Places to Go Things to See People to Meet

Dating in your forties has some distinct advantages.

One benefit is that you get to go lots of really interesting places and meet all kinds of new people. Here is a brief synopsis of one couple’s past week. It works better with charts and string lines…but oh well…just read slowly.

Boyfriend goes with Girlfriend to help her daughter move (following daughter’s six week nightingale tour with great grandpa) with the aid of Girlfriend’s ex-husband, Girlfriend’s mother and daughter’s half brother. Girlfriend and ex-husband last met at daughter’s college graduation. Ex-husband’s current wife doesn’t attend…but is helpful and supportive from 400 miles away. Girlfriend walks away laughing at the sight of ex-husband and Boyfriend lying down next to each other. (okay…okay…they were on the floor peering under the washer discussing the best way to disconnect…but still….) At the end of the day ex-husband and father of Girlfriend’s daughter is highly appreciative of Boyfriend’s packing and truck driving abilities. Even dinner was an enjoyable event.

Boyfriend attends Girlfriend’s stepson’s high school graduation with assorted members of Girlfriend's family....Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s family…as well as family of Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s deceased wife. Following ceremony they also attend graduation party at ex-boyfriend’s home where Girlfriend use to live. Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s current girlfriend is an old friend. She wants to talk about the whacked-girlfriend in between, against whom we all have a TRO. Boyfriend is scrutinized by Girlfriend’s stepson’s deceased mother’s family. Boyfriend spends the better part of two hours hangin’ with Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s brother looking at Harleys and talkin’ aftermarket upgrades. All may be riding together to Hollister for the 4th.

Girlfriend accompanies Boyfriend to his stepson’s college graduation festivities. Girlfriend gets to hang with both of boyfriend’s second-ex-wife’s ex-husbands and her current boyfriend at the home of the second-ex-wife’s first husband (father of the graduate) and his current wife. Families of Boyfriend, his second-ex-wife and her first-ex-husband are all represented. Girlfriend of Boyfriend…and boyfriend of second-ex-wife are too far down the food chain to warrant a ticket to the ceremony. So…Girlfriend hangs with Boyfriend’s younger Airforce son (who flew in just for the weekend) for a few hours...all over town. Girlfriend’s daughter (see above) graduated from the same university a couple years ago. All families are sweetly friendly and overly welcoming to Girlfriend in a manner meant to covey to Boyfriend that he is still a beloved member of their family. Girlfriend enters the twilight zone.

Boyfriend, Boyfriend’s father, and Boyfriend’s sons do manly activities for Fathers’ Day. Girlfriend hangs out with Boyfriend’s mother…helping her with her blog….and reviewing the 200 plus photographs that Girlfriend took at the wedding of Boyfriend’s older son and new daughter-in-law. (that was the week before)

Girlfriend and Boyfriend take Boyfriend’s dog from Boyfriend’s second ex-wife for a few days camping in the Redwoods.

Big Basin Redwoods.
Three Days.

No cellphone coverage.
No internet access.
No ex’s.
No Jerry Springer.

Just the Twilight Zone.

Ecclesiastes and Etymology

to everything there is a season….
…and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I am thankful to be given this season.
I am grateful to be given this time.

a time to weep
a time to laugh
a time to mourn
a time to dance

when autumn comes I want to be laughing
and dancing…

a time to cast away stones…
and a time to gather stones together

I’m gonna keep track of the Summer

yesterday I sorta started a journey…
(and rather surprisingly to me)
yesterday I sorta started a journal

any etymologist out there?
who can connect journal and journey?

a time to rend
a time to sew
a time to keep silence
a time to speak

I am not much of a journal-ist and certainly have never been known to keep a diary. I’ve had a few…but it was the locked book concept that drew me…not the idea of jotting down my thoughts.

There are pages I wrote when I lost my brother and pages I wrote when I lost my best friend. Those pages served to articulate into order and logic the overwhelming crashing of emotion and circumstance which threatened to implode in my brain. Articulation soothed my pain.

a time to kill
a time to heal
a time to break down
a time to build up

I can’t promise healing.
I won’t promise damage repair.
I can promise to not break down.
I faithfully promise to build up

in a book I will articulate summers journey

to everything there is a season….
…and a time to every purpose under heaven.