Busy, busy....

Last night I did go to the Elks for a meeting and to have dinner.  It is interesting to me that so many men from the police department are members.  They are fun to talk to but I always think they are sitting there with guns strapped to their ankles.  Maybe they are.

It was a long meeting since there were thirteen new members being brought in to the Lodge.  The main reason I went was to go to the Veterans meeting.  Functions have to be planned for this year to raise money for the Vets and we need to come up with some new ideas.

I'm co chairing a Fashion Show on November 19, 2011 and I touched base with the gal that is in charge.  We set up a meeting in June with the volunteers, to start organizing things.

Now on to the men.  Remember the man I went out with for lunch and then dinner the following night.  He left a message on my cell and invited me to come to his house for dinner on either Thursday or Friday.  Guess I wasn't out of his league. 

He is a very nice man, my age and at least available more then MP is.  I can fill in my time with him once in a while.  I was honest with him when I told him I wasn't ready for any type of committed relationship and I certainly hope he heard what I was saying.  We'll see if he is like every other man and has selective hearing or he really listened.

MP flew back from the East coast and called me last night while I was on my way to my meeting.  He returned late Monday and was in a flap about his business. Seems his people weren't doing what they were suppose to be doing and he was ready to make heads roll.  He will be tied up all this week and is not close by.  More like one hundred and fifty miles or so away for the jobs that he has going on.  We might get together next week....heard that one before, haven't you?  Me too.

I had a couple emails from a few sites that were just crazy.  One was from a thirty six year old that wanted to cuddle in front of a movie.  Nothing like seeing your grandson.  I didn't answer him.  Then there was another one that just said, "in praise of older women, " he wanted to chat, off he goes too.  He was forty nine.  The young are too young and the old too old.  Isn't there a happy medium.

Today I'm headed to San Clemente to meet with a few of the women that I go to Hawaii with and we will have lunch down there somewhere.  Just what I need, more food.  I have been keeping my weight pretty static so my choices seem to be working.  I do try to keep it around fifteen hundred calories a day and no more the two thousand..  It is easier then you think, especially since my husband is no longer alive and I don't have to just have meat.  I can eat Lean Cusine's, chicken and fish, which he would never touch.

So until tomorrow.

Ciao

Veterans...

Yesterday I met the Chairman of one of our charities from the Emblem Women's Club at the Elks  There are two transitional homes in the Santa Ana area for disabled and homeless Vets. We had collected two hundred and forty four rolls of toilet tissue to be split between the two homes.

You would think that our government, who gives billions to foreign countries, could at least take care of these men who served their country with simple items, such as toilet tissue.  I found out that these men have nothing.  In fact that morning they didn't have coffee, because they couldn't afford to buy it.

These men are given a small stipend for food, yes, they supply their own food from the food bank, and believe me it isn't much.  So, I'm beating the bushes for people to donate money so we can go to Costco and buy supplies.  I'll keep people apprised as time goes on.

Last night I had dinner with Kyla, my grand daughter, who has turned into a wonderful young lady.  I always enjoy her company and I think she enjoys mine.  Kyla  is getting a dose of reality coming back to California and I don't think she will be here very long before she goes back to Colorado.

As for men, I heard from the man I had brunch with Sunday.  The Friday night date hasn't contacted me.  I think he thinks I'm out of his league.  Not that I am, but then that is his problem.  He really is in a different place in his life and wants someone permanently.

I heard from my man, that I've been hearing from for months, that lives in Malibu and does something with movies.  He has been contacting me a lot but he is another one that travels all the time like MP. 

Speaking of MP, he was supposed to come home last night, whether he did or not I don't know.  He has a very, very complicated life and I'm getting more then a little tired of being last on his list.  I don't do last well.  I'll see what transpires this week after he gets back into his jobs.

I had someone ask me if I thought that all the good men were taken or gone.  I'm not so sure there are any good ones left out there.  Maybe I'm just too picky or maybe I'm out of touch with what is happening now.  I'm about ready to get off these sites and sit back for a while and do nothing.  It might be a relief.

Have a great day.

