes to college, gonna cut all her hair off and die it.

seabird, I am at Lake Houston - hopefully the side that doesn't flood.

Working at the concession stand at son's school's football game tonight. Cleaning house the rest of the weekend.

Busy one.

Tonight - making hamburgers for my daughter, my girlfriend and her daughter, then playing board games and hanging out.

Tomorrow - around the house stuff then girlfriend is making dinner for my birthday with my family, some friends, and the kids..

Sunday, girlfriend's daughter's 4th birthday party in the afternoon after church.

Happy Birthday Gekko!

Thanks, It was technically Wed and Tues we went out at the last minute to celebrate.

so far 38 feels just like 37, so that's good.

Happy Birthday gekko!!!!!!

Dawn

Happy Birthday Gekko!! Your weekend sounds fun!! Enjoy!!

I'm going to son's football game tonight.....IN THE RAIN AND I HAVE A FLIPPIN CHEST COLD!!

Tomorrow I'm suppose to work...unless I feel worse than I do now...and then I'm gonna lay around all day Sunday and hopefully get rid of this stinkin cold!

My plans??? 4-H meeting tonight, dress shopping all day tomorrow. My wedding is 4 weeks away and the girls have nothing to wear. Plus, the next two weekends are BOOKED! Church and the church picnic, and heaven knows I've got to mow the lawn. Lots of excitment.

Congratulations Greengables!
Post your wedding photos, will you?

Gekko, Happy 38th Birthday!
So young.

I haven't had anything planned this weekend. Most likely to be alone.

Wooohooo my Steelers did me proud again!!

Hope all in the path of IKE survived and are in the clean up mode!

Friday night stayed home on my own, watched "Because I told you so" I love sappy movies!!!! Got my grandson's rocking chair stained.

Saturday--took out this huge picture window from my dining room. Dad and I went to put the new one in that I special ordered and it is majorly the wrong size! UGH!!!! So started calling around town to see if I could get something different. My mom is all stressed out over it. Why? If I don't get something I board up the whole with some plywood!!!! Ended up with a window standard size.

Went and helped bowling guy with the PeeWee Bowlers there are 15 between 3-6 yo. They are so cut and he is so awesome with them, has a great deal of patience. We switched roles as I was the one that ran the youth bowling program for the past 6 years and he helped me. So very different for me!

When done he stopped to help dad and I put this window in, my mom and her walker came across the street and she is coming up the driveway and he pulls him in behind her and honks, not once but three times, dad and I looked at each other and said "he's gone get flipped off." And sure enough she gave him a bird! We about died laughing, he was just aghast as a 68 yo women flipped him the bird!!! Now remind you these are the two that had the major water gun fight in my house on memorial day weekend!

Bowled last night--struggled the middle game big time, daughter is trying to coach me--not good! And then somehow like magic it all came together the last game and I rolled a 209, needless to say I beat daughter and her crew of buds!!!

So it was a good weekend, with a new window and bowling starting back up again!!

Dawn

Sounds like a good productive weekend Dawn!!

Note, McGurk's is the Irish pub/restaurant in the next tine, and The Dog Is the world-famous Dog Prairie, the sole tavern in my little town.

Friday I went to McGurk’s, sat outside, talked to two guys from South America, had dinner and some Guinness, and then headed up to The Dog for some very interesting conversation with several people, including someone that I had never had a conversation with before. Very interesting in deed, I was kind of the meat in the sandwich with my buddy Jerry on my right and Katie Brown on my left. I was very impressed with Katie’s intelligence having never really talked to her before. Her husband Bruce was very slow to warm up to me when I first met him last year but now is very cordial and I always have a nice conversation with him as well. It was talk-night at The Dog!

Home at midnight and then up around 09:00 and ready the paper, drank espresso, and got ready for the wedding. The wedding was in the ex-town at a Catholic church that I had not been to in 25-years and that was for another wedding. The rain held off all day for the wedding party and they were extremely fortunate in that regard because there was report of rain all around, but it was a very warm day, topping out near 90 and very humid as well. The wedding was a full mass and was very nice and went off without a flaw. I sat with 3-couples who are friends and neighbors. I enjoyed the service tremendously and am glad that some people can find happiness in marriage. My perspective of a Catholic wedding has changed quite a bit now that I’m Catholic. I left the wedding after it was done and grabbed a late lunch out, then did a spot of grocery shopping for hurricane supplies, you know, beer, bourbon, etc. I puttered a bit and watched 2-episodes of a BBC-series that I’m watching called “Ballykissangel”. I then left for the K of C hall near the church (about 1.5 miles from my house) and went past The Dog and was the wedding party’s bus there, so stopped in and said hello to everyone and they were all in fine spirits. Had an interesting conversation with the maid of honor Trish who is married and was flirting with me a bit. Not to be alarmed, I get harmlessly flirted at by all kinds of married women, I feel it’s their version of a sport. Trish said that I smelled good, always a plus, and that I was handsome, always good to hear. I had one beer, said my goodbyes, and headed up to the hall. There were quite a few people that I know from town there and I made my rounds, grabbed a beer, and then saved a table for my friends and neighbors who arrived a bit later. By the best man (the groom’s older brother) and the maid of honor (Trish) gave the best toast speeches I’ve every heard and both had me tearing up a bit. The food was very good and catered by my friend Dean, we had some interesting conversation and I met quite a few people, including perhaps the only single woman there over the age of 25, she was in the Air Force and stationed in Korea performing aircraft maintenance on A-10s. We had quite the little conversation about the infamous “Warthog”. About 22:00 or so I said my goodbyes, wanting a change of pace and a change of venue, and returned to The Dog and had so more interesting conversation and had another married woman, Cynthia, who told me I looked handsome, which is great to hear for the second time that day. I had two beers and got home about 23:00, debated heading back to the reception which was booked until 00:00, decided not to, and changed clothes and smoked a fine stogie and had a couple of bourbons and headed into bed before midnight.

Got up about 10:00, finally slept well for once, and dried out my newspapers from the hurricane rains that had come at some point during the early morning and the temperature had dropped over 30-degrees and the wind was blowing steady about 35mph, so it was time for something other than shorts. I threw on another layer and listened to my radio show and read the one paper that I could get dry enough to read. I puttered around, made some lunch, got cleaned up, headed to town, checked Wally World for the second season of “Dexter”, not a good price because Target had it much cheaper, went to Target, bought that and “Big Fish” on DVD, went to both Lowe’s and Home Depot to see if they had any bargains in the plant department and had very good restraint at both venues. I did go inside Lowe’s to look at a new Whirlpool non-maintenance whole-house water filter and will get one at some point, and also looked at some plastic panels that look just like a tin-ceiling and comes in several varieties that can be used as a kitchen backsplash. I looked very closely at them and picked up a brochure so that I can figure what color will work best. I then stopped at the discount chain of grocery stores and picked up some more grocery items. My cabinets are packed, my refrigerator is packed, my chest freezer is packed, and maybe I should actually eat something! Tacos tonight most likely. I was in a Corona mood so slice a lime, drank Coronas, had a light supper, and watched some more of “Ballykissangel”.

Tonight, maybe a movie out, Tuesday have a Board of Alderman meeting, Wednesday want to get my hair cut and that may involve hanging out with Jill my hairdresser and her lovely workmate Robin. The rest of the week is indeterminate.

In dating news, I did call Sherry Friday night while at McGurk’s and had a nice conversation. Susan texted me Saturday. I had 2 emails on Yahoo from Mary and have had other emails from Donna, Sherry, and Jodi this morning along with a multiple texts with Susan.

Life is good and I will entertain questions.

I loved "Big Fish!"

Are you a member of K of C? I was thinking about joining one of those groups to meet people... like Kiwanis or one of the others

I'm not, but I want to join and at the picnic several people insisted that I join, so I'll try to catch them on the third Thursday of the month.

Booka how is it you manage all those women???

My weekend was so so. It rained the whole time. My mom came for lunch Saturday. Then I painted Sat afternoon. And Sunday. It still needs another coat but it will have to wait until next weekend (I'm too afraid of heights to go on the ladder so I need help for that part).

The biggest excitement of it all was painting the cat. Now I've been painting for months and my cats have completely ignored it. But Saturday, I openned the can, set the lid down next to it and began to stir. My fat female cat came over, flopped to the ground and rolled into the paint lid !! I immediately picked her up and washed her under the tap. Luckily she is declawed or I'd be permanently scarred.

Saturday night we (my BF and I) attempted to watch a movie but the power went out half way through. So we went upstairs to get candles (we were in the basement - totally pitch black). Got some candles lit and the power came back on. So we went back down to resume the movie, turned the TV and DVD player on and the power went off again. So we stayed upstairs after that. The power was out for about an hour and we played cribbage by candlelight.

So not a bad weekend but not great either.

I don't really know, I guess I'm just a good multitasker. The other thing is that I'm so relaxed. Dating is work, including all of the prelude, which is where I am now with all. But I'm not letting it get to me and I must be putting out invisible waves which women are picking up on. I have no agenda and no expectations. I just plug away quietly and at a steady pace. I know quite a few truths about dating and in particular know that I will need to sift through a lot of people unless I'm very fortunate and that every person has the ability to add some value to your life, but not every one will become a candidate for anything more than friendship. I have learned to just say no to the toxic, damaged, fragile, and insane. Heaven forbid feeling sorry for someone. I learned a huge lesson recently with someone I fancied that turned out was exhibiting some of the same characteristics of the XW, yuck!

I'm ambivalent towards women, dating, relationships with women, marriage, etc. It takes a lot of pressure off of the situation.

Tabby1, where do you live and I'll assume that the cause of the power outage was a storm. Cribbage by candlelight? That does not sound very romantic unless the stakes were interesting. (wink)

Ok booka, how does it make you fell having that many females, calling, emailing and texting you? Do you like it, is it stroking your ego to have that many females wanting your attention?

I am really trying to see this from a guys prospective. What kinds of things are they contacting you with? Are they legit or just trying to start a conversation with you?

Anytime that I have tried to pursue a guy it backfires on me, but when I try to have patience and wait for them, I get inpatient and usually lose interest, but am not sure how to go about letting them know that I would be interested if they were to pursue me!!!

So booka, share!!!!!

Dawn

Dawn,

It does nothing for my ego because it all means nothing to me at the moment. I figure (brace yourself) that 50% of what I hear from any woman in a dating scenario is real. Only 50%. I've been lied to and misled by the best. I'm certain the same can be said for a lot of men.

Actually, I look at it from the opposite perspective, I am in contact with all of them and often initiate the contacts for the day. They might very well feel I'm seeking their attentions.

But I'll tell you what, if it gets to the point where several of them show up simultaneously and there's a bit old hairy cat-fight, the winner can take me home. (wink)

Dawn, how old are you? Part of my response will be tailored to your age range. I will say in general that any woman 40 and over that I have met in my opinion never approaches being bold enough for my tastes.

Some contact will be what you classify as legit, the others can be divided into freaks and players. You should be able to tell the freaks by now, if not, seek peer counsel. The players are easy to spot by their behaviors, they will want to pay for everything and will have a very advanced schedule for getting you into bed. After that they tend to fade away rapidly because their thrill is in the chase and capture. They know nothing about sustaining a relationship.

First, let me advise communication skills. If you like someone, tell, them, if you're attracted to someone, tell them. If you like someone, that means you want to see them again. If your attracted to them, then things need to be escalated a bit. Please describe your attempts to pursue, perhaps we can refine your approach. Describe what it means to wait for them. If you give me some specific scenarios I can give you more specific answers.

Since a woman asked this question, I address these general comments to the women, although often they can be applicable to the men.

1. Pets are no substitute for a partner. The more pets you have, the increasing suspicion that I look at you with. Don't put pictures of your pets on your profile, men don't give a hoot for your pets at that stage of the game. Don't even mention must love dogs/animals/cats, etc.

2. I understand that your children are important in your life. I don't want to see their pictures period if they're under age. If they're gigantic hulking teenagers with tats and earrings, I don't want to see their pictures. Just spare the pictures of your kids altogether. I absolutely cringe when people put up pictures of their young children. What are they thinking? If you tell me that your children are the most important things in your life, I probably won't be interested in you and will figure that you live vicariously through your children and have no adult life of your own and won't be good dating material. That and you may not have the ability to put anything first before your children.

3. Men are accustomed to your coyness, passive-aggressiveness, etc., and will reply in kind with all forms of manipulation. This takes time and energy and generally leads to the ultimate frustration of both parties. Please consider Albert Einstein's definition of insanity. Shake it up, try being direct, open, and honest for once. Face your fears and conquer them.

4. Life is short. No one, repeat loudly, no one is going to come knocking on your door unsummoned to rescue you from yourself. Your prince will not arrive that way. If you wonder why that approach doesn't work, consider again Albert Einstein's definition of insanity. You have to get out there. Travel in packs if you're insecure about going alone. Get out of your comfort zone at least once a week. Never refuse an invitation to get out of the house and into a situation where you can meet some people. Trace your moments for a week on a map. Notice the little tiny circle that you operate in. Get out of that circle. Go where men go, and it doesn't have to be the bars. Hang out in the tool section (stop it with the innuendo already) of the big box stores and ask questions. Consider, get ready to freak out totally here, that you may to initiate an approach. That old fluttering of the eyelashes thing will work. I love to garden, you can approach me in the garden section. Become an expert at least one subject that men are fond of (hint: cars, sports, guns, fishing, sports, tools, sports, etc.). Do you want to sit at home debating what shade to paint your toenails? Get out there, I guarantee if you make half an effort that you'll be meeting men right and left.

These are generalizations that may or may not be gender specific, but, and a big but, if they apply to your symptoms, then you have some answers.

I am only expert on what I know and want as a man. I will take specific questions.

booka, I will get back with you later, as detention is only 3o minutes long and it's gone take me a while to respond!

Dawn

Dawn! What did you do? Detention!?

I was thinking that Dawn was in jail and only checking in occasionally! (wink)

The story read well up to this point.


I fear for this relationship. LOL!

You didn't even ask what kind of movie it was!!! (it was actually a chick flick!)

BTW, cribbage by candlelight is more romantic than you would think. You have to lean in fairly close to see your cards and the pegs. I'm sure neither one of us has done it before.

Candlelight and boyfriend...sounds good to me.

Is Scrabble by 60 watt comparable? If so I'll be doing that with girlfriend tonight.

I have detention every day!!!!!!

I am the In School Suspension lady at our HS and part of my job is detention after school!!!

I love my job I am paid to be mean!!!!!

I really do love the kids and working with them.

Dawn

booka I will try and get back to you today at the start of detention!

40 watt would be better, though if I were you I'd pull the plug and get out the scented candles!!!!

ONE OF MY TWIN BROTHER'S RESCUED COCKATOOS MADE BIRD TALK MAGAZINE!!!!

Tiki was abused, naked, mutilated and totally nurotic when he got her 5 years ago.

Now after years of patience, rehab and a whole lotta love, she is in the top 4 in Bird Talk Magazine's birdy dance off!

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/mag1.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/mag2.jpg

The video...

I'm with Seabird on this one!!!!!! Cribbage would have been my third or fourth choice of "things to do" with a candlelit hour to kill.

Pariah

My daughter and I loved the video of Tiki! Thanks for sharing it!

Ronda

Tiki was great.

Dawn, glad to know your not really in detention.

BTW, I wouldn't have been playing cribbage by candlelight. :RollieEyes:

pariah-- I can't view the video from school!!! you tube is blocked!!!

I did get to see the pics that is cool that you and your brother have the same interest, are there lots of those in your lives?

Cin--I kind of like detention it is the quiet part of my day before I go home, staff has left the building, so there are no interuptions!

booka-- as you can see I am 47 have been divorced since '02. My focus has been on my kids and getting them raised, then it was helping my daughter thru her divorce and the grandkids, my youngest is a senior and so I will be doing the empty nest thing next fall.

When I have friends that reach the empty nest stage I put together a basket of goodies for two and I had Cali from this site write a poem about being empty nesters and how this is the time to focus back on the two of you!!!

Well this summer I realized that I am alone and this is not where I seen myself in life at this point.

Up until this summer I hadn't dated. I tried the online thing, visited with a few guys, meet one or two, went on a date or two.
Have had a number of guys interested in me and have asked me for email and such, and then I hear nothing.

I volunteer at church, with the youth bowling program, I bowl one night a week, there are not many eligible single guys my age in my world. I have went to countless festivals and sporting events this year. I do go out with friends and listen to live music in different venue's in the community. I even offered a reward once if kids in my Youth to Youth group or Church youth group could come up with a date for me. I am by no means a knock out in the looks area, but not going to hurt anyones eye sight!

So I guess for me right now there is not a future with a guy in it for me, and that is ok, I thought by this time in my life there would be someone special for me!

So booka, tell me what it is that I am not doing!!!! And I don't have any cats!!!!!!


Dawn

Dawn,

It's simply, you're in reactive mode waiting for someone to notice you and do all of the heavy lifting. Everyone, including men, want to be pursued. Very few want to work at pursuing others. You will need to be far bolder than you are now and you will need to introduce yourself to every single man that you meet that's legal in age or above. Cultivate male friends for dating advice. If we were to meet in person I could give you a complete plan in about the first 5-minutes or less. Save the shy-flower routine, heck, don't save it, toss it out the window. You will need to be a huntress. No one is going to knock on your front door and rescue you from yourself. You will not have overnight success. You will need to work on the fundamentals, how to meet people, how to converse, etc. You need to put yourself in proactive mode.

