Last weekend was something that I really never thought I would experience in my life. I actually stepped out of my life for just a couple of days and achieved a mini-vacation and at the same time experienced many post-divorce-now-returned-to-dating firsts. Which is notable, I think because I’ve been back at the dating thing for a year now. There are so many weird little firsts after you are divorced and start dating seriously again. And I’m still just now finally already getting to some of these firsts.

To be truthful, the weekend started last Thursday evening when he re-arranged his cabin closing schedule to stay in town so we could spend some time together. I drove up there for our usual Thursday evening “date” (which usually involves cooking each other dinner, talking about the world and all it contains and “watching” a movie. ahem.)

It was a wonderful evening.

And then, I got to go back there on Friday. SM was arranged to watch the dog and I, brazen hussy that I am, apparently, stayed at his house Friday and Saturday nights.

It was quiet and ‘domestic’ in some ways. On Saturday when we got up, he walked me through his exercise routine I’ve been bugging him to show me this because he says that his exercises help the arthritis in his hip. The side benefit is that his hips are uh, in good shape and flexible. Read into that whatever you want. It’s probably true.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

After that we took a hike through the park near his house. We walked most half some of the 8 -10 mile route he rides during the summer months.  We had a great conversation where we shared bad dating stories and talked about pets and what else… oh yes, reminisced about the last time we walked through this park and discovered that the portion of the path that we might have been a bit inappropriate on is clearly not visible from the paved part of the path, even now with the leaves off the trees.

After a shower and lunch we delivered the last of his son’s hockey fundraiser stuff and picked up a few things at the grocery store. So here I was as we drove up to these people’s houses and he gave them the frozen food they ordered from the fundraiser. And they’d look at the car with me in the passenger seat and Mr. Hockey at the door and they’d just look. Also, this was the first time I’d been at a grocery store with someone I am dating a boyfriend (I have got to get used to that word.)

Late afternoon he had a couple of hours of watching his son try-out for hockey team while I stayed at his house and watched TV and knit. When he came home we made a chicken pot pie (from scratch), apple crisp (from scratch) and a strawberry spinach salad for dinner. While this wasn’t the first time we’d cooked a meal together, it was the first pretty big all from scratch dinner we’d made together. Usually he was just throwing something on the grill or I was dishing up something I’d prepared before he got there.

The thought that kept intruding into my consciousness was that we were playing house. I don’t know if that’s actually what was going on. It felt comfortable on some levels. We seem to work well together, but I’m aware that we are still on company manners with each other. I also felt awkward that it felt like we were playing house. Does that feeling ever go away?

We watched Last of the Mohicans (the 1992 one with Daniel Day Lewis) The story was good, but DDL gags me. I kept it to myself mostly but there were a couple of spots where I couldn’t help comment on the overacting. uff da!

Sunday morning he had more hockey try-outs to be at with his son and I had to be back at church to play both services. I left his house a little later than I wanted to. Well, let me clarify that. We woke up more leisurely than we probably should have on Sunday morning and I had to leave without breakfast if I was even going to make it all the way back to the city in time. Which was an interesting thing to have ricocheting around in your head on your way to church. But again, another other first.

After church, Mr. Hockey drove to my house. When I came in from church DS1 was sitting at my computer working on a report he had put off for the whole 4 day weekend. So DS1 and Mr. Hockey have met. And had chili and corn bread lunch together. My first son has met my first post-divorce boyfriend. Although I didn’t exactly introduce him that way.  (It all seemed to go fine, btw.)

Eventually DS1 went back to his father’s house and Mr. Hockey and I watched A Beautiful Mind. Like many men, he’s a big fan of Russel Crowe because of Crowe’s action movies. Cinderella Man, Master and Commander, etc. Mr. Hockey hadn’t seen this one and not only was he surprised by the movie he was impressed with Crowe’s acting.

Now if I could just get a copy of Mystery, Alaska it would be perfect. Netflix here I come.

We ended the weekend by going to Keegan’s Irish Pub. We split a serving of Shepherd’s Pie while we listened to the Irish music “jam” night and talked more about life, the world, travel, Irish fairs and stuff.  He loved the restaurant (I need to do a review of Keegan’s next, I think) and absolutely enjoyed the music too.

Finally, around 9:30 we kissed goodnight and I sent him on his way back to Elk River.

It was an intense weekend together. It kind of felt like one of those couple’s vacations I hear about where you go off together to see if it’s going to develop into something “more” or fall apart.

All of which is to say that 5 years ago, or 3 years ago, or even 1 year ago, I don’t think I could have imagined myself having this kind of a weekend. Ever. But here I was. And it was fun and relaxing. who knew?
— — —
A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…

back on track 2006
lovely dream 2005

— — —
A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…

back on track 2006
lovely dream 2005

— — —
A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…

back on track 2006
lovely dream 2005

Posted on October 24th, 2007 under my crazy life. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.