Sunday Brunch...

Our May grey has arrived although it burns off about one or so.  I got up this morning, let Senora out and fed all the animals.  I also thought I better do two loads of laundry.  Since I got up about 7:30 am, I had plenty of time to get myself ready for my brunch date at one of my favorite restaurants, Nieuport 17.  Yes, it is spelled that way for the airplane, even though it is on Newport Ave.

I met my age appropriate date at the proposed time of 12:30 pm.  He was better looking then his picture, although not handsome by any means.  We were taken to a booth and the atmosphere was the 5 watt bulb kind. Great for hiding wrinkles.  He was personable.  He had been a salesman and had raised three kids on his own after his wife died.  There is more of that wife dieing thing going around then one might realize.

He was interesting, but  like most men, segued into taking me to Napa, and points North in the future.  He said he wanted to see me again, but forgot to ask if I wanted to see him.  He also announced that he didn't want sex as much as he had in his fifties.  Why would anyone tell you that on a first date.

I'm beginning to think I bring out the worst in men.  They always say how comfortable it is to be with me and how the conversation is always great.  I swear, I never bring up sex...maybe they are just MEN!  It happens with almost everyone I meet.  Good thing I'm liberal and not up tight.  I can just laugh it off or say a clever quip.  It really does become tiresome.

We did have a lovely brunch of eggs Benedict and champagne, and two and a half hours of conversation.  Not all sex, but politics, travels, his family and so forth.  He told me his daughter wanted to know where he was going since he was meeting me for the first time.  I guess she thought I was going to take him somewhere by gun point.  She can have him back, no problem.

So, now I'm home.  He doesn't have my  phone number but gave me his.  I will send an email thanking him for brunch and then I will go off the radar. 

Off to finish drying clothes, reading the rest of the paper and staying in for the night.  Tomorrow is another day and I'm hoping to go to a half way house for veterans to deliver some goods these poor guys need.  The club I belong to has adopted two homes as a project.

More at a later time.

After the "date"

A new restaurant, Italian, in an old location.  The food was delicious and it was a big surprise considering that everything that has ever gone into this particular location has failed miserably.

The man, my age, who took me out last night , was very comfortable to be with, although like I said before, no spark for me.  It was just a pleasant night.  He was so sweet after the dinner.  He walked me to my car and asked if he could give me a kiss.  Now, this is a rarity.  I can't remember the last time someone has asked if it was alright.  Chalk one up to being a gentleman.

I asked him what he was looking for and his answer was he wanted a significant other.  He has been a widower for two years.  I'm certainly not looking for that, at least at this point in my life. Being with someone for so long has made me appreciate the freedom of being alone.

There are times, of course, that it can be lonely.  I do have a very full life and most days are filled with things to do.  I either have a lunch, dinner, meeting, or various errands that take up the days.  Usually the weekends are the hardest to deal with.  I need to start painting or doing something to fill those two days up.

Tomorrow being Sunday, I'm meeting another guy,my age, for brunch/lunch. I guess I am lucky that I can pretty much go out at will...sometimes it does become a chore.  My whole purpose is to have a nice time and not get involved with anyone seriously.

So with the above being said, I'm going to watch t.v. and then go to bed. 

Nite-Nite

The Book....

The final draft of my book has been edited and submitted to my Agent.  The process moves very slow and per my Agent may be four to six months of marketing etc.  The Publishing Industry is a very interesting and complicated one and now all I can do is wait and see what happens.

On the man front, the nice man I had lunch with yesterday called me and wanted to take me to dinner tonight.  Wow, that was really fast and since I don't have anything to do tonight I said, "yes."  I enjoyed his company even though there wasn't a spark, at least for me. He is also my age  Maybe I am all sparked out with MP....again my poison of choice.

I also heard from a man that has been contacting me for months.  He lives nearby at the beach and for some reason keeps in touch.  I've never met him, nor have we had any kind of conversation.  He is young, forty nine, and still bemoaning the fact he divorced his wife.  I only answer him with a "hi"..no sense in leading him on as he is way too young for me.