If you introduce youself to every eligible male that you encounter, you are going to start to get good at meeting people. When you get the deer-in-the-headlights look, have some fun and toss them away. Continue until you find someone that matches your level of friendliness and who will look you in the eye. That's a start. My strongest advice is to seek out a personality type just like yours and preferably someone who shares your interest. Opposites attract but make poor partners.

Wit, personality, intelligence, approachability, openness, honesty, directness, tenacity, and confidence are all requirements of attraction that go beyond the purely physical. Have them all in abundance.

Avoid being needy, irrational, fragile, passive-aggressive, manipulative, and game playing. If you like a man, tell him. If you're attracted to him, tell him. If both, give him a problem to solve and he'll be hooked. If you're attracted to him, on the first real date kiss him and make it count. Avoid having sex on the first date. There should be a gradual escalation to sex.

I should write a book targeted for the female audience!

And Dawn, if you want to get more detailed, you can always email me. I can put you in touch with both male and female advisers.

You won't be disappointed when you get to watch it.

I am a a licensed rehabber. My XW HATED my love of birds, but my one and only companion bird is Roxy. The wild ones come and go and some, their spirit must be cast unto the heavens.

pic

booka,

I am proactive.I am friendly and a very smiling person, I nod or greet everyone I meet with a hi or hello. I might just see them in the aisle or something.

I want to let a guy know that I am interested, BUT I want them to pursue me, I am old fashioned in that way I guess, but most of the friends that I have have said the same things.

I have asked a couple of guys how much they want to be pursued by a woman and they have said that it makes a women look needy and clingy and that turns them off!!

Approachability is one area that I struggle with. I would say that my self confidence, not arrogance, self confidence, puts people off from coming up to me!!!! I don't play the dumb blonde well!

I can say that I am passive/aggressive some, I try to take the lead from the guy and then lose patience when there is nothing to follow. I am a leo so have a personality that is to lead!! I work on that one constantly.

Give him a problem to solve, I don't get this one, what 1,000, 199 X 79? I don't get it spell it out for me!!!

If I am attracted and feel that the attraction is returned there is always a good first kiss!!! There is never nor will there ever be sex on the first date!

Dawn

I have my daughter this weekend because she is having surgery next week and will be with her mom over the next two weeks convalescing so...

Tonight - my daughter, my girlfriend, and I are making dinner together and playing games.

Saturday; daughter and I are going to the park together in the morning then after lunch my girlfriend is taking her to get nails done, then the three of us are going to the fair with our close friends. I am not eating all day so I can share a funnel cake with my daughter, lol.

Sunday - church, then daughter and I are going to watch football together and goof off.

I am seriously thinking about taking this afternoon off if the weather cooperates to catch-up on some outdoor projects. I have 6 shrubs, 4 lavender plants, and I picked up 2 of something called nandina (heavenly bamboo, it's not really bamboo) that just looked too interesting to pass by. I am a plant addict! Would like to get those planted in the backyard because I have no room to plant any in the front yard without establishing a new bed. That will get the plants out of the driveway so that I can then degrease and pressure wash the driveway in order to apply sealer to it tomorrow. Then on Sunday 4 of us neighbors will rent an aerator for 4-hours and hare it each for an hour, so I'll run over the back yard for sure and have 25-pounds of fescue seed at the ready, I probably won't do the front yard at all. There;s other things I can do, like mow the grass, hang storm doors, shop for trees, etc.

I haven't a clue as to what my entertainment opportunities are as of yet. I am various stages of communication with several women and there's always the possibility of something occurring there. Top priority are my household projects.

The weather here is very nice with low 80's during the day, low humidity, and overnight lows in the upper 50's. It was a beautiful misty morning.

I SO want to take the afternoon off as we are having a very beautiful day which has been so rare for 2008. However, I can't. And besides, I still have a whole pile of painting to do so I wouldn't be able to relax doing something fun.

gotta get ready for German student who will be spending 2.5 weeks w/ us.

UGH!!! I didn't wake up til 6:50 this morning and had to be at school for detention by 7:15--- I made it!!! no make up though!!!

Church youth are going camping so have to deliver their food stuff after work, have to be back here for football game at 5:30 am supervising behind the grandstand and telling middle schoolers to stop doing that. I get $15 an hour so not bad and it's job security as by the way these middle schoolers behave I am going to see them in the HS ISS room in a year or two!!!!! I love my job!!!!

Tomorrow I have to hang drywall and finish around the new window that we put in last weekend. Also have to do something about the siding outside, but bought shutters that I think will fill in the gap that was created and I don't have to play jigsaw puzzle trying to put stuff back!!!

Have to go help bowling guy with the PeeWees again. I wrote out a dialog to try out on him about there being more then friendship. Don't kow that I am going to try it out this weekend though!!!

Will paint the front of the house before next Wednesday, that is my goal as my folks are out of town til then!!!

Sunday is church and then I want to go up to a festival in one of the hills town and hang out, they are having wine tasting all kinds of things, and then Sunday night bowling!!!

Busy as always!!! But I like it that way!!!!

Dawn

Gosh Dawn, you do more home reno stuff in one weekend than I do in a week! How do you do it??? I've been painting the same hallway for a month now! First I had to repair the ceiling - that took 2 or 3 muddings and sandings. Then I had to peel off a bunch of wallpaper. Then I had to prime over all the repair work, plus the whole section that was previously wallpaper. Then I had to paint trim - 2 coats. This was a major job - 7 1/2 door frame (ugh). Then the ceiling (2 coats). Then the walls - 2 colours, 2 coats each. I'm on the second coat of each. After this will be the front of the stairs (saving until last because the ladder leans against them). Each step is a different day. I have other things to do so I can't always work on it every day. It's taking AGES!!!!!!!

Back when I thought I was going to get my mom's house as an early inheritance and that I would then be selling my house, I bought some portable scaffolding. Have never had a chance to use it. And, I still have my bil's power roller. I think I should get around to doing some painting just because I have the equipment. Anyone offering any paint donations?

3 DAYS OFF!!! Football game tonight....and it's gonna be COLD. Was 41 when I got up this morning!! I'M NOT READY FOR SNOW!!!!

I should do some stuff around here this weekend. I still have gallons of paint here to paint my living room and daughters bedroom....bring your supplies!!

I have lots of paint in many colours! We could have a painting party! I'll supply beer!

Sounds like a party to me!!!!

I work for beer and pizza.

I have the whole outside of a 1200 sq ft house to get painted. But I pay with Steak & baked potato and beer!!!! But quality of worker!!!HAHA!!! All are welcome!!!!!

Tabby I did a hall earlier this summer with 6 doors, did laminate flooring and replaced all the trim work!!! Next summer is a front deck and double car garage. I do work best between 10pm and midnight!!! My quiet time!

You know maybe the guys I have been meeting see all the household jobs on my agenda and that is why they run!!!!! Think they might be asked to help or something!! I hint and if help isn't offered, I drop it, it's not their house and not their responsibility.

Dawn

Steak and baked potato will get you a better job from me, say more paint on the house and less paint on me or anything else.

The purpose of the beer is so when you smudge over the line it doesn't look too bad. If you have a really difficult section to paint, something like vodka or scotch may be required.

okay I up the ante...steak, potato, beer and PEANUTS!! LOL

I do a mean cheesecake!!!!! And I will throw in a tossed salad!!!

Dawn

I'll throw in Backrubs and Head massages!!!

Peanuts in the shell salted and we might have a deal. I might add that I'm 6'2" with long arms and work some things without a ladder. No fear of heights either.

Whose house is first? What is the address? If you're within a couple of hours of me, I am available mid-October. I will require, in addition to the aforementioned enducements, payment for gasoline if it can be found in my area. We are having a real gas shortage for some reason. Lots of places don't have gas or they have only one grade.

"For some reason"??? Between the two of them, Ike and Gustav knocked out 40% of this nation's refining capacity. That's what happens when a key component of the energy infrastructure is nearly regulated out of business and forced to concentrate itself along a hurricane prone stretch of coastline.

Right now, getting gasoline in my area is much harder than it was following 'KaRita'.

Well we are probably to far apart to do both houses, so you might have to pick and choose.

But hey I can through in a personalized tour of Mt. Rushmore and can probably work out a deal to get you to the top of the heads and into the storage rooms behind the faces!!!!!

For as much as I do with kids, I am going to pick the weekend of Oct 11-13 it's a 3 day weekend and offer to do a burger burn and sodas for all those youth that show up. They are way cheaper to feed then people our age!!!!

But booka--I do hate heights so you and the long arms are welcome it's only 13 hour drive from St Louie!!!!!

Dawn

And Dawn, I've heard that SD is actually nice as compared to ND. I've been to Bismarck/Mandan in ND twice and there is little on this earth that could get me to live there. I had a memorable week there in January several years ago where the weekly high was -20, yes -20. The question is how much painting season do you have with your weather?

It supposed to be 82 for high and upper 50's for the lows here for the next few days with what has been very low humidity, quite nice for this time of year and making some very misty mornings.

What is your mid-October weather like? How far is the airport from you?

Wow! I'll be sure to come see you the next time I'm in the area. I was in the Black Hills in 2002 at the same time as the Sturgis rally but NOT for the rally...matter of coincidence.

A few years ago, maybe 3, I did the Volksmarch at Crazy Horse. It was awesome!

You have a deal Booka!

I'm in the mountains of PA near the NY Stateline. Pack your long johns!! Plenty of Gas here too... $3.65 a gallon

Cin your are welcome anytime!!! Give me a call and I will be happy to put you up and give you a personal tour!!! We natives take it for granted as it is in our own backyards!!!!

booka I don't know who you were asking how close we are to the airport and mid october temps. But here in SD it could be in the 50-60 or it could be -10 and a foot of snow on the ground. Usually though we don't get the first snow til Halloween!! The airport I watch planes taking off and landing from my back deck!!!! IT's about 10 miles to the airport!!!!

We lived @ Whiteman AFB, in Knob Noster and my ex traveled constantly for the AF and it was 99 miles from my front door to the terminal were I dropped him off at in KC!!!

Oh well time for bed as morning is coming soon!!! Did the football game. And then stopped at the local watering hole as booka calls it. Meet up with some girlfriends, and drank fuzzy navels and ate popcorn, not much exciting about that!!!! booka I did smile at 3 different guys, nodded and said hi to all three and only 1 can up to talk to us!!! Did get one smile back and a nod, and nothing from guy #3.

Have to hang the dry wall in the morning!!! Good night!

Dawn

Personal tour....hmmm....


Today, I've done a lot of screwing....hung some shelves in bathroom closet, hung a shoe bag for my son, hung a mixer thing in the appliance garage in my kitchen, started repairing a vent in a door and hanging a bulletin board....cordless drill and bits came in handy. Everything required screws.

Oh, and I got my printer to print again.

Didn't get 1/10th of my 'need to do' chores done but I did get some of them done.

My and the twin brother dusted off the feathers of the airplane yesterday. We flew over the wineries in Dahlonega and the corn maze in Dawsonville.

Made sure to get pix so I will have a map when GF and I go there next weekend.

Anyways, here's some pix.

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0477.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0478.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0476.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0475.jpg

And a movie. And yes I know the turn coordinator T/B indicator is erratic.

Wow, I'm so jealous!

Forgive my ignorance, but is that a Beechcraft Bonanza? A dear friend of mine used to have a plane that looked just like that one, same color even.

Dahlonega, GA? That's near where my sister lives.

Beech Musketeer/Sundowner B19, I wish I could afford a Bonanza A36.

Yep Dahlonega, GA.

Your sister is truly lucky to live that far into North GA.

I live 20 miles south of Dahlonega, but it's an easy drive up to the airport where we keep the plane.

That's an awesome video Pariah!! Thanks for sharing it!

Pariah,, that is too cool!!!!

Dawn

Spent a lot of time with my daughter this weekend with her headed for surgery on Wednesday.

MY girlfriend took her for an hour down the street to get her nails done, she picked out the color (blue), and had a blast. We took her to the fair (cheesy but fun) and she won prizes and rode rides. Then made her favorite dinner that night.

We also decided to drop the bomb to my girlfriends kids and my daughter since they were asking so many questions. We told them we are getting married next June. Everyone took the news very well. Then had to tell my ex and my parents. They also were congratulatory.

First, my weekend summary and then I'll separately address the house painting question(s).

What I had planned to be a productive weekend toiling around the house was altered in several ways by the weather conditions and spontaneous entertainment plans for what turned out to be a rather well rounded weekend.

Friday I grabbed some fast food on the way home, unloaded 4-bags of shrub planting mix and hauled those as well as the other 3-bags I already had to the backyard and then carried all of the plants waiting to be planted to the backyard and laid them out where I want them to go. I then scrubbed the entire driveway with a cleaner/degreaser and a brush on a pole. Chalk-up one blister from that. I then pressure washed the entire driveway well into the dark, turning on all available lights so that I could see what I was doing. After that, I cleaned everything up and went into relaxation-mode as of course it was a Friday night and the beer was cold. I ended up hitting the rack about 23:00.

Saturday, get this, I got up about 12:15. I had slept like crap all week and I guess that it was time to recharge the batteries, In the meantime it had rained in the morning, there was a good chance of rain all day, so that scotched the plans to seal the driveway, so I decided to first do housework and then mow the lawn. About 15:00 neighbor Tim calls me, says it our mutual friend Rob’s birthday celebration, because neighbor Tony had to work there was an opening for me for both dinner at Kitaro and later to see the Starship concert and the River City Rascals ballpark, which the minor-league team in O’Fallon. I said yes to the concert and declined the dinner invitation for a few different reasons. I was in the middle of some laundry, did some more folding, changed my mind and followed my own advice, i.e. never refuse an invitation, so I called Tim back and said that the grass can wait and I would indeed join them for dinner. I finished up with the laundry, got cleaned up, ironed my outfit (I am the king of ironing and very particular about it), and I wore a pair of shoes that I almost never wear, sort of a semi-dress shoe. I’ve of the mind lately that I need to upgrade elements of my wardrobe and to wear basically more shoes that aren’t sneakers. I have a pair of Skecher’s on right now. I hate to give up on my beloved New Balance’s that cradle my feet so well, but I feel that I need a bit more formal look at times.

So with my CK jeans, black shoes, and slinky black shirt I walked up the street to Tim’s and he and I chatted while we awaited his wife Jen’s arrival. Laura, Tony’s wife, joined us after Jen arrived home and we loaded up in Tim’s Ram truck and went to Rob and Jaimie’s a few miles away. There was a bit of amusement with Jaimie as she had a new vehicle that was parked so that the garage door couldn’t be closed and she was looking for the keys. We had the windows up in Tim’s truck and the AC on, so we couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Rob is very expressive and we were highly amused with the obviousness of what was occurring and supplying our won dialogue for what was transpiring. Rob and Jaimie are one of those contentious couples, I do believe that they love each other, but they remind me a lot of some exaggerated behaviors you might see in a sitcom for a similar couple. The keys were located, the vehicle moved, and Rob and Jaimie squeezed into the truck and off we went to Kitaro.

Kitaro is about a year old and is a very upscale and architecturally interesting place both inside and out. This is where I met Cyndy for dinner this past February (ghosts rattling in the walls!). It has a large semi-circular bar that spans the entire interior, one-half being the alcohol bar, and the other being the sushi bar. It then has two different dining spaces, one being the hibachi room where we ate at and an open dining area where they serve more traditional fare and French-style cuisine as well. It is a very hip place with some interesting scenery both animate and inanimate. Jaimie’s friend Christine met us there for a total of seven, Tim and Jen, Rob and Jaimie, Laura, Christine, and me. I sat between Rob and Laura. Now I’ll take a second to go back in time to earlier in the evening at Tim’s house when Laura joking asked me since she was my “date” for the evening if I would buy her dinner, and I replied “Only if you sleep with me.” She got the humor of it and made some comment that seemed strange at the time that she wouldn’t be any good or something like that. So the waitress, Yumi, comes for the drink orders. This is where the fun began and never let up for the entire dinner. Let me characterize this dinner for you, you’ve seen it before in a magazine ad, beautiful people having the time of their life at some restaurant. Well, none of us are beautiful but we had that time, the one where if you took a picture everyone would have that glow on their face.

Rob’s looking at the menu and asks me what a Kirin is. I guess I have been blessed in my life with a lot of different experiences (and a lot of different beers), so I gently explain to Rob that a Kirin is a Japanese lager. Rob is a Bud Light man and I took him out of his element a bit and he enjoyed it. We both ordered Kirins. Laura is making this big point about this non-alcoholic drink, what’s in it, etc., and something is clicking in the back of my brain, Laura last seen last weekend with a 1.75 liter bottle of Windsor and diet soda (taste acquired from our newer neighbor Clint). My brow creased as some computation occurred and the old think-box comes up with the answer, so I gently ask Laura if she’s pregnant, knowing that her and Tony have been trying, and she gives enough away by not saying anything that I know that she is. Here’s where it get’s interesting because something in me has changed and I don’t know what and don’t know why. It started last weekend at Mike and Gen’s wedding, I was extremely pleased to be invited, tremendously enjoyed the ceremony (there is no substitute for a Catholic wedding), and was truly and genuinely happy that two friends of mine were getting married. I was beaming all week. So Laura’s state is not general knowledge at the table and we’re speaking conspiratorially and people are starting to pick-up that something is going on, so Laura tells the table. I am beaming again, so happy for her and Tony, happy I found out the way I did, even have some tears in my eyes which impressed Laura. I’m still happy about it. This is the prelude for the evening.

