Friday's Five

Today's topic makes for boring reading.

However, a friend of mine is going on a "first date" tonight - so (for her at least) the subject matter is timely and relevant. Unfortunately I've got an appointment in a few minutes to get my toenails painted flashing pink, so answers to the following burning questions will have to wait til later -

The Big Date
1. Are you single, in a relationship, married, divorced, seperated, etc?
2. When was the last time you went on a date?
3. Describe your ideal date.
4. Do you think dating has become archaic?
5. What are your feelings on online dating services?

OK. I'm home now. I took a detour on my way home from the make-my-feet-beautiful appointment and ended up at White Rock Beach.
I could have come straight home and dealt with the dishes left-over from Wednesday's craft night and given attention to the dying bedding plants in the back yard (which reminds me, will someone please remind me next year that I really don't like carrying for bedding plants all summer and despite how colourful and tempting the flats of flowers are, FOR THE LOVE OF MUD - DON'T LET ME BUY ANY) and tackled one of the boys' bedrooms into submission and finish putting away Creation stuff thats adding to the clutter in the garage and done 2,000 sit ups, but

the beach was calling to me. I had shiny toenails, new blionde streaks in my hair and clean teeth.

And...

Drew left this morning for a week-long holiday to Osoyoos with his step mom and lil brother and I needed to deal with that.

So, armed with a low-rise, high-back lawn chair, my Bible, my "Power of a Praying Parent" book, camera, sunglasses and Arizona Sun (SPF 3) lotion, I took my heavy heart to the beach and prayed for a couple of hours. Think I covered justa bout everyone and everything in my little world. (Hope there's someone else out there covering the big world issues, cuz I didn't even touch on those.)

The view in front of me all afternoon was the ocean.

To my left and right were an assortment of pooping, squawking, feather-shedding sea birds.

And directly behind me was this funky house.

With fake people on the balcony.

Someday I want a fun house too.

OK. On to today's Fiver.

You know what's unfortunate about marrying the first guy you date and you meet him in grade 9 and then you divorce and then no ever asks you out again? Dating questions are embarassing because the answers are pathetic and ancient.

Never-the-less:

The Big Date
1. Are you single, in a relationship, married, divorced, seperated, etc?

Divorced. Single. In many relationships; with God, my family, my friends...
2. When was the last time you went on a date?

Define "date". Someone calls you in advance of an event and invites you? And pays? That would be December 9, 1976. Christmas Dance at Johnston Heights Jr. Hi. After that he just came over all the time. (Drew, I know you're doing the math. Yes, I was 15. I still say you have to be 18 to date. Trust me on this, I know of what I speak.)

Or is a date when you can drive to a location without your parents involved? Then that "date" would have been the summer of '79. We walked along the promenade in White Rock. Saw a young family with sons and said, "that'll be us someday."

Does "date" mean something positive? Cuz our last date was, as well, a walk along the promenade on Sept 30, 1999 when he told me she was moving in with him. That was a sucky date.

See what I mean about the pathetic-ness of the answers?

3. Describe your ideal date.

Ideal date? Am I to describe the person (as in he's my date tonight) or the occasion (as in we went to Starbuck's for our first date?) Is it any wonder why I am not dating? I don't understand all the nuances and ask far too many questions.

Ideal guy: taller and heavier than me. Will likely have brown eyes because I have this long and never ending weakness for brown-eyed males. Will be passionate about his faith.

Ideal date: would involve hand-holding, fresh air and laughter.

4. Do you think dating has become archaic?

Well for me it has, but I certainly hope my kids get to enjoy the thrill of dating. The asking, the getting ready, the nervous energy, the tingly happiness of an evening gone well...

5. What are your feelings on online dating services?

I am void of feelings on that particular topic. I have strong feelings on a lot of other subjects. Ask me a different question...

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Drew just called. They've arrived and s'all good.

2. All you gotta do is ask, and bam - He gives us His peace.

3. It's the weekend.

Shalom,