Another man that came back is the man that wants to cheat on his girlfriend. What a guy!  Why would anyone want to deal with someone that announces he cheats.  This guy is fifty and is looking to "cheat" with an older women.  He basically wants a "booty" call, NOT! I did email him, yet once again, and told him I wasn't interested.  That will be the last time I email him and I may end up blocking him.

So tonight is my dinner date, who by the way just called to confirm and tomorrow is Saturday.  I may very well decide to clean out my closet.  Sometimes work is preferable to meeting a man that is of no interest.

Adios!

Thursday....

A few unexpected things have happened the last twenty four hours.  I'm trying to be calm and understanding, but since I have a tendency to be anything but calm, it is hard.

First I'll go into the good things.  I did hear from the man I had dinner with the other night and he said he thought we would be great together, not from my end of the spectrum.  Then last night I heard from a man that asked me to lunch today.  I decided to meet him.  He was willing to drive to my neck of the woods, so why not. 

He turned out to be a very nice man who had lost his wife several years ago.  There we again with that word nice and normal.  He was just your run of the mill average Joe that had worked as a salesman, retired and then lost his wife. He also was my age, but looked younger.  Good for him.  Most men my age look way past it. It was a nice lunch but I know I won't see him again.  I keep sifting through the men out there and I figure one of these days I will find someone that actually excites me, that is besides MP.

Now for the reason I'm trying to remain calm and understanding.  I received a phone call from MP yesterday afternoon.  I wasn't home and the message on the phone was a little garbled but the gist of it was that our date was canceled this coming Saturday night. 

He had to fly to the East Coast due to an ex family member having a serious health problem. I did ask him why he was going if it was an ex relative and his statement was they had asked to talk to him. Since they may be at death's door he felt he should go. I guess I should be glad he is Mr. Loyal and Caring.  However, with that being said, I just despise being on the bottom of the list and that's anyone's list.

  I called MP back as he had requested, but I had to leave a voice mail message.  He did call me back and went into detail about what was going on.  More information the I really wanted or cared to know.  He said he was returning home on Monday.

So again, he cancelled on me.  I emailed him telling him, and this was before I talked to him, that I wasn't happy and had about had it with the whole cancellation scenario.  He can charm the birds out of the trees and sound so sorry about things.  What a crock, but I do really like him and there isn't anyone else to replace him yet, so I will try and mellow out and take things as I get them.

After lunch today I came home to write this and to read the paper.  Tonight I'm headed out to an Emblem Club Meeting at the Elks.  I do have a chance to meet a man for coffee tomorrow, but I'm going to pass on that.  He is a year younger, but again looks ancient. I'd rather be home alone, bored, then out and bored with someone that isn't of interest.

I'll keep you up to date on what happens with MP next week.  I swear 10% of me wants to kick him to the curb and the other 90% wants to keep him around.  Of course the fact is he is never around so maybe the curb is a good idea.  I just don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

Dinner Date....

Oh my! Dinner last night with the man who was age appropriate was okay.  We went to Maggiano's Restaurant...not my favorite place, but so busy it was hard to believe it was a Tuesday night.  The food for me was too heavy and not the best flavor.  I muddled through.

He was a nice looking man with the cutest Jewish accent.  He was entertaining and talkative about all manner of things.  I keep thinking there is something wrong with me not being able to zero in on a perfectly nice man, albeit short. My mind kept drifting to all manner of things.  I was shopping, traveling and planning my week.  He kept talking.

This man had his PhD and was world traveled.  He wants to see me again, but since I think it is probably a waste of his time and mine I don't think I will send him my phone number. I called him, as he had sent me his phone number prior to our date.  I think this is probably the best way. I keep my number to myself and I can bow out gracefully.

Today I head out to the orthopedic surgeon to get my knee checked out again.  It still hurts like crazy and I need to find out if the fall I had tore the meniscus again.  I certainly hope not. 

So, I'm off to get showered and dressed to get myself to the doctor's office.  Then I'm home to iron and stay in.  It is raining and not pleasant outside.  A good day to stay home and get some things done.

That's it for now.