The chef comes out and in my many hibachi experiences, this guy was A-Number-1 and his performance ratcheted this whole thing up several notches. I know all of the standard stuff that they do but most of the rest did not, so not only was it an amusing experience for them, it was for me also especially to watch their faces. I ordered a California roll and a tempura shrimp roll (delicious) and Christine ordered some spicy tuna and there were our appetizers. I was starved and hadn’t eaten all day. I got Rob to try some sushi but no one else would, Midwestern upbringing. I’m jaded; I grew up on the East Coast. I ordered shrimp and scallops (love scallops!) and we had the many course meal that was an adventure for most there. There was tons of interaction with our chef Sam and we would definitely ask for him again. I’ll tell you how this was; people from the other tables were watching us because we were having the most fun. It was expensive, with tip I racked up $60.00. I got Rob to order a sake-bomb and they brought out a glass of beer, the small cup of sake, a package of chopsticks, and Rob doesn’t have a clue. I tell him how to assemble it and the chef comes over, puts it together, chopsticks on top of the beer glass, sake cup on top of the chopsticks, bang the table with your fist and the sake falls into the beer and you know the rest. Sam bangs the table and it got a little messy with Rob saying that he had sake splashed on one side of his face, something he would repeat in a funny manner all evening. We finished dinner and all were stuffed. Christine left, I had the feeling that she lived somewhere in St. Louis County, we made a quick stop at the ATM, and we headed to the concert.

One of the warm-up bands played their last 3-songs or so while we went to the will-call window and Tim picked up the tickets which were $5.00 and worth every penny. We got beers and sat down in our seats with a pretty good view of the stage which was on second base. Let me set the context a bit. Starship used to be Jefferson Starship which used to be Jefferson Airplane. I can recall many Jefferson Airplane songs when they were originally released from my childhood. Laura for example was born the year after I graduated from high school. I wasn’t sure how many of the songs they would know, but Starship played nothing but hits and everyone knew some of the songs and some were surprised that Starship was the original artist for the songs. They did a medley of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship songs and covered the bases (pun intended) nicely. They left the stage and came back for one encore song, “We Built This City”. Everyone enjoyed the show, which was followed by some awesome fireworks. We dropped Rob and Jaimie off at their house and they later joined up at Tim’s, with the addition of Tim’s brother Ryan and his wife Jen, who are living with Tim and Jen, so that’s Jen, Jen, and Gen in two contiguous houses. Mike and Gen later arrived from their honeymoon in Jamaica and they told us of their exploits and adventures there. About midnight I gave my goodbyes and first made the bed from scratch with fresh sheets, etc.

I go up at 09:15 Sunday morning, read the paper a bit, my usual KSHE Klassics radio show, first cup of espresso, and then the Tim and Chris (C1) arrived with the aerator. Tim made a deal with Paul, who lives two houses down from Tim to do Paul’s yard, Paul is in his early 80’s I believe and is very funny and personable, so Time started on his own yard and Paul, Mike, C1, C2, and myself watched Tim sweat. This went on for some time, as we would trade-off the machine, the little group would follow along to the next yard, for a total of 7-yards. I did the front and back. I had Tim bring the machine down at the end and I pressure washed it. They left to take it back and I pressure washed the driveway again, got to keep it clean for the sealer when the opportunity for the sealer presents itself, and then moved the grass. By this time it’s early afternoon and I’m getting hungry, so I cleaned everything up and then myself and headed west to Flint Hill and their St. Theodore Parish sausage and turkey fall festival. I saw my buddy Pat Dyer there and said hello, purchased my ticket, and waited maybe 10-minutes to get seated at a table with several parishioners and several people who might have been from St. Charles. Everything is served family-style and it’s a lot of fun passing things around and talking to the parishioners, who were husband, wife, daughter, and granddaughter. The granddaughter was late teens/early-20’s and she and I had quite the discussion of the bands that she saw at Pointfest (Google it) the day before, she and I having similar musical tastes. She was impressed with Apocalyptica and I just happen to have one of their songs on the old iPod.

I finished dinner, stuffed, said my goodbyes, and said to myself “Self, where are you going to find the people from St. Paul?” Since this was a very one-sided conversation, I also answered “The beer stand.” Off I went and yes, I found those people I know and love, quite a few of them in fact, and spent the next few hours there engaged in conversation and beer drinking. I was also on a mission to find a couple that I haven’t seen in 15-years or so knowing that het lived in Flint Hill. I recognized the wife, Paula, and was looking at her and I know she was trying to make the connection. I walked over, shook her hand, and said “I’m Dirk.” She immediately lit up and we caught up on some items of business like anyone else that haven’t seen each other in 15-years. I asked her where her husband Ted was (I earlier saw his work truck with the family name on it), and she said he was right behind me, an he couldn’t believe that I was there, that I lived in St. Paul, and that I was an alderman. We had a very nice conversation and he even brought up the subject of our mutual acquaintance my ex-best-friend Mike. I caught Ted up on the Mike stories. I was then introduced to their oldest, Dave, a big dude, and he and I had a really nice conversation like we knew each other all of our lives. I would then float in and out of different groups of people I know. I ran into Travis who worked with me at our picnic and is Suzanne’s XH, he was there with a friend who told several very amusing stories of their Sturgis adventures, and I told Travis that I’d like to sit down over a beer someone and talk to him and that we would have some similar stories. Several people bought me rounds which seems to be some odd trend. I eventually saw one of the first people I met in St. Paul and someone that I really like, my buddy Keith, and chatted with him, his wife Michelle, and several others who came and went. This is where I made the observation that an event like this, and there are several in my area including one I’ll go to in Josephville this coming Sunday, and they are a slice of Americana like you wouldn’t believe still existed. I’m still smiling about it. I left about 19:00 and headed home and fired up disc-1 on the second season of “Dexter” and went to bed at about 21:30.

I missed a call from Herb (my dairy-farmer friend from Michigan) while I was at the picnic and right around 21:00 Sherry (from Yahoo personals) called and left a message wondering how my weekend went.

That is still just a summary, there was of course beer, bourbon, and a bunch of cigars consumed and main highly amusing that I can’t encompass here.

I spent the weekend in VIVA LAS VEGAS with my best girlfriend in the whole wide world! We haven't seen a lot of each other lately, so we decided to jet off and have some middle age FUN!

We stayed up entirely too late, drank entirely too much alcohol, gambled entirely too much money - but had a GREAT time!

The "highlight" if you can call it that of the weekend was, the OJ Simpson kidnapping/robbery trial is going on in downtown Las Vegas, and my drunk a** girlfriend and I went snooping around the courthouse when low and behold, a break in the activities happened, and who comes out but O.J. himself! We, in our drunkedness, asked him for a photo, and he obliged! We now have a one of a kind photo of me, her and the murderer himself during one of his last days of freedom! Too bad she and I have those glassy eyes in the photo - from drinking rum at 7:00 am!

I told my girlfriend that I wished I had a glove for him to sign!

Ahhhhhh - good times!

Laura

Pariah, this isn't you is it?

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=31606713+

Got the walls painted in the stairway! Now I just have to do the actual stairs.

Booka, all of your weekends are so jam packed - do you never sleep?

And Vegas - what I wouldn't give to do something frivolous right now!!!!!

You guys have way too much fun. I work too hard. Need to change this around!!!!

woohoo... got a date for the third kid-free weekend in a row

Charlie----that's not fair!!!!

I just got the were are just friends speech again!!!!

booka, still haven't confirmation on your helping to paint!!!

Dawn

yea i don't like the dreaded friend speech either but it's part of life... sparks won't fly at most dates

i figure it's best to let people know when the sparks aren't there. there is no point in hiding that fact aside from boosting your own ego

gave the freind speech last week to somebody... figure if i am not honest than i am no better than (like pariah likes to say) my lying, cheating, crackpot also known as my XW.

Geesh Charlie...you didn't have to broadcast to everyone that you gave me the speech ..........














HA! just kidding he didn't really!!

Sleep is optional and deserves an aside. There was a time in my life where I slept very well all of the time. This was especially after I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a CPAP machine, which I use religiously. Then came the stress of a disintegrating marriage, 2-weeks of Wellbutrin where I swear that I didn't sleep at all, months of anxiety and Lexapro with some of the anxiety caused by the Lexapro. I used to get up in the middle of the night and walk hard laps around the ex-block. Tried several sleep medications, the only one that worked consistently, Ambien, went from $10.00 a bottle via insurance to something I could no longer afford, so on nothing at the moment, no ADs, no sleep medications, nada. Sleep comes and goes with no real patterns. Exercise has no effect because it's not the body, it's the mind. I rarely have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep is another issue. Surprising, I have a very casual attitude about it and have learned never to look at the clock after the lights are out. I even tried one of those natural supplements that's supposed to help with sleep, nada.

Then, after sleeping with someone for 25 years, I'm sleeping alone and that took an adjustment period. I'm drawing near 2-years PD (post divorce) and now I can't stand to sleep with someone (although sex is very possible and welcomed!).

I sleep when I can an usually have no problem to staying up until 02:00 after a Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes I'm up at 06:00 the next morning!

So now let me ask this question. I dream of the XW probably once a week. Usually it is a real dream, i.e. she acts nice to me! Occasionally it's something else like the one the other night where I reached out to shake her hand and her arm was withered. There was more to it than that but you get the general symbolism. Do you dream often of your ex?

Dawn,

Run the dates and location by me again. What do you have for an aeropuerto near by?

The Killer's are singing to me "I got soul but I'm not a soldier."

HA HA, I took Wellbutrin in the form of Zyban to quit smoking and I definitely quit sleeping but I certainly never adapted to it. I NEED my sleep.

I rarely, if ever, dream of WstbxH. However, once in a while he pops into my head unexpectedly and for no specific reason. After my first divorce the same thing would happen but it gradually went away. It did take several years and in that case I was the one who left him, not the other way around.

I certainly didn't adapt to the Wellbutrin, I immediately switched to the Lexapro and did that about 7-months before I had enough of that. I should note that I saw a therapist for those 7-months also.

Funny therapist story, the XW went to some crackpot that her equally crackpot workmates went to, I picked one out of the phone book, man did fortune smile on me. XW refused MC. I never saw her IC, XW never saw mine. XW says to me one day that her and her therapist have been working on their own diagnosis of me based upon the XW warped perceptions. XW's IC comes up with Asperger's Syndrome. I do some research on the symptoms and hey, I'm not that guy. I and open and outgoing and have never met a stranger. I tell my IC this and he literally falls out of his chair laughing, says XW's IC is a crackpot and that I am the furthermost person form Asperger's that he's ever seen. True story and it sill amuses me today.

My IC was instrumental to me surviving (literally) my divorce. At the end of the 7-months he says to me, "Do you think that we need to do this anymore?" I answered no. My recovery wasn't over there, but I had the momentum in my favor. Thanks for everything, Bob.

I don't know what's in the air but the tables seemed to have turned in some cosmic fashion in my direction. Donna from Yahoo passive-aggressively asks me to meet her for the first time tonight at her girl's night out. Donna is afraid she;s not good enough for me and is concerned that I don;t have the time in my schedule to date her. I get an email today from Morgan from Yahoo who I haven't heard from in a while, she apologizes (!) for not corresponding, says her dog is dying (makes me sad sincerely), says she has her emotional balance back and wants to meet if I still want to meet with her.

4 others want to meet up and I have 2 referrals. I don't have the time in my schedule for all of these women!

I know, you want to know what's different and why I'm having this kind of response. I cannot answer it definitively for you other than to say I am very relaxed, very secure, and totally ambivalent to dating and women. If I could bottle it I could make a fortune. That an the universal translator that translates man-speak into woman-speak and vice versa. Still working on that one!

booka, that is sweet of you, but I am in South Dakota and it cost a small fortune to fly anywhere from here as there are no straight flight, Denver or Minneapolis first. That is why I road trip everything!!!

I hope to get some done tonight!!! And will ask friends to help with a painting party, like I said steak and potatos. Feed them well, I was taught!!!

Thanks, Dawn

Only things set in stone for this weekend are:

spend a lot of time with my girlfriend and her daughter, watch football (esp Alabama v. Georgia (roll Tide), and attend a birthday party for my close female friend who turns 32 on the 30th. Cookout with family and friends type party.

I'm dropping a milsurp store and picking up a pair of jerry cans since there isn't a fuel can to be found in ATL.

Probably going to stick close to home until this fuel crisis aleviates.

Tonight, getting alignment for car....going to see mom...hunting for gasoline.

Tomorrow, go get donuts for breakfast, cave adventure (2 hours from here) with German exchange students and hosts from daughter's school, may go eat Mexican and hear Latin music group.

Sunday, church, lunch w/ mom, maybe zoo, then music adventure.

Do I need to put anything more in?

Meeting Susan for drinks after work, she says she has plans to meet up with a GF later, I'll inquire to her later evening plans, and there's always trouble that I can find on my own. Saturday I'm leaving open for Mary who did not know what time she would get back from visiting her sister out of town. If that doesn't pan out, could try a last minute arrangement with Morgan. Susan wants to take me to Taste of St. Louis on Sunday and there's also another fall festival that I could go to. I told her my plans for Sunday would be dependent upon how persuasive she is tonight.

Then I have the usual household tasks, mow the yard, still need to pick out trees for the backyard and plant the 12-plants I have ready to go, check Lowe's and Home Depot for clearance items in the garden department, maybe a touch of grocery shopping, and some me-time! I haven't been to The Dog in about two weeks and need to touch base their with my constituents. I am of course not only their favorite Alderman, but The Dog is also in my ward!

To prove that I'm not self-centered, I wish all of you a great, entertaining, relaxing, and productive weekends.

Well, guys I am a little scared. I had an internal ultrasound done on Wed, They are thinking that they have to do a hysterectomy.

While they were doing that they noticed that my gall bladder was enlarged, so when I seen the doc yesterday for the acid reflux that is keeping me up most of the night for the last 2 weeks, he poked around and I really don't have any pain. So now I have an appointment for another ultrasound and a surgical referral for the gall bladder. Still have to see the gyn about the other issues. I showed up way anemic which explains the tiredness beyond the not sleeping well!!! I haven't felt really good since July.

So I am relieved as well as scared. At least I know what has been causing some of my issues, and know that they can be fixed. But still scared as I don't like being in the hospital or having others have to do things for me!!!

Just thought that I would share.

Tonight the friend that owns Curves won a trip for two to China!!!! So we are celebrating that with a chinesse potluck. It's so cool as she is adopting a second child from China and is do to pick up the child during Christmas break, so this pays for her and her husband to go so know they only have to pay for the three kids!!!

Am not sure what we will do after that, there is a new movie with Richard Gere and Diane Lane that I would like to see!

Tomorrow is Sat, so will work here at school as a timer for a dance/cheer competition and then will help Kevin with the Pee Wee bowlers, thought about asking him if he drove and we go up in the hills to see the colors I wold buy supper, not sure if he would go for it or think I was being to forward!

Sunday is our local 1st annual fall festival, so my Youth to Youth kids will have a booth set up and will help with that!!!! And then my turn to bowl!!!!

Keep it safe everyone!!!!

Dawn

You're in my thoughts and prayers Dawn! Keep us posted!


I've had both the gallbladder removed and the hysterectomy done and trust me.....it's not as bad as you think and it's sooooooooo nice to not have the "monthly friend" anymore!!!!

(((((DAWN)))))

I hope all goes well.

As you can see, it's Friday night and I'm typing on MB so no great plans this weekend. Unfortunately, BF has to work. I finished my stairway and my shutter arrived so I'll be painting that. I will see BF tomorrow and Sunday though and we're going to have roast chicken for dinner (I'm cooking).

Son's high school football game in Erie tomorrow night...and cleaning on Sunday...suppose to rain all weekend too!!

OK, fuel was impossible to find, filled my cans yesterday before dawn and mostly stayed home.

Tabs and I went to a yard sale and found bunches of cheap goodies.
They are losing these huge houses by the droves here, I mean they are selling EVERYTHING dirt cheap for the move out.

The woman has a studio in the basement and I picked up her DSLR cameras for $200 apiece and they were easily $1700 cameras plus the lenses.

I almost feel bad for her and her husband, but there was MOUNDS of IT equipment that seems to have migrated from his employer.

I almost bought a laptop, but I'm afraid they are traceable, but I prefer a Mac anyways.

I cooked Tabs a really nice dinner since she hasn't been feeling well and I seem to have broken something in my elbow when strapping the fuel tanks down in my truck. I felt a bone spur break off into the tendon. ouch.

Anyways here's her dinner.

Banty chickies w/ squished garlik taters and asplarguses.

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0505.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/Shooting/100_0506.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/Dinner.jpg

Pariah, You are so sweet!!! Why is there not a guy out there like you for me? Why am I stuck on the same guy for the last 5 years, and we are just friends. UGH!!! my feelings were hurt so bad tonight, my hip hurt too, and I had tears running down my face and not one person asked if there was anything wrong or even cared. And that hurt even more. I just want a good guy to love me and that I can love back and care for. It's really not much to ask for is it?!!

