Ugh...dating?

[ErinG]

Thanks Kathy,

We had a nice time last night at dinner, a great little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place.  We ended up going to the movies after because it was pretty early.  It was nice spending more time with each other even if we weren't talking.

I did struggle a little with his pickup truck, it's very high off the ground and I forgot how high it was every time I got out.  Luckily I didn't fall on my butt, but it was NOT graceful.

We'll be planning the next date sometime this week.

[Katybarstool]

Erin

You go girl, sounds like you are getting on really well. Where do you think you'll go next?

Kathyx

[ErinG]

I'm not sure where we're going next.  We talked briefly on the phone last night, but it was late and we didn't have enough time to talk about the next date.  He is having a new barn built this week, so I think how that goes might affect when he's available.  Everything went according to plan yesterday, but it should take the whole week to get it done.

I'm hoping to do something on the weekend again, but meeting in the evening after work is fine by me too.  If it's nice on the weekend I'd like to go hiking and he can bring his dog with us, but I know he has a lot of stuff to do at home too.  I know this past weekend he didn't get around to harvesting his potatoes, so I have a feeling it will have to get done this weekend. 

I'm hoping we'll get to talk again tonight because my class will be let out early and I'll be home before he goes to bed.  If not, I'm sure we'll figure it out on Wednesday.  I'll keep you updated!

[Bucky]

Erin -

I know this doesn't sound like a fun "date".  But . . . what if you would bring something to eat over to his house (I'm assuming you know where he lives) if he's busy working this weekend.  Something that isn't messy and he can stop what he's doing, grab a bite and keep working.  You could even pitch in and help him.  It wouldn't have to be a "date" . . just a friend helping a friend out.   

You'd make a big impression on him that you took the time to come over and feed him.     You could say, "I know you've been busy with your barn, potatoes, etc. - thought you might want a quick bite to eat." . . . Awwwww

Just a thought . . .

Bucky

[Katybarstool]

Bucky, what a brilliant idea! Erin, what do you think?

Kathyx

[ErinG]

That does sound like a good idea, but I get the impression that he is a much better cook than I am because he's lived on his own for so long!  I may bring it up with him because it would be nice to DO something together.  The only thing I am worried about is that I think the potato harvest is a joint effort with his parents, the garden is actually on their property across the road from his house, so that might make it awkward.  I guess I will inquire what his plans are and we'll figure something out.

Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming!

[Rayven]

You don't have to make a 9 course meal

If he's working, several offerings of lunch meat, a bit of bread and some chips and a cold drink are surely to be appreciated.  Whip up some home made potato salad or something.  Or, if you went to a mexican place, bring some taco fixings and some shells or similar.  If you've eaten with him, you might be able to make some educated guesses if he doesn't like certain foods.

The meal is nice. The company is better.

Best of luck!

[Bucky]

Here's a quick, you don't have to impress him with your cooking, lunch:

sub sandwich
chips
veggies or an apple
cookie
drink

Bucky   

[ErinG]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I really need to hunker down in the kitchen more.  This is a great season for soup, and I'd like to find some good recipes to make from scratch.  It's tough because of my school/work schedule, and I still live with my parents so it's not always easy to get in and mess up mom's kitchen and not have it affect anyone else.  I'm hoping to find an affordable apartment soon that isn't too far from home.

We talked briefly on the phone last night on my drive home from school, and it looks like we might meet for dinner on Friday, and if it doesn't rain on Sunday we could take his dog out and go for a hike.  We're going to finalize everything tonight once he figures out if he can get his errands done early enough on Friday and have enough time to meet with me.  He sounds really busy on Saturday, and I was too chicken to suggest helping him or coming by with lunch.  Maybe if things continue to go well I can suggest that another time.

I'll let you know what we end up doing and how it goes 

[Katybarstool]

Hi Erin

Have your made your arrangements for the weekend yet? Is your mum as inquisitve as us?

Kathyx

[ErinG]

We went out last night for dinner.  He offered to pick me up, but I thought that might be weird because I live with my parents so I drove to his house and left my car there.  I was really cold yesterday so I was decked out in wool, fleece, and mittens. He drove his company SUV this time because he had a trailer hitched up to the truck with a skid steer on it to lay to gravel on the floor in the new barn.  So there was no falling out of the truck for me!

We went to the First & Last Tavern, a great place where they make pizza in wood-fired ovens and they bake all their bread in there, too.  I didn't realize this but they have a bakery across the street, my date said their cookies are very good so I'll have to try them some time.  We had to wait a while for a booth because there were 2 large parties there that took up most of the tables, but that just made the date longer 

The pizza was very good, we each had a Guinness and dessert.  I had apple crisp and he had bread pudding.  There was only one minor catastrophe when he set his water down on the edge of his bread plate and it spilled across the table into my lap, but it wasn't too bad and I was dry by the time we left.  We were the only ones in there when we left because I eat so slowly!