I'm sorry, guess I am going to have a pity party tonight no matter how hard I try not to!!! IT's weak, and I don't like being weak, I am the strong one!!!


Well Parih, I hope that Tabs realizes how lucky she is to have such an awesome man like yourself by her side. I hope that she does nice things in return for you!! Someday I will find that too. I am just impatient with the waiting!

Good night!!! Oh yeah my daughter beat me by one pin total tonight and we bowled against her team!!! They took 3 of 4 games!!! That hurts to be spanked by your own kids.

Dawn

Oh yeah I don't why fuel is so hard to find where you are, we are paying $3.52/gal here!

Yeah, Tabs knows just how good she has it as her husband just up and abandoned her after extensive abuse about her disability from the stroke. When we got back together she was living in a basement apartment she called the dungeon and getting further and further behind.

She said that us breaking up 16 years ago was the worst decision that cascaded into a series of bad events.

We both have endured terrible abuse in some form or other. Sometimes she gets a bit frustrated at my damaged short term memory and attention span because I will ask her something that she just told me 5 minutes previously. I will remind her that I don't get upset at her quirks that she doesn't realize she has, like her talking in her sleep and inability to grasp with her right hand.

I never criticize her and only compliment, if I have a complaint I am direct and unjudgemental about it so she doesn't get upset. I always say we will work together on some problem or complaint she has.

From the very beginning we agreet to communicate no matter what. She still has a few problems with holding some things in and I have to drag it out and it never a problem I can't handle. The holding it in is worse to me.

It's usually something the bird has done or financial assistance.

I told her that not to be ashamed of the financial assistance because it affects me too and I don't like surprises at the last minute. Sure it might inconvience me a bit, but I'd rather be inconvienenced that caught off guard.

A bit late, by here we go:

I met Susan for drinks at the neatest Applebee's I've ever been in right after work on Friday. It took me about 30-minutes to get there from work. Out of the blue on the way, my DD15 Kate called me out of the blue (very rare) and we had a nice chat. She told me a couple of amusing things and I told her that when she's with the XW and the XN and their cohorts that Kate definitely in the smartest one in the room. She told me then went camping the weekend of the hurricane (I guess the collective idiocy of the XW and XN prevents them from checking forecasts), I asked what did she stay in, she said Larry and Dee's popup and that the XW slept in a tent with the XN. It would be hard to imagine a more perfect pair than the XW and XN, i.e. their individual dysfunctions would compliment each other. Kate was headed to her HS football game and we said our goodbyes.

I popped into the restaurant and didn't see Susan (she's 5'2") but she did see me and popped up and took me to her table. She said that the restaurant had burned down and this new one, very contemporary inside (I have contemporary furniture). We had a couple of beers and talked and made plans for Sunday. She had to scoot at 19:00, So, I told her I would pay the bill and she would get the next one. She gave me a hug as she left, a first for her. I then headed west and popped into my favorite DQ for some double-cheese burgers. I ran into a guy, name unknown, who was in my neighbor Mike's wedding, so I chatted with him, he had been with Mike throwing horseshoes and drinking beer at the KofC in St. Paul and was waiting in line for a "makeup blizzard" for his wife. I though it was enormously funny and laughed and said goodbye.

I then headed for The Dog, must have been right around 20:00. I'm thinking to myself, I should call up Anna to see if she can come out and play. I walk in and there's Anna sitting with Tom, Rick, and a chick I didn't know, and Anna says that she was just going to call me. Great minds do think alike. Anna is a remarkable woman, literally the most rational woman that I've ever met, extraordinarily intelligent, and I do crave intelligent conversation, is forever nonplussed, is cool and calm in a storm, a master conversationalist, and is a very close friend to me. Anna is what I would call pleasingly plump, comes from English stock and has that English blonde look. She has a aura and gets hit on from damn near every man that she meets except for me. I know and like her husband Kerry and would never get involved in any impropriety with Anna. I am a gentleman, last of a dying breed, and I know that Anna does respect that. We have only recently started to hug each other after about 16-months or so of knowing each other. We have the amusing experience of once being considered a married couple, i.e. that she was my wife and I her husband, and we both like to tell that story. There is no doubt that I am glad she was there, and I first made the rounds of the bar saying hello to everyone and paid for the only beer that I paid for the entire evening. The rest of the evening multiple parties bought me rounds. So I get back to Anna's table and she says to the rest that they should move to a bigger table and we all did with me sitting next to Anna. I was introduced to the chick, Miss Becky, childcare provider extraordinaire, and had some amusing moments with her throughout the evening. She is a 30-something from the Florida panhandle, very southern in accent, and had every indication of coming from what might be termed a low-class background. She had very piercing "bedroom eyes".

We had one of those tabled where we sat for the entire evening and people came to us, floating in and out of our conversations. I would only occasionally get up to make some rounds. It was a typical Friday night with about 30-people there. My neighbors Clint and Ashley were there with his brother, his SIL, and his little 18-month niece. I have this thing with small children. They inherently like me. Their eyeballs lock on. So I do my flirty baby routine and the little niece gave me a perfect high-5, very cute. Later, neighbor Jeff rolls in, Miss Becky says "Who's that?" with some enthusiasm on her part, and I later delivered the message to Jeff while I told him I had a recliner that I thought that he might be interested. He later stopped by the table and I introduced him to Miss Becky. I should add that Miss Becky knows Anna well and was there at Anna's invite, and with the people and place that we knew in common, it was amazing that I hadn't bumped into her before.

So had a very good time with people I love and was very buzzed about the experience and the chance to see Anna. Anna, Miss Becky, and I all left at midnight. I got home, saw Tim and Jen out in their garage, grabbed my vices and walked up there to chat. They were winding down and so I popped over to Brad's house, and there was Jeff, Clint, Matt, Brad, and the women. The women left pretty soon. Brad's wife Mindy was drinking a bottled beer, highly unusual, I inquired, it was an O'Doul's, and after my experience of last weekend with Laura, I immediately asked Mindy if she was pregnant, and she said yes, I congratulate both her and Brad, etc. It was then down to us 5-guys and I had my first round of very enjoyable guy-talk of the weekend. They're all 20 and 30-sometings and accept me as I am, the old dude, into their group. I always enjoy their company and particularly Clint, who has a personality like mine, and Jeff, who I have always had a strong bond with. Imagine 5 guys together with beer and what that conversation would be like. It was a lot of fun and we all broke up about 01:00.

Woke up about 09:00 and did the usual housework and went out the garage and read the paper. I saw Tim was up and at them, so I brought my pressure washer up there along with one of the two beer pitchers that I had from the picnic. He eventually got down and brought the washer back down and then C1 wanted to borrow it to do his driveway. I took a look at my vinyl floor and said this is the time to scrub it, so swept it, I have this microfiber duster thing for floor and went over it with that, and then it was scrub time. I have a stiff brush that will screw into a standard extension-pole, the kind of pole that you would attach to a roller-frame for painting, etc. When I did the driveway, I purchased a pro-quality one and it's a pleasure to use, relegating the old one to an unused status. So I scrubbed with that setup, very hot water, lemon cleaner, and then went over it with a mop, and then a dry Swiffer. It was nice and shiny afterwards. C1 was still washing and I didn’t want to wait for him to get down, so I cleaned up, headed to Lion's Choice for lunch (a local chain that kicks Arby's hinder in a very serious fashion) and went to Lowe's (that's a big ka-ching for Mimi-san), bought 3 bags of gypsum, 2 5M bags of starter fertilizer, a bag of bluegrass seed (bluegrass in the front, fescue (love saying that word with a simulated southern accent, fescue!) in the back), and grabbed 4 of the $3.00 Mums.

I then went to Shop N Save, one of the big-3 local chains, sort of the warehouse kind of store, and picked up a bunch of stuff there. Then it was to home, unload all the goodies, mowed the grass, cleaned up again, had a confab with Tim and C1, and Tim that our mutual friends Rob and Jaimie were going to BBQ, so I called Rob and made the arrangements, later packing up at cooler and heading over there at about 18:00. I had many text messages that evening and had to immediately get my glasses, which amused them all, but I'll have my revenge when they're in their 40's! Rob manned the grill for burgers and dogs and some interesting potatoes. It was at that point Rob and Jaimie, Tim and Jen (J1), Tim's brother Ryan and his wife Jen (J2), and myself. Later Tony and Laura stopped in. Had a great time with them and heckling and kidding with the neighbors on both sides. We for the first time since I've known them talked in depth about film, started by Rob announcing that Paul Newman had died, a sad thing for me. We started by going through some of his memorable roles and then branched way off into Westerns which always causes me to discuss Kurosawa's films, etc. The other great discussion was about the economy and Tony said that he could get Ryan a job at AT&T, where Tony works, and said they were hiring for their Uverse product rollout. Ryan installs flooring and you can imagine the rest. I'd say everyone was in favor of it except for Ryan and we helped him to consider the big picture of things. At then end of the evening, it was just Rob, Ryan, and I, and I had my second round of man-talk. I took Ryan home at about 01:00 and stayed up until about 01:30.

I had many texts with Mary that evening, it was funny to the rest of them, I'd reach for my glasses, read Mary's messages, and reply. I had a lot of texts Saturday from a lot of people, including Susan and Kris, and also had a few calls with Sherry. It was very possible that the jeep at Jeff's house when I left for Rob's was Miss Becky's, it sure looked the same as the night before.

Up Sunday about 09:00, just couldn't sleep anymore, so headed outside and ended up spreading the gypsum, fertilizer, and grass seed, doing some watering, etc. Talked to several neighbors and read papers, listened to the KSHE Klassics show, about the usual scene. Jeff stopped by with his buddy, can't remember his name, Jeff has big Ford diesel pickup, red, and the three of us fetched the recliner from the garage. It is a all-leather La-Z-Boy, powder blue, was custom ordered, swivels, rocks, etc., but it just wouldn't fit into my color scheme, and I figured a swinging bachelor young guy like jeff would like it, so I gave it to him. I was actually glad to get back the space it was taking up in the garage. I then puttered until it was time to get cleaned up for Susan's arrival and had a long call with Herbie.

She was a bit late and was texting on her way and called me as she drew close. She has a big old Suburban, she calls it the bus and also says that she has a Jeep, so she rolled up, I gave her the tour, we loaded up in my car, and headed to St. Joseph's in Josephville for their Fall Festival. Susan didn't mind me driving with the windows down, didn’t fuss about her hair blowing, etc. I had offered to turn on the AC and she declined. I gave her a bit of a tour of the area, the whole corridor, from east to west along Highway P from St. Paul to Flint Hill is gorgeous and even stunning in places. I cal it God's country and it is. We went down Eisenbath road, where you literally can see a $500,000+ home on one side of the road and a cow farm on the other side. We got out to Josephville, found a great parking space, Susan was hungry, so we got two beers and sat down on benches in front of a 7-peson country band. Now this is not the country you hear on the radio, this is the real deal, and we had an amusing time there. I have an amazing repertoire of songs in my head and know boatloads of classic country songs. I must have been singing along a bit and I kid you not, the guitarist was watching us and asked us if we wanted to sing with the band. There was some snappy repartee and we declined. We talked and talked and talked. Susan is very easy to talk with and we have some common interests in politics and business. If fact she got all awkward at one point trying to ask me a question whose answer had some weight from her perspective, what party did I belong to? This led me to a discourse of my political history and why I have always been a Republican. I don't like everything that they do, but it's way too late in life to change affiliations (officially) and I'm hoping that the party can actually be helpful to me in my political career as I seek some higher offices. Everyone asks me what I want to do and Susan is very interested in my ambitions and the fact that I am an elected official, quizzed my on my background, etc., and I tell people, look at that guys who is governor now, average intelligence (debatable) and average ambition, heck he's not even running for a second term, think what someone like me could do in that office. Tim said Saturday that no unmarried governor has ever been elected in this state, but it's too early to speculate on my status at that juncture.

Anna and I have a standing agreement about the mayor's office, if she wants to run, I'll run her campaign and vice versa, she has the first right of refusal. Susan was very interested in where I want to go in the political arena. Her dad is very hooked up and that's of interest to me.

So we sat on the bench side by side, talking, bumping shoulders, elbows, touching arms, shoulders, etc. This was the loosest I've seen Susan, she was very amusing and definitely in her comfort zone. We did this for two hours and would say hi to different people, including someone that she knew and who is one of those people I'll be sure to run into again. We decided to grab dinner, she bought, and we went into the very cool hall as it had got rather warm and humid outside that day. We sat at a table and made introductions all of the way around and had a family-style sausage and turkey dinner. Father Larry was going around from table to table, he's the one that taught the RCIA class that I attended, I really like him, not your normal priest, early 40's, Van Dyke, handsome, outgoing, and iPhone equipped, the post-modern priest I suppose. He stopped by and I made introductions and then had an enjoyable exchange with Father Larry. I often wish he was our parish priest. We finished and headed back to my house, Susan had to be home at 19:00 for her kids and I sent her on her way with a kiss.

I then sat in the garage, smoked big cigars, drank bourbon, and listened to great music, and had many texts from the usual suspects and a very amusing call from Chris who told me an interesting story about his Saturday night. More on that later.

i got stood up last friday night :RollieEyes:

C3, you might thrill us with the circumstances of being stood up. I myself have many maxims for dating and one of them states:

Dating partners are unreliable by nature, always have at least one backup plan.

I'll amplify that the backup plan should consist of something you enjoy. I find myself sometimes with multiple invites to fall back upon and also have a place that I can go to (multiple places actually) where I can find company and conversation. You can always call up a friend and spend some time with him.

Another dating maxim is:

Keep your expectations low.

If you follow that and the first one, then you'll have no regrets as to being stood up.

The bigger question remains, and I ask this of everyone here, if stood up for a significant date, say a Saturday night, would you ever consider going out with that person again? Or would you guess at what creative excuse they'll come up with? My vote is that if they didn't show enough interest in me to extend the courtesy of at least calling to explain why they couldn't make it, then I'm not that interested in them either.

eh it was just a first date with somebody off an internet dating site so it wasn't so bad... and i did have a fallback plan

went out with a friend instead

i don't have womean biting at the chomp to take me out... just had a few dates since the divorce. had a good month in september date wise though so i guess it's getting easier

kinda hard getting back on the horse when i have my son 80% of the time but i like it that way. i chose my son over the ability to date... as opposed to his mom

but that's another story

all i have planned for the weekend so far is taking my son bowling... trying to convince a single mom whose daughter knows my son to come along

Well, I am NOT painting this weekend!!! Actually, I'm going to have a somewhat bizarre weekend. Due to a long story I won't bore people with here, I ended up with premium tickets to a show downtown. It's a rather girlie show and BF didn't really want to go but it's something his DD7 would enjoy. The glitch is that it's her mother's weekend. Anyway, he said he didn't mind if I asked her - I hummed and hawed for a while and finally I did. I actually called up his X on the phone and asked if DD could come. She thought DD would love it and agreed to let me take her overnight (the show will end late then I have to drive home). So I've got a date with a 7 yo Saturday night and we're going to watch a show downtown!!! It should be a blast!

For those who think it's weird to be talking to a BF or GF's EX, it is but there are mitigating circumstances here. We all knew each other when we were all married. I've known their DD since birth and have been a trusted adult in her life since she was able to speak. BF and his X broke up a year before Wstbx and I. X actually likes me - probably is also somewhat reassured that her DD's father is hanging around me and not some axe-murderer or something. I think BF is a little weirded out about her and I talking to each other when he's not around, but I called her on his encouragement.

Go ahead and bore me!

As they say in literature, the plot thickens. Tonight I am unsure of, there is a B-day party for a friend's wife at The Dog and I would like to put in an appearance there. I made a suggestion to Susan that me meet up for drinks tonight, will know more on that later.

Tomorrow is a very significant, in this are, college football game between arch-rivals (pun intended if you know St. Louis) Mizzou (University of Missouri at Columbia) and Nebraska. My best friend Chris has suggested a boy's night out to watch the game at a sports-bar. Susan has dropped hints about a date but made no firm commitment. Mary, whom I have yet to meet, just texted me asking me out to the new hot bar to watch the football game. Mary is a big fan and has a son that went to college on a football scholarship. I'm not really torn on this one, I have accepted Mary's offer with glee.

The weather is supposed to be absolutely awesome this weekend, lows in the mid to upper-50's and highs in the mid to upper-70's. If things go well, I'll ask Mary to do something sunday.

I have plenty to do around the house and yard as well.

If I don't check in later, I hope that you all have a great weekend and Tabby1, what's the show? Wicked?

Dutch

Ha ha, it truly is a boring story. Bought the tickets for my mom for her birthday and found out she already had a trip booked and would be away. I couldn't exchange them so I had to buy her new ones. I don't generally like going to these - love the shows but hate driving downtown. But it's going to be fun anyway. It's the Sound of Music BTW.

I like "The Sound of Music", crusty old guy that I am!

Strictly out of curiosity, where do you live?

I am about 35-miles WNW of St. Louis.

I'm in southern Ontario - about 350 miles NNE of SL. The show is downtown Toronto. It's actually quite a drive for me and a PIA since it is downtown.

Went to Ladies Breakfast at church. Going to get massage. TTFN!

I picked up a fantastic professional DSLR camera Saturday for $200! The people were selling everything that wasn't nailed down in their house because of making bad life decisions like being a mortgage broker with no back-up plan.

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/Roxy1.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/PA040014.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/PA040022.jpg

Anyways, I took Friday off to take GF to the Dr's office as her back has hurt for 3 weeks and she has to go see an Ortho this Wednesday as they think she needs surgery to repair a degenerated disk.

She's pretty miserable for now. I 've been taking care of her the best that I can, but my hearing is limited so I can't hear her the first or so time when she calls me, but we figured out to ring my cell and she can get my attention that way.

Pariah, has your girlfriend seen a chiropractor? Mine is keeping me out of the neurosurgeon's office for 2 herniated discs in my neck. I would think that the orthopaedist would refer her to a neurosurgeon for work on her spine.

(The latest news is that I have a bulging disc and and extruding disc in my low back.)

Hers has degenerated to bone rubbing bone, no chiropractor will even touch her.

We are going Wednesday for her to discuss options, we don't know what will be able to do since she has a brain injury and general anesthetic may not be an option.

She's in alot of pain and has just got her promotion at work, needless to say this is a disappointment to her.

Oooooh! Hm....yeah, that makes things different.

I know about hurting all the time. It's not fun.

I went home Friday night and made a frozen pizza and then went to The Dog for the birthday party and had a great time socializing with many people. It was packed for a Friday night and a lot of interesting stuff went on. I ended up talking to this redhead, I think her name was Kayleah, and we had quite the conversation. We have mutual friends and I’m going to follow-up with my friend about her. I finished talking to her and went behind the bar and dance with Jo Ellen and my friend Eddie made sure he caught my attention and told me that Kayleah had divorced one of his friends and that she was bad news. Interesting. I left around midnight and slept in.

Oh, I had a long chat with friend Danielle. I have this a lot where people just spill their whole life stories to me and it was her turn to do so. She did ask about me and what brought me to St. Paul. She then paid me a most interesting compliment in that she respected how accepted I was by the community.

I was Mr. Domestic both Saturday and Sunday and did a lot of laundry, housecleaning, etc. Mary texted late afternoon that she had some issue with her DD and couldn’t make it and apologized for not being able to make it. I texted Susan inquiring about her availability and she said that she had plans, so I did a rare things and stayed home Saturday, just didn’t feel like going out, so did the usual and watched a movie and went to bed early.

I got up early Sunday and read the papers and then decided it was planting time, so planted 16-plants and cleaned everything up, did a bunch of watering, soaked up some sun, called my brother to send birthday wishes and he said that they were only without power for 2-days after the hurricane. Practically the whole conversation with him involved him complaining about his wife and DDs. My brother is something of a character and I actually credit the women in his life for staying around him! I then talked to Herb and got the latest news on the fire/homicides and the investigation is still going on and the state police are involved which I felt was a good sign. I wandered in late afternoon and finished my movie and then was tired out and decided to take a nap. I forgot that I had left the hose on in front and missed multiple phone calls from multiple neighbors calling me about it. Jim ended up coming over with Tim and C1 to check up on me. The house was open, etc., so I guess they were concerned about me and there I was sawing logs. I thanked Jim, closed the garage door, and went back to sleep!

Not a terribly exciting weekend by my usual standards, but Friday night was great and that alone was enough entertainment for the weekend. I never left the neighborhood Saturday or Sunday and actually thought about buying some more plants after I was done planting Sunday! So it was a pretty cheap weekend as well. I had the usual texts from the usual suspects and enjoyed the awesome weather that we had. That’s about it!

While there are always 3 sides to every story, that kind of intel for a bar-meet is priceless. I'm glad that someone sent the flag up.

Still... Redhead, huh? That would be especially tempting despite your friend's dire warning...

With all the planting you do, do you have any actually yard left? I picture a national forest as your front yard by now Dutch.

I did appreciate Eddie's advice in that regard, but having been through the fire myself, I understand that divorce brings out different things in different people and that it's an impossibility to fully grasp as an outsider the nature, dimension, and dysfunction of someone's relationship.

I'm not interested in marrying her but might be interested in dating her. We seemed to have a pretty good rapport. I have made an inquiry about her with a mutual acquaintance. I know where she works as well and could track her down through that.

That's an example of small-town life to be sure, you meet a woman one moment and get the marriage/divorce report on her the next!

I have yet to date a red-head and she was attractive.

I'll have to snap some photos of the year. I've run out of room in the front to do anything without starting a new bed, so a lot of my efforts this year have been on the backyard and I've been very pleased with my herb-bed in particular, the lavender and rosemary have really taken off in their first season. I mainly planted shrubs and my neighbors call my back-yard Dutch's nursery. To top it off, last year I had mainly oats in the backyard, this year is full of grass due to a bit of fall planning last year and the most incredible grass-growing spring that we've ever had.

booka,



What fire?

Dawn

I'd have to search back to see if I mentioned here. In the context of how it went down last week, probably not.

Here's the latest, start at the Monday September 19th article and work your way up:

Grand Rapids Press

I had a long conversation with Herb on Sunday the 28th, our usual catch-up on each other's news. Herb is one of my dearest friends and a dairy farmer in Western Michigan. His wife is my XW's best friend from HS, and I was very worried to how things would sort out during the divorce and should have had no fears because Herb is one of the most steadfast and trusty people I know and he is my friend first and foremost. His wife and I get along just fine PD (Post Divorce).

Herb called me on Monday the 29th, which was odd to me, and he left a message and I caught up with him later in the day. $ people had died in a house fire. I din't quite put it together at the time, but when I saw the photos of the victims I about fell over. Tyler, the 17-year old, worked at Herb's farm and I had met him multiple times and in fact saw him multiple times this year.
His mother served Herb and I many a beer and lunch in the day at the Wright Tavern.

So this past week I was first very sad about the fire, I knew some things I couldn't talk about and every one of them has come true, and it looks like all 4 were killed prior to the fire. At this point I'm very angry at the people who did this and I strongly suspect that there's more than one. There is no death penalty in Michigan which in the context of this crime seems a shame.

I called Herb yesterday and he caught me up on the news. Wright, where the crimes occurred, is out in the middle of nowhere and probably had never had a murder before ever. They have a fairly close-knit community up there that has been recently rocked by some other tragedies and I feel for those involved.

Often when things are going so well for us they are not for others and we are reminded of just how well our lives are.

I suspect that there will be a big break in the case this week. Here's to justice!

booka, thank you for sharing. My heart goes out to that community and to your friend, I am sure he felt much like a father to that young man!

Dawn

Dawn,

Thanks for caring. These were salt of the earth people and I can't imagine a scenario where they deserved any of this. There is some news about the case posted on the website the I linked to from this morning.

Herb said early last week that he saw Tyler's boots and it only hit him then that Tyler wasn't coming back. He said they had a huge turn-out, biggest ever for that particular church, for the memorial service which I believe was last Friday.

Dutch

No big news on the fire as of late and I'm getting a bit worried. Herb told me Sunday that no one had been to his farm to interview anyone there, which either speaks of incompetence on the part of the investigators and confidence in s suspect(s). There is a post on the website I linked from Tuesday with news for some but I already knew what they were going to say. I'm a bit frustrated at the lack of results and hope that they have things so close that they're just being tight-lipped about it.

But I'll return back to the subject at hand and we'll return to the land of being single and trying to navigate the crazy waters of dating. I have pitched to Mary, who canceled last Saturday, that we meet up for drinks Friday. I'm on the bubble for Saturday, I'm going to a birthday dinner out at McGurk's for neighbor Tim's birthday (mine as well on the 14th) and I'm debating whether I want to bring a date and if so, whom? If things went well with Mary I could ask her, I could also ask Susan, and I could always go as the single-guy and really enjoy myself! I guess it's good to have choices, but it certainly complicates things. I have tentatively scheduled a date with Kris for next Saturday or next Sunday, with my preference for Saturday. I'll have the usual things around the house (I run a tight ship) and we're supposed to have gorgeous weather all weekend, a super-fine October so far. Sunday is a Fall Festival at The Dog plus I have to put in an appearance at work to install a new server.

That's the plans for the moment and who knows what else will turn up!

Booka we can always count on you to have an adventerous and fun filled weekend. As for myself, DS is coming home Saturday and we're going to do an all out blitz on the house. I've set it up with the real estate guy and the sign goes on the lawn on Wed next week so I have to be ready. Sunday my mom is coming for Thanksgiving dinner (naturally it doesn't matter that I'm trying to sell my house it is my obligation to clean, feed and house everyone regardless of my circumstances :RollieEyes: ). Anyway, that still leaves me Monday to clean up THAT particular mess and take some photos for the RE guy.

So, not much fun but at least I'm done painting!!!!

Tabby1,

Good luck with the house for the very obvious reasons. I live in a new subdivision and can remember last year dodging bobcats and cement trucks and this year only a few houses have been built and then close soon on the only two under construction at this point.

It will be a cold winter for a lot of people this year and in the bigger scope of things, I have it pretty good, better than a lot.

I am fortunate that I achieved some sort of momentum in my single life and even when I stay home I'm entertained in some fashion. And after planting 16 plants and shrubs last weekend, I have 2 Russian Sage plants waiting to so into the ground and like them so much for my blue/purple themed bed that I think I'll get a couple more. Plus its clearance time as well and I cleaned-up last year. Plus the weather is utterly awesome here. That and I've been trying to bank-up some sleep all week in preparation for the weekend!

Thanks Booka. The housing market here isn't tanking like yours is. In fact, the RE guy actually bumped my asking price up $10K since I first spoke to him as the market in my area is having a little mini-boom right now. I'm still very nervous, however. I've never sold a house before (unless you count when I sold it to myself). It's giving me all sorts of mixed feelings.

If I may inquire so bold, where do you live?

I'm in Canada. We didn't have the sub-prime mortgage crisis. We are, unfortunately, having a financial crisis spun off by yours, but it's not expected to be as serious. Of course, we are also heading into an election and the result of that could change everything.

Yes, I recall now. Never been, but been close. Yes, the bad thing about a global economy is that when one bin country tanks, everybody tanks. I could go on in a fairly educated fashion on this subject for hours, but this is not the forum for such discussion and if you would like to take it up, then email is a viable option.

You can tell me what your weather is like this time of year. I am familiar with the weather in the lower peninsula of Michigan, so if you're much north of there it will be a bit out of my experience range. I tend to think that October in the metro St. Louis area is one of the finest weather months of the year. I have yet to run the heat but did have the AC on two days while it rained. This morning it was 46 at dawn and should be mid to upper 70's today, which is only possible in dry air. We should approach the 80's this weekend with lows in the upper 50's to lower 60's. There is no rain in the forecast until Monday and we have sunshine and high pressure. I finally put a blanket on the bed last week and was first glad for it this morning with all of the windows open last night. I'm loving it!

well... it's Thursday and all my efforts to find a date didn't work this time so it's gonna be a "me" weekend.

Gonna watch the Rays game at a sports bar and see what happens on Friday night... on Saturday I will probably drive my motorcycle to Tampa and hook up with some friends.

GF is feeling really bad, as soon as insurance ok's it, she will have an MRI done to see just how bad the problem is.

She is actually considering requesting surgery to just nip it in the bud.

So, my weekend will be taking care of GF, which I don't mind doing.

My wife was NEVER there for me when I was injured or ill.

I'm guessing that I'm going to have a laid back kind of weekend. A week and a half ago, while playing a MEAN game of racquetball, I slammed my 46 year old, not quite so tiny body HARD against the wall running in for a kill shot. Well, it took a week, but woke up Monday barely able to stand up. Couldn't stand it, so went to the doctor this morning. Got some muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory pills, and was ordered to chill out.

So, while I must tend to my lawn, pretty much the rest of the weekend will be lying prone......good thing I got me some new 1,000 thread count sheets!

Oh, Sunday evening, heading downtown to see Kathy Griffin (stand up comedianne)......with my 3 gay friends.......I'm the only hetro in this particular group.....

Have a great weekend everyone!
Laura

Booka - your life is so busy with social things. I am amazed. My daughter tells me I need to get a life. :RollieEyes:

I guess that's because I have been raising children on my own for the past 13 years. (well, their dad does see them as per the decree and it's a generous schedule compared to what it could have been but he isn't there every day like I am)

I did go out to dinner with a friend a few weeks ago. Yeah, I wa the straight one. Great....my one time out with a friend in ages and it was a gay friend. She has a fairly expansive social life though.

So, I've done all sorts of things in those years....but gather a social life is not one of them.

I'll assume that you made the killer shot, else why would all of the suffering be worth it? Plus you must have been running on adrenaline for a week form making the shot before the pain kicked in. (a couple of big winks)

I was invited to join a softball team this fall via a Meetup group. I thought, casual softball, maybe, everything still works and I can still hit dingers right and left. I make some inquiries and it's a team in a league with a mix of 20 and 30-somethings. This is where you put aside the pride and whatever joy might be achieved by meeting 20 and 30-something women and say to yourself, I've never played competitively, I'm 48 (for the next few days), everything does work, I look at least 10-years younger and feel that way too, but do I want to take a chance and destroy the competitive nature of the game (even in a recreational league) for those 20 and 30-somethings and in the process destroy some of my joints to assuage my pride? The answer was both short and sweet: no.

My bat and glove will have to wait until I can find some senior league and really kick some you know what!

Now I am a social person, have a generous and killer personality, can coax a social clam out of their shell, am an engaging conversationalist and listener, have never met a stranger, and have an aura with at least a 50-foot radius that is absolutely killer with babies, children, men, kind of lukewarm with women who I feel are always wary of any glib-speaking man. I wasn't always like this and had to work on it to develop whatever latent talent I have for it. I guess I have the perfect politician's manner (the positive aspects, please!)

I have the prefect hangout that I can go to anytime to be surrounded by friends and what I'll term my surrogate family. I have cultivated every neighbor that I have and count many as very strong friends. I typically introduce myself to anyone I meet and if in the company of others will introduce them as well (a lost art it appears). I strive to make as many connections as I can. Everything is connected. I've had a couple of referrals for dates that I currently working on. I think a referral is a high compliment. I charm the married ladies in particular knowing that they will have single friends. While I may have started with some self-serving goals, it turns out that all of my networking has a certain synergy to it and adds tremendous value to my life. I started to get invited to things, local things in particular. When you get invited to someone's birthday party in a very specific fashion and you've really only known them a year, you must be doing something right.

Trace physically your travels for an entire week. Draw it on a map. What do you have? Tiny circles. Expand those circles. Do something that you always have wanted to to. Heck, 6-months of attending Board of Alderman meetings as a curious citizen got me elected to office, something I have always dreamed of. Please vote for me when I run for President!

So, here are my rules, and I'll try to add to them as we go on:

1. Meet as many people as you can.
2. Never refuse an invitation.
3. Get out of your comfort-zone regularly.
4. Do something for yourself that you've always wanted to do.
5. Learn to be a good listener. within 5-questions I can typically have someone spilling their life story to me.
6. Learn to work a room.
7. Find groups that have similar interests.
8. Consider religion as a means to join another community.
9. Give back to the community in which you live.

I'm sure others will have other recommendations.

Oh, and my final suggestion, spend a weekend in my company. I guarantee a great time!

Dutch

Yup - got the shot an instant before I slammed into the wall! Funny how that works - I FINALLY find an aerobic sport that I LOVE to play (the treadmill, stair machine, etc. bores me to TEARS) and I start to get really good at it - even took lessons, and then WHAM! down for the count! I will not give up!

Yes Booka - you do have a full life - and I'm envious. I'm in Chicago - not too far - I think you should consider the drive and entertain me for a weekend!

Laura

Son's high school homecoming parade and bonfire was tonight...homecoming football game tomorrow night....homecoming dance saturday. I'm working all through the weekend.

Son has been out of football for two weeks so far. Has a possible non-displaced tibial plateau fracture.....basically a possible fracture on the knee. Ortho Doc took X-rays a week ago today...sent for MRI last Friday...Monday Ortho Doc said he needed to give it another week for the swelling to go down and re-X-ray this coming Monday to check for fracture again. UGH!

This is his senior year and it's killing him to not be playing football!! Freshman year he broke his wrist while playing and was out for the season, Sophomore year he broke his elbow while playing and was out for the season, Junior year he broke his nose but stayed playing and now his Senior year and a possible fractured knee while playing!!! Poor Kid!!

Not to mention he has also broken a toe in 8th grade gym class. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many stitches this kid has had. Bitten in the face by a Rottweiler, poked in the face with a stick by his cousin, cracked his head open while running in the halls in junior high school.

He's always been my high strung dare devil kid! His sister is the complete opposite. She's afraid of everything.

AGG, I've only had to have my children sewn or taped up once in each child's life. When he was 3, son climbed on my back while I was on all fours, fell off, and got his upper eyelid cut by the hinge on his glasses. When she was about 8, daughter had to have her upper lip stitched when my son hit her in the mouth with a metal Star Wars star destroyer toy.

He's never had any x-rays for injuries but he has had bilateral black eyes twice. She's had a broken toe, a badly sprained ankle, a sprained knee, an iliotibial band sprain, and a pinched nerve in her neck. As for me, I'm the injured one. I've played hard. :RollieEyes:

Tell your son there is no game of football worth not healing well. A poorly healed injury will bother him for the rest of his life. That's why my chiropractor is making a fortune off me.

that's pretty much what I've told him. I'd hate for him to suffer when he's old like me! LOL

I've played hard. That's probably why I have back problems and got a steroid injection in my knee today and my low back last week.

eewwwww those injections in the knees HURT!