When we got back to his house he drove around back to show me the barn.  The moon was really bright so I could see it pretty clearly.  That thing is huge!  And there were several big piles of gravel lined up in front of it.  He seems to have his work cut out for him today.  As we drove around the yard I saw all his prized tractors and machines lined up nicely, he can't wait to get them out of the yard and into the barn.  He pulled back around front and we got out.  We had our first hug, next time I'll be sure to set my food and purse down so I can use both arms.  I tried to kiss him on the check, but he's 6'4" and I think I got his neck instead.  He gave me a little kiss on the temple and we called it a night.

So far we are still on for hiking on Sunday.  There is a state forest near his house and we are going to hike the trail up the mountain there.  I've been hiking in that forest before, but never on the trail up the mountain.  I hope I can keep up!  I've driven up to the top before and there is a nice observation tower, so we'll be able to see some nice foliage when we get to the top.  I'm really looking forward to spending more time together, and if the dog comes with us it will be extra fun 

[Bucky]

Erin - sounds like you had a nice evening last night.     I love pizza!

Wow, he's tall!     How tall are you?  You'll have to get a little step stool to take on your dates.  LOL

Have fun on your hike.  Maybe, pick up a big stick or something and use it as a walking stick.  Make sure and take some water or something with you.  Maybe, take a small backpack or something and put in a few things to eat in case you both get hungry on the hike.  (maybe a dog bone too, if you have one  )

Enjoy!!

Bucky

[ErinG]

Bucky,

He is tall! I'm 5'7" in bare feet and I've always felt pretty tall, but not next to him!

I think I am going to bake cookies this afternoon and I'll bring some in my pack tomorrow for a snack.  Maybe I'll make a few without chocolate in them so Dolly can have a treat too.  I always take 2 big bottles of water with me when I go on a hike and I usually manage to drain both.

I will let you know how it goes 

[Katybarstool]

Erin,

Sounds like a lovely weekend for you and your date. Enjoy tomorrow.

Kathyx

[ErinG]

Today's hike/date was an adventure, to say the least!  This is a long post, so just a warning.

We ended up hiking in the forest behind his house because we wouldn't run into other people with dogs like we would on the trails in the state forest.  Apparently Dolly does not get along with other dogs.  Towards the end of the hike we were on the road around the corner from his house and we encountered a loose, white frou-frou dog and he had to pick Dolly up and carry her like a baby to keep her from attacking "Sparky."

It had been really cold in the morning, so cold that I was wearing a very warm sweatshirt and mittens and I was still cold.  I wore layers for the hike in the afternoon, and I had shed my fleece shortly after we started walking.  Not long after that I could feel the sweat running down my face and neck.  This is not attractive!  I was able to keep up, but I was always a few paces behind him.  There really wasn't room to walk side-by-side because we were not on a trail, just whacking through the brush.

I only had a few clumsy or embarrassing moments aside from the profuse sweating.  We climbed over a stone wall, and while trying to keep branches from slapping me in the face, my boot lace got tangled in some barbed wire on the top of the wall.  After that, I got my shirt and my hair tangled in some brambles just before crossing the brook.  Then I lost my balance and almost fell in while I was crossing the rocks.  After that it was pretty smooth sailing.

We eventually ended up on state property, and we sat for a while on top of a dry dam while Dolly went swimming in the stream at the bottom.  It was nice to just sit and enjoy the quiet without the sounds of traffic.  It was so quiet could hear the cows mooing on his friend's farm down the road.  We hiked some more, looped around, and came out on the street around the corner from his house.  This is where we met Sparky!  Dolly only growled a little and Sparky eventually went back to her yard.  We stopped at the house he grew up in, which is vacant and for sale.  We walked around the yard, he showed me the stump of a tree he had planted as a kid, where they would go sledding, where the garden used to be.  He even pointed out the stump of a cherry tree that his parents used to build the cabinets in the house they live in now.

As we turned the corner and walked back to his house, we saw his mom in the field across the street driving a tractor, hauling a load of wood up to the house.  When we got back to the house we sat on a bench by the fire where he had cooked his lunch.  My date sat down first and the bench toppled over (he went a long with it) because it was just a couple of boards on cinder blocks.  He was alright, fixed the bench, but I waited for him to try it out first.  It held both of us and we sat there for a while and watched Dolly chase the smoke and try to eat it.  We saw his grandparents as they were snooping around the new barn.  The barn turned out very nice, I'm glad I got to see it in the daylight with all his toys filling half of it up.  He said the primary reason for the barn was for his 1959 John Deere tractor, which is really beautiful...green and shiny!

In all we spent about 2.5 hours together.  He had to go do his grocery shopping for the week, and it was starting to get chilly and drizzly.  I was so chilly by the time I got home that I changed out of my sweaty clothes, climbed into bed, and took a nap.

We didn't talk about getting together again so I hope that's not a bad sign.  Hopefully we'll talk tomorrow night and figure something out then!