Yup! More than the epidural steroid injection in my SI area....not as much as the one for plantar fasciitis.

I went for a back XRay yesterday, and the poor tech was hobbling around - she looked miserable. She said she just had shots in her feet for plantar faciitis - said it was awful!

I love Chicago, the pizza, the Italian beef sandwiches, Wrigley, etc. It's a tempting offer

Did it once, while I was training for the half-marathon. To give you an idea.....the doctor's office had me come in and get a topical anesthetic patch to put on my foot several hours before the injection. I've NEVER had to do that before and I've had trigger point injections in lots of places. I'm a walking trigger point - comes with having herniated or bulging or extruding discs.

[/quote]

I love Chicago, the pizza, the Italian beef sandwiches, Wrigley, etc. It's a tempting offer [/quote]

Don't forget good old Comiskey Park - and I know the BEST pizza joints around...

Laura

Laura,

You temptress you! Have you ever had the upside-down pizza at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders in the Lincoln Park area?

And ladies, stop it with the dissertation on pains and painful procedures! Enough already!

I kid you not, everything works and works well. I've fad a few stitches in my day and broken a few toes (no more barefoot excursions for me). I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine, that's about it. I embarrassed some teens and 20-somethings by out-working them on sandbag detail this spring. I rock!

Dutch

Just got to through this one in there booka sorry!

I get to have a hysterectomy and gall bladder surgery on the 25th of Nov, can you imgaine that pain???

My thought is a little discomfort from surgery will make up for all the pain over the years!!!! If they would've agreed to this sooner!!!!

Let's see this weekend going to the movies tonightwith a friend, tomorrow night going with church youth group for a hyride and barn dance.

Will coach the peewee bowlers, teach sunday school the regular weekend stuff, bowl on Sunday night!!

Dawn

Nope - haven't gotten there yet. But, I have had on several occasions the absolute finest pizza around - Home Run Inn. I believe you can get it frozen in your grocery stores, but it's just NOT the same.....gotta get it fresh out of the oven. Another good one is Gino's, of course gotta mention Giordano's, and a franchise that will blow you away, Beggars.....the mounds of cheese on those babies can get stuck in your throat! Ahhhhhhhhhh, Heaven!

I just love the Lincoln Park area - so much to do, see and EAT!!!

Well, when you can't stand it any longer and need to visit, you've got a place to stay (just as long as you buy the pizza!)

Laura

Our exchange student from Germany leaves tomorrow!

FWIW, I dont' let it stop me...into everything I'm interested in! Some people tell me they don't know how I do everything or find time to do everything I do.

There are times I even get called the Energizer Bunny!

So, we got to the airport at about 8:00 a.m. There were tears.

So, we went to a book festival and drowned our sorrows in books...So many books, so little money....So many books, so little time.

Knitting books, history books, novels, books!!!!!

I am so going to have the neurosurgeon give Tabs a good look over during her MRI.

She calmly let a HUGE hornet in the house tonight, just stood there telling me there's a hornet outside the door and just stood there instead of getting inside and closing the door, letting it just fly right by her and in it came. There was absolutely no sense of urgency.

The spray didn't even knock it down.

Tab's dinner tonight, Miso stock soup with [censored]é mushrooms and toasted seaweed.

She absolutely loved it!

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0533.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/100_0535.jpg

I'm still gonna tell the neuro about the bees and the lack of urgency with danger though.

*looks inside fridge*

nope... no toasted seaweed

Busy Busy Weekend!!!

My DIL is ready to have grandson #5, so made freezer meals for them got 10 meals completed on Saturday for them. I started with a Package of minute steaks, porkchops 5 lbs of ground turkey and a family packet of chicken thighs. Amazing what you can all do with that!!

Coached the PeeWees on my own this week, I forget how many of them there are when they are all together!!! But I love to watch them talk to their balls when going down the lane!!!

Did some drywall work, will texture that this afternoon. Did some shopping, found curtain material.

Watched movies with my daughter, Saturday n ight, that was fun.

Didn't get up til 10 this morning and have to go to the dentist!!!

Dawn

Laura,

They have the frozen Home Run pizzas in my market (literally and metaphorically) and they are probably the best frozen pizza I've had. Would like to try the real thing!

We may have to work out a pizza schedule!

Dutch

Looks very good! What was the wine?

A woman that drywalls? Be still, my beating heart!

Dutch

All right, here goes, the big kahuna:

Left work Friday and after stopping at Lowe’s for 2 Russian Sage plants, I decided to go to the new hot place, Babylon, to check it out. There’s a cigar store in that general vicinity so stopped in there and bough 3-cigars and a punch-style cutter. I head onto Babylon and there’s a bunch of union protesters out front, never a good sign. I walked in and was fairly disappointed with my first glance around, a large space, but it’s a freaking strip-mall and there’s really only so much you can do to disguise the fact that you’re in a strip-mall form factor. It had no heart, no soul. I sit there for several minutes before a BB (use you imagination on that one) comes over and I ask her what’s on draught. She proceeds to tell me what they’ve run out of. I ask again what’s on draught. She rattles off the same list and then says they have premium beers. I ask her what those are and she rattles off a nice list, so I order a Guinness, break out a cigar, talk to the guy next to me, he ha a cigar lighter, so I borrow his, fire up, and just start to enjoy it and then the bouncer comes over and tells me there’s no cigar smoking permitted in the bar. Nice. Guess how often I’ll go there. So I let the cigar go out, the guy next to me hits the road, I strike up a conversation with the guy to the left of me, end it at two beers, an probably will never set foot ever again in the place. I was out in Cottleville, so I took an interesting route home and headed home to grab my lighter and headed up to The Dog.

There was a good crowd at The Dog and as I got there Steve was just getting the karaoke stuff setup. I had not had dinner and ordered a cheeseburger and fries, telling Jo to cook the fries extra long as I like them crunchy. I brought Dave a new cigar box for his collection (it’s pretty interesting where they eventually turn up J), so I gave it to him and made my initial hellos. I should note that when I first walked in Cynthia greeted me with a hug (not unusual) and kissed me on the cheek (the first time). So I settled in for a beer and awaited my food and talked to Glen and Rick about various things. I sat next to Bruce Brown on the other side of me. Now Bruce is an interesting guy, he initially viewed me with great apprehension when we first met, but I did my usual stuff and during one crucial night I proved to be a great listener and he has progressive warmed to me since. I had a great conversation with his wife Katie a couple of weekends ago. This is how St. Paul is, the birthday party on the 3rd was Katie’s sister Donna, they’re Fiese’s (Fi-zee, long “I”), there’s at least 4 sisters, etc. The Fiese’s are big landowners and have a road named after them, so it can be said that Bruce married well. They have a very nice house right on St. Paul Road and Bruce told me that it has 5-fireplaces and he heats the whole house with them. He has all of the big toys for country boys and is a hot-shot trouble-shooter for commercial HVAC systems. Bruce does not act like a hot-shot and I’m sure that he’s worked very hard for all that he has. He has a brother Frank that I know pretty well and there’s some family history there and Frank doesn’t like Bruce and says frequently “They’re living like the Rockefeller’s over there.” Frank is a funny dude who liked me almost immediately. I’ve had many a beer with Frank and know his life story pretty well. There’s an interesting contrast between the two and with as many families as there are in St. Paul, you get to be a keen observer of sibling differences. Anyway, Frank was talking to Jason, who is married to Cynthia (unhappily it seems) and he in turn was sting next to Katie, all of us at the bar. I’m pretty hungry at this point and wolf my burger and fries and compliment Jo for doing the fries just perfectly. I have never eaten there when it wasn’t a fish-fry or wasn’t free, so it was an interesting experience and they were doing a lot of food business that night. Afterwards a fired up a cigar and made the rounds. There were probably 50 people there at that time and I knew them all. So I typically go and say hello to everyone and then float around a bit to find where the conversation is good. I should add that Friday nights are also bucket nights, with 5 for $10.00. So I end settling down with Bruce and we had a wide-ranging conversation for a long time and I enjoyed his company greatly. I then talked to Katie for quite a while. It was then time to make the rounds and Eric and Kelly-baby came in and I hadn’t seen them in quite a bit, so I settled in with them at their table and both watched and participated in some interesting dancing that was going on when Steve would play songs in between karaoke segments. I went back to the bar by Bruce and a really pretty woman was standing next to me and we started up a conversation that went quite a while. This was Patty who I had not met as of yet but had seen her husband around before.

This I where I’ll need to explain myself a bit. I get hit on a lot by a lot of married women. The one’s that I know love to flirt with me and both they and their husbands know that I am safe. I am not interested in breaking up a marriage for my own gratification. I dance with them, may flirt a little, am a conversationalist who is in demand, but I respect both their boundaries and my own. Patty was doing the classic women hitting on a guy thing of touching my shoulder during conversation, bumping into me, etc. I don’t even get excited by such stuff and never miss my conversational stride. I suppose it could be viewed as a validation of me by them, that I’m attractive, personable, good company, etc. (I of course am all of these). So I had a fun time talking with Patty and it can be a useful experience of sharpening your own skills and perhaps something much more valuable, the possibility of getting a referral through such an interaction. Everyone knows someone who is single.

It was back to Eric and Kelly-baby and there was some drama with Eric and someone else there whom he despises, so there were some nasty eyeballing back and forth and Rick and Craig defused the situation by gently suggesting to the other party that he wasn’t welcome there, and they walked him out while I sat between Eric and door in case Eric needed to be restrained. Everything calmed down but this very thing has happened about 4-times that I’ve send and both parties are acting pretty infantile about the whole thing and I really think that they should settle it outside once and for all. It goes back to something that happened when they were friends and drunk and certain things were said about Kelly-baby. This would foreshadow some other things I learned later in the weekend. I should add that it was Kelly-baby’s birthday Saturday.

As the clock rolled towards midnight, I decided to leave, having had a very good evening there, and went home and caught up with Tim and Jen for one beer and talked about our dinner plans for the next night.

I got up Saturday around 09:00 and read the paper and puttered for a bit around the yard, including planting the Russian Sage plants. I then decided I needed to check out the plants on sale, so got cleaned and dressed and headed to O’Fallon, where I first browsed Big Orange (Home Depot), then stopped at Del Taco for lunch, went to Big Blue (Lowe’s), and in the parking lot I said to myself, “Self, that looks a lot like next-door neighbor Jim’s car”, of course I leave out the next-door neighbor part because of course I already know that he’s my next-door neighbor. So I park right next to it, get out, look in his back seat through the window, and I could recognize Jim’s jacket, and lo and behold they (Jim and Pat) were walking out as I was walking in. I had a very amusing conversation with the both, Jim is the kind of sarcastic that I truly like and appreciate, and he is forever making jokes about his misfortune to be married to Pat, but I know that they deeply care for each other (and to boot said I’m one of the ten most eligible bachelors in the county and can’t believe that no woman has snapped me up yet, they know my value very well!) and Pat riffs very nicely with Jim and always has snappy repartee. It is a joy to converse with both. I browsed the entire store and bought 2 garden hand tools as I misplaced my transplanting trowel from last week, think it went into the trash with empty pots, and 3 bags of Sta-Green tree and shrub planting soil (I cannot say enough good things about this stuff and absolutely swear by it). I’ll put it to you this way, when you un-pot something you’ve purchased commercially, look what it’s planted in. Everything I get is in very light and fluffy stuff with a good quantity of what I would call mulch mixed with the other ingredients. That old black potting soil that hardens like a rock is so passé. So is topsoil, which will eventually compact into a hard mass. There, I’ll step off of my plant-box, so to speak! In this case, Big Orange had 25% off on all evergreens, so I went back there and bought 2 blue spruce and 2 perennial flowers, don’t recall what they are, went home and puttered some more, planting the flowers but saving the spruce for Sunday. I eventually went in and ironed clothes for the evening, got dressed, and walked up the street to Tim’s, and Tim and I, J1, Ryan, and J2 loaded into Tim’s Ram and we drove to McGurk’s. After we were seated, Rob and Jaimie, Tony and Laura, and C1 and Carra joined us and we had a fun and rambunctious meal. I love going out to dinner with this crew because we always have a great time. I am the only non-married person in the group. It was Tim’s birthday Friday and mine is this Tuesday, and had Justin and Leslie joined us for dinner, we would have 3 birthday boys together. We finished with a round of Irish Car Bombs (pretty darn good) and headed back to “The Dale” which is the nickname of our subdivision. We did catch up with Justin and Leslie and all went over to C1’s driveway (the 3-car wide version) and he dragged out the fire-pit and we had some interesting conversations. I was tired and stayed later than I wanted to and said my goodbyes at about 23:30.

I slept well and woke up just after 07:00 by the sound of a loud lawnmower and realized it was the guy who cuts the common ground (my windows were open), so I’m not going to try to go back to sleep, so its up and about, read two papers plus the weekend ads, puttered around, listened to my favorite radio show, planted the 2 spruce, and puttered some more. I had to install a new server at work, so left about 14:30 and arrived at work at 15:00, updated a bunch of programs to point to the new server, waited for my boss and a co-worker to show up to run some tests to their satisfaction, bolted from there at about 16:45, and headed straight for The Dog as this was the Sunday for their annual Fall Festival. They do things up so well at The Dog for certain occasion that I have learned in less than two years that when they put on a special event, go! I missed the fall festival last year. I rolled in an everyone was outside and tables with umbrellas in the side-year, an acoustic 3-piece band on a trailer, the outside hut which is named “Gene’s Dog House” was open for business and there was a great crowd there. I got a beer and socialized a bit, got a plate dinner and sat down and ate. There was some very humorous stuff going on started by my friend and ringleader Tom. Greg’s wife Ginger showed up in a serious neck brace. She was fine when I saw her Friday night. You can use your imaginations a bit her, but Tom made up a hilarious story about a certain sex act occurring in the car sitting on the train tracks and hearing the whistle of the train blowing. This was one of those viral things because after Tom started the rumor it got back to us later by several different people and was a running joke of the evening. Tom’s wife is nicknamed Ham and she and I are getting to the point now where we like to comically trade insults and we had a hilarious time bantering back and forth. Paul was there and between him and me, we know every rock and roll song, artists, album, etc. ever recorded. I’ve never met someone as well-versed as I am, and frankly Paul is more well-versed than I am. We have spent hours talking about very specific songs, groups, etc. I ended up hanging around the Dog House with Jo Ellen and Dave and Dave eventually left to go frog gigging. Now for a quick aside, between the two major floods that we had this year, a damp spring, way more rainfall than normal, etc., we have a bumper crop of bugs, and to that, a bumper crop of frogs and toads unlike I’ve ever experienced. I remember sandbagging in May where you could hardly take a step without stepping on a frog. I’ve never had frog-legs but I would be willing to try.

So Paul and I ended up keeping Jo company and we had a hoot and Jo was dishing up about a lot of stuff in the past that I didn’t know. Her youngest sister Sherry was there and I think we’ve only met once before, she was very funny, had a lot of personality, and certainly found out a lot of things about me. It’s all about connections. My other neighbor Tim (T2) stopped by on his Harley and I talked with him quite a while and I bought him a beer while he was there. After the band quit (they were very good), it got dark and everyone either moved indoors or left, so we hung outside with Jo and Sherry and later helped Jo and Nikki clean up the whole outside area, stack the chairs and tables, etc. Jo bought Paul and I a couple of beers for helping. Earlier in the evening they handed out prizes and I won a Bud hat and a Bud Select bottle-hugger. For as much as I’ve invested in both brands, they should give me franchise! We all went inside and had some beers and I left way past my bedtime and made it home about 22:30 and went straight to bed.

Kris and I had some texts back and forth but no words from Susan or Mary all weekend. As of course, I’ll include the disclaimer that to tell you everything that went on is physically impossible to type.

Dutch

P.S. Gas is $2.97 here this morning.

No problem Booka - whenever you get a bug in your bonnet for some Chicago fun - although spring/summer is best with all the fests and all........you have a tour guide!

Home Run Inn right out of the oven? You've heard of HEAVEN, haven't you???

My weekend was OK - didn't do much of anything - with the bad back and all....I did go last night to the Chicago Theatre to see Kathy Griffin live - she was wicked funny! I had no idea that she had such a faithful gay following (I went with three of my homosexual pals) - and I'm not kidding - I do believe I was one of the 25 or so straight people in the audience!

Made for some GREAT people watching though......the two guys next to me were snuggling the entire show - I couldn't help but stare!!! Does that make me a bad person??

This afternoon, I figured out that I used to work with Ann Patchett's sister, Heather. Interesting thing to figure out you have a connection with a PEN Faulkner Award winner. Shall I add that to having known, in my youth, a now-deceased Pulitzer Prize winner?

I had parent-teacher conferences today. Ah, if only my children would turn in all their assignments.

Spent a couple of hours with my mom today.

It was an EXCELLENT day!

Friday night was football

Saturday I worked and then my son's homecoming dance was that evening and M came over.

Sunday I worked and M came over.

Today my son got an "all clear" for playing football which he was/is sooooo excited. Friday night is Senior Recognition for football and his dad has confirmed that he will be here. Which is a first in many many years that he has come HERE to see our son. We have about 30 friends and family coming to watch him play Friday night.

Now were there gay friends male or female? I have this theory that states that hetero-women can prefer the company of gay-men as they find them non-threatening. To be exclusively in the company of gay-men would indicate avoidance of hetero-men for at least irrational and perhaps unhealthy reasons. Note that these are general observations and opinions and apply to the general population and not specifically to your night out with a few gays.

I feel we're to some degree a product of our generation, where overt homosexuality was not a reality. I tend to stand mouth agape at the PDA's of lesbians.

Now if women hang with gay-men, should men hang with lesbians and do lesbians make good wingmen?

Who's winning at Monopoly, you or M? Or are there more interesting games involved?

I am winning!! It's actually fun playing against someone who is just as competitive as myself!

And no other games are being played....I guarantee that!!

I saw my Hawk buddy on the way home today and had to stop and get some pictures of him.

He's doing so well since his rehab.

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/Hawk3.jpg

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/R_Tison/Hawk4.jpg

Not being smart Pariah but how do you know it's him?

I could see his leg band.

Next time I see him around, I'll get a shot of it in the picture.

He hangs around where he was released last year.

He could be anywhere in a radius of a few miles, but chooses the field a few miles down the road.

That's really cool!

I believe that's correct Booka, but incomplete. I have a couple of gay friends (they are an actual couple). I used to work with one of them. We don't live in the same city but we are still in the same line of work so we meet up at conferences and hang out the whole time. We have a riot - they are great guys and yes, completely non-threatening. I hung around them while I was still married and I can hang around with them now.

The thing is, it's nice to have opposite sex conversation and company once in a while but the mating-dance ritual aspects can be very tiresome (if single) and completely inappropriate and unwelcome (if not). Other than their sexuality, they are just regular guys. And honestly, I'm not interested in anyone's sex life unless I'm involved so it doesn't even play a role.


Some hetero guys fantasize about lesbians. I simply can't comprehend this but it must be common enough that sitcoms and other comedies occassionally use it as a joke.

[quote=booka

Now were there gay friends male or female? I have this theory that states that hetero-women can prefer the company of gay-men as they find them non-threatening. To be exclusively in the company of gay-men would indicate avoidance of hetero-men for at least irrational and perhaps unhealthy reasons. Note that these are general observations and opinions and apply to the general population and not specifically to your night out with a few gays.

[/quote]

I was with both - two gay men and one lesbian. I didn't know the lesbian until the evening of the show - she's a pal of the two gay guys.....

As for non-threatening, NO WAY! This particular gay guy couple has MUCH better taste than I do - and I'm always on edge that I am dressed ok, hair done just right, nails clean and polished....etc......cause they DO notice...

Really looking forward to this weekend.

This evening I am meeting for dinner with one of my close friends. He's the husband of my closest female friend. He's heling me plan for my wedding next month. We haven't sat down alone to talk ina couple of months.

Spending tonight and the rest of the weekend with my fiance. First alone weekend we've had in about six weeks and we need it. There's a Taste of thing ina town next to us where you taste food and drink. Normally not my kind of thing but my fiance is a chef so she loves it. we will attend that.

so much to plan. Getting close.

Well, my house is now on the market so I'm spending the bulk of the weekend keeping it clean. Sunday I'm off to a BBQ with BF for the afternoon so I will get a break. I can't wait until the house is sold, I've moved and settled and I don't have to spend all my free time working on it!

This weekend will be spent at my local Community Awareness Fair - setting up our display booth tonight and sitting at the Fair tomorrow. I participate on two city Commissions - so my presence is required. After set up tonight, my BF and I will be attending the high school football game, the son of one of my dear friends is the Varsity quarterback, and this is a huge rival game!

On Sunday, I will spend the day with BF and his kids, and their husband/boyfriend. We're going to Indiana to an outlet mall for some shopping (gotta keep the economy going, I say!) and then we go to Michigan for the BEST hamburgers in the whole wide world!

So, it will be busy, but not too busy.

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!
Laura

Tabby, may I suggest that not every man you meet is a consideration for "the one" and that they can instead be both hetero and friends. I have many hetero female friends.

To be completely clear, I do not advocate against having gay friends. I would advocate that you have plenty of straight friends of both sexex.

Ah, a threat that I hadn't considered

What and where is the burger place in Michigan? I go up that way several times a year and would be interested in knowing where to find it.

Dutch

While this may be true, it's awefully helpful when you are a fashion-moron like myself. I pay attention when they critique my clothing and if they say I look hot, I'm SMOKIN' hot!!!

And Booka I do have hetero friends of both sexes but there's something special about my gay friends.

I had discussed with Susan Wednesday when she took me out to lunch for my B-day (Tuesday) that we meet up for drinks tonight. I've added up that we've had 3-lunches, 1-drinks meet-up, and one real date. I'm not sure how to classify that relationship other to say that we're friends. We started with hugs and progressed to s single good-bye kiss. I don't know where we are heading. If Susan can't make it, I'll try with Mary whom I have yet to meet, and otherwise go to The Dog for friends, family, and fellowship.

Saturday I have some long grass to cut, want to wash all of rugs and clean both bathrooms a bit, so the usual Mr. Domestic stuff during the day, and then what I'm hoping to be the highlight of my weekend will be to attend a party in Chesterfield at a work-mate's house and Kris, who I have not met yet, will meet there. She is actually going to come inside the party to find me, for which I will award seldom awarded bonus points. She seems to match my personality, outlook, and energy level. She is 38. I'm bringing a nice Cab and we'll talk and take it from there. I rarely get excited about meet and greets anymore but may be a little excited about this one. We shall see. Depending on when that ends, I'd like to get a bit of dancing in at The Dog.

Sunday is completely open for prospects, including all of the aforementioned women.

It was 38 when I rolled out this morning and saw quite a bit of frost in the low-lying areas. Gas was $2.86 last night.

Dutch

I am also a fashion-moron or can say that I defy whatever fashion there is for men.

And if you do turnout for some evening smoking hot, please email me a picture, a man needs his fantasies!

Dutch

It's called RedAMaks in New Buffalo, MI - open from early May - late October.....it's a little hole in the wall, nothing on the menu but heart clogging fried things......AWESOME.....the burgers, well, I can say this - the waxed paper that they come wrapped in is soaked with grease, and the burger just slides down your throat!!!

I don't know how to post a link - here's the site:

www.redamaks.com

I somehow have heard of it before, perhaps they have a sign along the highway or something. My parent live a bit north of there but do get down to New Buffalo upon occasion and I'll inquire if they've heard of the place.

There is a real old-fashioned diner in Zeeland, where my parents live, that's just fabulous called Frank's.

The thing is, all a hetero man needs to see "hot" is a bit of cleavage or a short hemline. When my gay guy says I'm hot - well trust me it's a lot better than that!

Daughter and I are going to the symphony tonight. We don't always dress up. But, she is threatening to dress up tonight. Hmmmm, I have the outfit. It remains to be seen if we will go dress casual or dressed well. I haven't dressed up in several months. So, I can dress up or dress down. Hmmmm....

Gonna go hear YoYo Ma tonight.

I volunteer to be the judge of your hotness.

Ah, you must be near a center of culture!

Yes....some highbrow and some lowbrow.

Last week I saw Poo-Poo Broussard and the Chee Weez. This weekend I have a Mardi Gras party for my cousin that's a Duke in the Krewe of Herculese this coming year. The Krewes start a tad earlier than the rest of the public.

I'd say my culture is more Unibrow!

A name like Poo-Poo is to be avoided! It makes Bubba sound like a great name.


YoYo Ma looked like he would be a pretty nice guy. Looked very approachable. Like he would actually be a relatively normal person.

The percussion piece was incredible......I have never seen a musician that active in my life. It was so incredible. Soloist's name was Joseph Gramley, I think. If you ever have a chance, see him.

There was a piece written by a male composer from Uzbekistan, a piece written by a female composer from China, and Don Quixote by Strass....conducted by a man from Nicaragua.

And, on the way out, I actually had a conversation with a best selling author who has won a PEN Faulkner Award and been a National Book Award finalist.

Today, I took daughter to work at 6 a.m. Then, I came home and crashed for 2.5 hours, awaking again at 9:10 - after my scheduled arrival time to do something for church youth group at 9 a.m. - so I jumped back into some clothes and arrived at the building at 9:30 to tend the pumpkin sale. No customers so I spent 1.25 hours rearranging pumpkins to increase road presence. Then, I went to a grocery store to buy lunch and on to a friend's house to see her garden and get some plants and seeds.

After that, I went and picked daughter up at work. We went to see my mom for a few minutes and left to go home for a bit.

At 2:45, we left to go to the library. I dropped both children off and went back to the church building to drop off an inflatable pumpkin to draw attention to the sale. Then, back to the library. It is library fine forgiveness week and son left some books at home so I had to go back home to get books (only 2 miles). After that, I went back to the library for about 30 minutes. Then we came back home and I took a short nap.

After that, I got dressed up and went back to the church for a 25th wedding anniversary party for some friends.

When I got home, I discovered the dog had committed a really huge puddle on the den floor and I had to help daughter deal with that.

Did I do enough today?

I went to daughter's place of employment 2x, library 3x, and church 3x.

Yep Cinderella you did enough today!!!!!! You forgot the two naps on the list though!!!! A mother's job!!!!

I worked a volleyball tournament at HS, kept track of the limbero's, wasn't sure what that was when I first got there, but a quick lesson, and did the best that I could.

Got groceries as it is my turn to cook for Wednesday night, scalloped potatoes and ham or Chili Mac, your choice with green beans salad and dessert. I do the food from scratch or semi homemade as that one lady on TV says, and they can't figure why I always turn a profit on my night to cook!!!! I won't have to do this again til January though!!!

Talked with a new guy from online dating, seems nice enough. Will see.

Daughter called and said that she did want to go out to the youth barn dance/hay ride. So put groceries away and went out there, just got home at 10:30. Pretty cold!!!!

Got to talk to oldest GS until he said he was hanging up on me so that he could call back and leave me a message! He is 4 and it's fun to talk to the machine!!!

Will bowl tomorrow after doing SS and church. Normal weekend for me! What has become of my life?


Wait we all get to read Monday about booka and the gal pal's he connected with over the weekend!!!! Anybody else ever get jealous???

Dawn

Yes, I will admit that I do.....I have this visual of Booka in my head - and the visual I have of him is someone that I would love to hang with!

I am in awe of his ability to meet new people in any and all circumstances - when I started dating, I had NO luck smiling at strangers on the street and striking up a conversation - no matter how hard I tried! I failed miserably. And, I volunteer at church, at an animal shelter, I'm involved in city politics, and still didn't meet anyone new! I failed miserably.

The only way I was able to meet available men was through blind date fix ups by my married friends......I was just getting my courage up to try online dating when I was fixed up with my BF.

Laura

I thought I would share photos of the area where I live.

The mountains of Northwestern Pennsylvania in the Fall.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1350525086_30115084_1658.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1350525086_30115090_3159.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1350525086_30115092_3703.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1350525086_30115094_4264.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1350525086_30115098_5439.jpg

This last one is the sunset on Lake Erie.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/alluringreeneyes/n1493624368_30025959_6136.jpg

Pictures are AWESOME!

I've always thought that the hills during the fall look like big mounds of fruit flavored Trix cereal. :RollieEyes:

AGE,

How beautiful!!! I will have to take a drive and take some pictures of the prairie with the creeks running through and the colors of the trees!!!

We forget sometimes how beautiful of place we live in til we share with others!!!

Dawn

Fantastic pix AGE!

Tab's mom came all the way from Mississippi to help with her as she isn't getting any better. However when Tabs found out her mom was coming, we had to clean the house spotless and she could do that whereas she couldn't even get out of bed for weeks.

I personally think she has a sprained or torn ligament in her back and not a damaged disk, which is good news.

Just the thought of her mom coming over helped her alot. Her mom and I discussed the psychological effect of her visit on Tab's recovery. We both agreed that her staying a week should get her back up and running.

Roxy took right to her mom and they were inseperable. Her mom is beyond amazed at how friendly, cuddly, gentle and smart Roxy is.

She let her sit in her lap and eat supper with her.

Thanks guys! It is beautiful here! I always think of the mountains looking like a patchwork quilt in the fall!

I'll try to remember to post some winter pictures as the snow will start flying soon.

Did Laura get her hamburger(s) this weekend?

For the uninitiated, I am 6'2", about 215, 34" waist, natural blonde hair with no bald spots, blue eyes, Van Dyke, of Dutch extraction, have a very tidy and organized home, will finish my 30th year with the same employer November 20th, and have many interests.

As a note, gas was seen here at $2.76 this weekend.

Here goes:

Wednesday when Susan took me to lunch for my birthday she had mentioned meeting for drinks and I had suggested that Friday would work good for me. No word was heard from Susan since Wednesday, so Friday afternoon I texted her with no response and then at quitting time called her with no answer and I did not elect to leave a voice mail. She has property at a lake in NE Missouri and said that she needed to get her boat and I will assume that is what she elected to do. Phone coverage may be spotty up there and Susan also has some PA (Passive-Aggressive) tendencies and I don’t let any of this bother me. My value is very high and I’m sure that she is aware of it. It’s her move.

So I went home at watched a movie for a bit, made a big sandwich, and then headed to The Dog. The Dog up until this point has always been a cash-only affair with a most ancient manually operated (non-electric) cash register. It doesn’t even have a crank on it; you must depress the correct buttons with much vigor to rack-up the sale. Things are changing and last Sunday I saw the, insert drum-roll here please, the ATM machine, the only ATM in St. Paul, and the only one for several miles. I had the distinct pleasure of using it Friday night and made a pretty big deal about it for Eric, Kelly-baby, Mike and Nan and they were highly amused in my exuberance and enchantment with the ATM. I repeatedly told them that I was going to grab my camera and take a picture of it. A debit/credit terminal will be installed this week completing the picture.

I try to explain The Dog to people and it’s hard to really give the full impression of it. Friday nights are karaoke night and I also call it social night. The Dog is a social environment is a huge part of the social fabric of the town. You can get all of the news in one place. It is a place that people go to socialize and is the least like a pickup place of anywhere I go. That doesn’t mean you might never meet someone who captures your interest there for I always say you’ll never know who will walk through that door. My expectations are such that I enjoy The Dog for the social and entertainment value and have zero-expectations that I will meet someone there.

My modus operandi is to work my way around from group to group, first touching base and then later focusing on subjects that are of interest to me. This activity can last all night. That was a pretty-good description of how things started out, but they got very interesting later. Firstly, Kerri the busty-blonde was there as is her custom for Friday evenings and she and I flirted quite a bit in a very humorous fashion and in a physical manner. Then later SuzyQ, my busty-blonde workmate arrived with her current BF Mike in tow and with her friend Lana and her husband. SuzyQ and I have always had some chemistry and if you asked me would I, I would say yes. So she greets me with a hug, introduces her party, none of which I met before, ordered a bucket, and invited me to sit at their table. This I did after finishing a current conversation. I joined their table in some small-talk, but it was obvious to me that SuzyQ and Mike felt a little apprehensive by my presence as if I was the wild-card in the deck. I of course could care less and forge onward. My friend and fellow alderman Anna and her husband Kerry show up, so I joined them. I typically tell people that Anna is the most rational woman I have ever met. Her and I tend to have very high-bandwidth information exchanges and out of all of the people I know in St. Paul, she in my closest match intellectually. I later ask SuzyQ if she wants to have a quick trip to have a look at my house. She gets all nervous about the idea and her insecurity is like an intense light shining brightly. I am frankly a little put-off about her display and tell her that I’m going to return to my conversation with Anna, which I did. Anna, Kerry, and I talked for about the next hour and they took their leave and SuzyQ and her party shortly after that. Anna gave me multiple hugs and SuzyQ also gave me an exit-hug. Not bad for a Friday night. Then things got pretty funny. My friend Keith comes in with a shorter hair cut, a shirt with sleeves, and his very long goatee gone. I don’t recognize him at first and that fact alone was a source of amusement that lasted all weekend. I thought the guy was Keith’s better looking brother! It took some time to realize that it was indeed Keith and I commented at how much better he looked. There were more rounds of communication and I ended up leaving about 00:30.

I got up Saturday about 10:00 and started major housework that kept me going for hours. I then got cleaned up, did some ironing (I am the king of ironing) and got ready for my first meet and greet with Kris. My friend and workmate Dan has a most unique house on top of a bluff in Chesterfield, which is about a 40-minute drive. This was his fall wine festival, so I brought a bottle for him, a bottle for Kris and me, and two wine glasses. I arrive just prior to 18:00 and standing there talking to Dan is his next door neighbor Bill, who I knew from the amateur-radio club that I used to belong to, so that was a bit of a surprise and we caught up on news while another pretty interesting thing happened.

I have to hearken back to the last time I went out for drinks with my hairdresser Jill. She has a friend Ashley who has many mutual acquaintances with me. Ashley is as cute as a bug, very early 20’s, and comes from our neighboring town, Josephville. She is related to my fellow alderman Lori whose husband Bill might be Ashley’s uncle. Everybody is related around here and in just a few questions I can figure out a lot about a person from what family they came from. So Ashley tells me back then, probably September, that she knows someone at my work who was encouraging Ashley to apply for a job there. I tell Ashley that she can use me for a reference.

Friday late in the work-day I walked to the other side of the building to catch-up with my best friend Chris. We start talking and this woman walks in to talk to Chris. He introduces me to her, Tracy, and we shake hands and chitchat in a very humorous fashion before Chris and Tracy settle down into a work related conversation. I am thinking to myself, this woman looks familiar, and ask her if I saw her at the Mexican restaurant I went to for lunch on Tuesday, she answers yes. She then tells me that she has heard of me through Ashley, but I didn’t put it all together at the time. Let’s just say that I was attracted to her and that she met several of my criteria and I learned quite a bit about her. I was of course my charming self and her body language was telling me that she had some interest. It was commented by someone else sitting close by that I was hitting on her. Altogether it was a pleasant experience.

So, who is at Dan’s party but Tracy? She sidles up to my conversation will Bill and we get into the subject of work while naturally of course I’m flirting with her. She recalls for Bill the conversation with Chris and is under the assumption that I work with Chris. I reply that I worked in another department. She asked why I stayed for the entire conversation and I reply in a humorous fashion that I stayed to enjoy the full effect of her charming company. This causes her to pause and I remark to Bill that my statement to Tracy was pretty good stuff. This goes on for a bit more and I run into her a couple of more times during the party. I excused myself to go out to my car (Ford Focus ZX5) and was in the process of grabbing the bottles and glasses when Kris rolls up in her vehicle, which I believe was a Toyota SUV. Dan is on a court and I was parked very close to his house, so Kris had ample time to observe me and waved in recognition upon approach, rolled her window down, we said hi and finally glad to meet you, etc. I tell her I’m fetching the wine and to go ahead and find a parking spot and I’ll wait for her. She does and I end up walking up to where she parked and gave her a nice hug. Now I know that the women are going to want to know about Kris, so here goes. Prior to this point, I had only seen a head-shot of her. She was prettier in person and might be of Italian extraction, although I did not inquire. She was quite plump and I couldn’t help but think that if she lost some weight she would be a knockout, but life is seldom that simple. We immediately launch into conversation and talked on the walk to the house. We got inside and I made some introductions and opened and poured the bottle. As an aside, I am never nervous for a date and this proved to be the exception and I was glad that I got there before she did and had a chance to relax. The first 5-minutes might always be the toughest but we soon found our rhythm and after talking for about 20-minutes or so, we went outside and sat near a fire-pit and spent most of the evening there. Kris I have to say is my equal match in personality and boldness and I do award points for that. I made more introductions and she had some snappy repartee with my workmate Jeremy who is Mr. Personality and from Texas, which made the Mizzou game (Kris’s ala mater) against Texas a very interesting experience for me and they bantered back and forth about the game which was on Dan’s TV. This was compounded by the fact that the Rams were playing Dallas the next day. Jeremy even asked for Kris’s phone number so that he could heckle her for both games. This was an interesting scenario, he asking for Kris’s number in both mine and his girlfriend’s presence. I don’t care the least as people are free to choose what they want. I am secure in myself.

So, as the evening progressed, Kris and I covered a lot of ground. She works for some foundation funded by the United Way that does something for women and she was very interested in the fact that I’m an alderman and asked my about my political ambitions. Dues to my conversation with Anna, It looks like I’ll be running for mayor in 2-years. Kris gave me free reign to get up and wander around and said she could handle herself. I can’t tell you what a huge freedom that was to me. I did get up a couple of times to browse conversations and ran into Tracy one last time before she took off for the evening. I’ll need to define some context here. I was enjoying Kris and she was my “date” but I was seriously disturbed, in a positive fashion of course, by Tracy and don’t recall being on a date before and being so conflicted. It was a very interesting feeling.

Kris and I had the fire-pit to ourselves and the conversation was working and there was the usual physical interaction of touching of arms, etc. About 21:15 she said she was tired (she did have a big and long day) and I said that I was ready to shove off and we said goodbye to everyone and I walked her out, dumping the wine glasses in my car first, and then accompanying her to her car. I gave her a nice hug, turned to face her, and it was obvious she wanted to be kissed, and we spent several minutes doing that. I told her goodnight and that I would be in contact and sent her on her way. I got in my car and drove directly to The Dog for my first visit this season of band night. The house was rocking led by a female singer/bass-player that I have seen several times and I danced a lot. I dance mainly with married women who all know me and husbands or for the “single” women boyfriends are all my friends and know that I am “safe”. After the XW cheated on me, I could never have an improper relationship with a married woman and it’s not in my character to do so. I avoid the “currently separated” like the plague. So I would dance, usually with several women simultaneously, and we all have a good time, and then I would return to the bar and chat with several people, including my friend Paul who told me Friday night that he was thankful that I was his friend. I get verklumpt about those things because it’s just natural for me to be that way and to be very good friends with many different people. It’s my very being. The Dog had a very busy day with a poker run in the afternoon and then one of Jo Ellen’s cousins having a wedding in the side-yard of The Dog. The wedding party kept coming in and out and I could best describe them as being dressed in flower-power era clothing and also with the emphasis on warmth of a high of 60 day. There was one stunning young woman among them out on the dance floor with a most unique outfit that was just a pleasure to watch. Too young for this old geezer! I have gotten to the point where people are making a point to introduce me to people I don’t know. Nikki, who is Jo Ellen’s niece introduced to another stunning young blonde, Priscilla believe it or not, and I have several amusing chitchats with her and complimented her on her footwear. There was more dancing, I had a good conversation with Jerry, Nikki’s husband, who I have some special connections with, both being born in Maryland for example, and I launched into a diatribe on why I am not attracted to the extremely attractive and high-maintenance women and Jerry was validating every thing that I said and commented specifically about how he had found a good woman in Nikki. This of course is in contrast, which Paul and I discussed heavily, to Steve and Renee and Jason and Cynthia who all revel in discussing and displaying their unhappiness in their marriage partner. Renee is infamous for cheating on Steve and in general has the type of behavior that Dave just rolls his eyes at and when Dave rolls his eyes, it’s his rare show of disapproval, so I know that it carries a lot of weight and that he knows and has seen things that I haven’t. Just another little benefit of living in a very small town.

There were some funny hijinks between my friend Rick and Glen concerning straws in beer bottles. Glen, Dave, and Rick were out frogging earlier in the evening and are very secretive about where they went and how many they got. They don’t want it generally known that they have frogs. This is how the tell me they do it, in a johnboat, with a trolling motor and a spotlight, to which they shine into the frog’s eyes, temporarily blinding them, and then they garb them by hand and put them into a bag. There are many reasons for this technique and of course the result is frog-legs and a food item, very popular around here and with a huge crop of frogs this year.

More dancing and before I knew it, it was 01:00 and last call and I shut the place down, something I haven’t done in a while. I helped Jo Ellen fold up some chairs outside from the wedding and we are planning as a group to attend a concert together in December for a local Pink Floyd tribute band that plays 5-shows a year and sells out every time. They out on quite the show and I’ve always wanted to go. I left right at 01:30 and it was home to bed.

I couldn’t sleep past 08:00 Sunday, so got up and read the paper inside as it was the first Sunday of the fall that it was too cool to read outside on a Sunday morning. After spending most of Saturday inside for housework, I spent most of Sunday outside and mowed the grass in the early afternoon after it had dried out a bit. I had a long talk and walk with the other Tim, I’ll call him T2, he is about my age and we have a lot in common. We ended up in my driveway and he complimented me on my grass and landscaping, which I put a lot of effort into but always enjoy doing it. I retired inside, watched “28 Days Later”, made a frozen pizza for my first and only meal of the day, and then when all was said and done, ran the dishwasher and headed to bed at about 20:30 being tired and starting a new work schedule.

The work schedule will repeat on a 2-week basis and I will work 07:30-17:30 Monday-Thursday with Friday off, then 07:30-16:30 the next Monday, followed by 07:30-17:30 Tuesday-Friday. It probably sounds more complicated than it is. So up at 05:30 this morning and sent a text to Kris saying that I enjoyed her company and would like to see her again. I did have some texts from Mary on Friday and Saturday. And of course, the standard disclaimer, a whole lot more detail was encompassed by the whole weekend.

I LOVE zombie flicks!

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later are in my zombie flick collection.

Yes, Laura did get her wonderburger this weekend!!! I actually went for broke and had the DOUBLE - as the place closes until march 1st..........I'm still paying for it this afternoon!! All I can manage to eat is a yogurt so far......wayyyyyyyyy too many fried and greasy items yesterday!!!

And, as for your description, I'm normally attracted to dark haired fellows, I will make an exception in this case - will you consider dating ME??? Although we'd have to hang out in your tidy and organized home - as my home is 38 years old, and I have an unfinished home improvement project going on in each room!!

I really do respect and admire your ability to enjoy yourself no matter what you're doing! It would be way fun to sit with you with a beer, pizza and some football!!!

Laura

I haven't seen "28 Weeks Later" and would be curious as to how it compares to "28 Days Later".

I asked my Mom about Redamak's and she knew all about it and has eaten there before.

I will consider dating you and the beer, pizza, and football sounds good to me.

The place is an icon! You should have seen everyone there yesterday, ordering up as many burgers as they could swallow, as it's gonna be a looooonnnnnnnggggg winter....

Booka, your social life makes me dizzy.

And jealous.

What did I do Sunday? After church, we went out to eat....caribean. Then, we went home and I got my stuff together to go to the pumpkin patch at church. I took my knitting (sweater for some friends' baby), my reading (The Bullfighter Checked Her Makeup by Susan Orlean), my boombox and CDs, a folding chair, and my hula hoop. I played in the pumpkin patch for 3.5 hours. Then I went to the grocery store. Then, I went to some friends house for our scheduled get-together.

Now, I will admit that it was not a great fashion moment. But that happens, sometimes. So, here I was - in the middle of this lawn full of pumpkins in front of this big gorgeous Greek Revival styled church, listening to the Chris Casello Trio, and playing with her hula hoop.....nothing fancy......pumping, booty blitz, wild west, swish, warrior, along with some lifts. Pretty basic stuff....lots of fun....in front of all this traffic.

Anything to sell those pumpkins.

booka,

may i have 1/10 of your social life? each week is a chapter

I will be jungle trekking this weekend.
Next, I will be going on a 3-day rafting trip.

Then when I come back I may consider dating the person I met online... he's cute and intelligent, charming, but I think he is not completely healed from his last relationship.

Cinderella,

I in turn am jealous of your intake of culture and for missing the scene at the pumpkin patch. I want to hang with you!

Dutch

I got an offer on the house@!!!!!!!!!

Okay, help me you guys. The offer came in low with way too tight dates. I countered, moving the dates back. She agreed to the dates but came back below again. I'm at roughly 95% of the asking price now and it's my turn. I can accept it or take one more shot with the potential of making a mere $2000 more.

Not only that, I found out the woman is just going/gone through a divorce and is still living in the same house as her X (wants to get out immediately, hence the quick closing date). Her X is a control freak. He didn't allow her to have anything - no bank account, no credit cards, no bills in her name - nothing. Basically, she is off the grid. So she has no credit rating AT ALL. She is working with a bank to get a mortgage, but there is a chance she's at her outer limit already and the extra $2K will be too much. Also, given my situation I'm feeling a little soft now.

I don't know anything else - i.e. whether there was infidelity or what the reason for divorce is. The control freak thing does hit a few heart strings - I have a friend who's X was the same way if not worse. She was a SAHM for 20 years. If she needed gas in the car he gave her $20 - she had no access to the bank herself. She came home one day to find her stuff on the lawn and the OW living in her house with the locks changed (her name wasn't on the mortgage). Of course legally, she still owned half the house but try to deal with that on a Friday night with $10 in your pocket and a 1/4 tank of gas and nothing else.

Anyway, I shouldn't let these things sway me. I have a place to go whether it is now or 6 months from now. The Canadian market, while not the mess the American market is, is still unstable. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush and all that. My tenant is agreeable to the closing date (that was my reason for changing the dates). And it would be such a luxury to be able to set a dirty dish on the counter. It's only been a week but I can't take this obsessive-compuslive neat-freak lifestyle much longer@!!!!!!

The real estate guy is calling me at noon. I need to make a decision then. HELP!!!!!!!

Actually, those are just the weekends and due to the limitation of this medium I cannot fully encompass for you everything that goes on.

Sometimes I have relatively quiet weeknights, I have no TV service and no computer at home, I am a Netflix subscriber and a great lifetime lover of film, so I tend to watch a lot of movies and if there's something good at the theater (rare) I go after work. I am currently alternating between some recent additions to my DVD collection and a couple of BBC series that I'm watching on Netflix, "Ballykissangel" and "Monarch of the Glen".

Last night I had my Board of Alderman meeting and being an elected official tends to keep me busy at times. We scheduled an upcoming work session to talk about our annexation strategy, a class to get certified with FEMA, and the Municipal League BBQ is next Tuesday and I always enjoy those meetings and hobnobbing with people from the other municipalities. I might pop-in to the tavern upon occasion to catch-up socially. As the days are shortening, the opportunity to work of the yard is decreasing and that's something I do often and enjoy doing. I'm still looking for the right volunteer opportunity and feel at this point that I could schedule something for every weeknight that would get me out of the house.

I feel that a lot of what I would term people who are successful at being single tend to fill up their schedules with many activities. I know that I have to tremendous urge to give and I'm not expending it in a relationship, so I have to channel it elsewhere and I suspect that this is a common trait. There's at least one caveat to being successful at being single, and that is you don't really allow time in your schedule to date should you meet someone interesting enough to date, which for someone of high-standards is an interesting challenge in itself.

I will say this, I'm not hoarding any of my single life, you're all welcome to join me and share!

There's always wiggle room in who pays the closing costs, etc., so you might negotiate that she pay the majority of the costs of the actual transaction and then you could accept her offer knowing that things would probably even-out for you. I'd be extremely worried about her getting credit under her circumstances. If she can, based upon my other advice, I would accept the offer.

The closing cost rules are pretty hard and fast here. The seller pays the real estate agents (both of them), the buy pays the bulk of the legal fees.

It's typical to have a condition for finances and home inspection and there is a deadline associated with that as well. It was one of the dates we changed - to Saturday so that the deal will be final one way or another before the open house on Sunday. If her financing falls through, or if she doesn't like the home inspection report, the offer is withdrawn and the house stays on the market. Originally she had a date for next week - so it is a possiblity she may not be able to secure her funding by Saturday.

I've heard various stories - including a couple of them where they didn't accept the first offer, only to have the house stay on the market for months and eventually sell for the same price or less to somebody else. Again, I have a place to go without requiring a new mortgage, so there's no bridging going on here and I'm in no hurry to get out, other than the annoyance of having to live in a sterile environment (supreme challenge during leaf season I might add) and the fact that the market is quite unstable right now and my house value could just as easily drop before another offer comes in.

Update: I accepted the offer. Now she has until Sat to get a home inspection and confirm financing. If both pass, it's a done deal. If not, I'm back to the drawing board.

It occurred to me that I steal have to clean the bloody house and rake leaves Saturday because by the time I find out, it will be too late. Crap.

Well, I hope everything goes well for you and it goes easy.


I had to take Roxy to the vet yesterday because somehow she injured her cere (bird nose). The vet nurse was just absolutely taken by her and Roxy played and cuddled until the vet came to examine her.

She HATED the vet and tried every trick she knew to get a chunk of him. He has pet parrots, so her attempts were futile and she finally relented and let him see about her. She never bacame his friend, but you could see her planning her next move.

He got through with her and let her have her chance at him. She chased his yummie fingers all over the counter form one end to the other as he teased her. She was cackling and laughing as she tried to get him.

He truly loves animals his demeanor was one of concern and not apathy, he told me that my bird is one of the most exceptional cockatoos he's ever seen. She can tell you what she wants and knows the right phrases to communicate it. He said he could tell I loved my feathered companion as she is such a happy and healthy bird.

The nurse could just reach down and grab her while she was trying to get him and she would instnatly be gentle, still laughing and give her the kissy sound.

Anyways, he said her injury will heal just fine with no ill effects and it looks as if she was too busy celebrating being a cockatoo to notice anyways. For a cockatoo, life is a celebration and I've learned alot from her in the past 15 years.

Good luck Tabby1. The thought occurred to me as I enter the second fall since I've lived in my house, I have leaves on my grass for the first time. Now granted there's about 10 small ash-leaves, but this is the first time. Their from Jim & Pat's, my next door neighbor's ash tree. I have a crab-apple and it's small leaves blow far and away. I will not get an ash tree for the simple fact that no ash tree equals no food supply for the emerald ash-borer. Their not in our area yet, but I'm sure they'll eventually arrive.

It looks like this is the weekend to bring in all of my tropical plants.

I'm on my new flex-time schedule at work, which means I get tomorrow off and after that every other Friday (payday). Mary, who I've been emailing and texting for months, is off tomorrow as well and we are planning a luncheon meeting.

Jill, my gorgeous 20-something hairdresser, called me yesterday and asked if it was okay to set me up with one of her clients. I said of course and the client, Toni, emailed me last night and we've had a few other rounds and it looks like we'll be meeting up Saturday. I am particularly pleased and thankful to have a referral from Jill, I know for a fact that she wants to see me married again! Luckily, I have more patients then Jill.

Other than that, it will be a long weekend having Friday off and it's always possible that Mary and/or Toni will want to so something more, so we'll see. There's also a flea market I'd like to have a look at on Sunday. It seems that we've officially moved into our fall weather so any outdoor activity will be subject to the capricious weather and temperatures might not make it into the 60's this weekend. On a trivial note, gas is right around $2.70 here at the moment.

I hope that everyone has a fine weekend and you'll have my full-report Monday.

Dutch

I could never get any of those pages to load this week.