The Best Laid Plans of CA guy & Ms.G --Shenandoah

October: peak season is upon us and Drue and I discovered that we should have booked B&B rooms in the Front Royal area two months ago...maybe even earlier. I knew Redskins tickets were hard to come by. It never occurredto me that people are as fanatical about watching the leaves change. Drue and I had visions of staying at a B&B as inviting as Hope & Glory in Northern Neck VA. Instead, after three days of web searches and phone calls, we had to face the inevitable. We would be driving down and driving back the same day. Not bad, but not great for folks that like to travel.

To compensate for our lack of planning, I did score reservations at Restaurant Eve's tasting room on Friday night and we have reservations next weekend at CitiZen. D.C. is finally being recognized as a fine dining destination and it couldn't have happened sooner.

I am not one of those folks that journals everything that I eat. But I kind of wish I had, following Eve's dining experience. Eve spoils you with complimentary dishes from the chef. I love the chef surprises. There was quail egg with caviar and the most tantalizing mousse. And each surprise is more creative, more mouth watering than the last until you're overwhelmed and well, I tend to care only about gratification at this point, savoring each experience; my brain cells then seem too overwhelmed to recollect the many delights that Eve presented.

We each had the five course dinner. I had sashimi that was sliced as thinly as prosucitto. That progressed to butternut squash soup which was fabulous. Third course should have been a game hen but I'm not clear if there was a problem in the kitchen. I was provided instead with puff pastry and mushrooms. It was a decent dish but Drue's venison and tart struedel was superior. Dessert was smashing. A line of delicate chocolates, jellies and a pair of shortbread cookies that were whimsical, prior to goat cheese creme brulee. Goat cheese creme brulee doesn't sound very appetizing, but it was delicately sweet and lightly tart. Makes me salivate all over again!

But the main point of this was that even though Drue and I procrastinated re: planning a getaway weekend, we still had a wonderful time. We woke late (of course) and grabbed breakfast burritos from Anita's. We sat in godawful traffic for 40 minutes while Drue explained his new theory that he invites the traffic jams, his luck. Considering that he's from CA and is used to traffic jams, I'm wondering if I should believe him. And our entrance to Shenandoah park began to look worrisome when it took us 20 minutes to pay admission (I also had to wait 30 minutes for the bathroom at your neighborhood gas station). But after the front gate, we had clear driving.

Even though it was peak week, supposedly, I did feel like I've seen prettier foliage off 384 in Willimantic, CT. But the day was sunny, the air had the smell of firewood and Skyline drive still offered beautiful views. Drue and I enjoyed a mile and a half hike up one of the mountain trails. I do have to bring a pedometer because I want to believe that we went further. The sky was darkening and the temperature was dropping when we returned to the car, so we didn't spend more than half a day in the Shenandoah. But it was a nice little expedition, all the same.

Destination

A picture that G took this past summer. I think he's a decent shot, though I'm thoroughly biased. It's one of my favorite shots that he's taken. Makes you think about being in transit and where we all might be headed, anyways.

The ex and I see each other twice a week now, with G's swim lessons. When G played soccer, it was rough. The ex would make a snide remark and I'd give him the finger. Very, very mature. It's better now, though. Not perfect, but better. We're civil now, which is something that I hope will last. I entertain my coworkers re: stories of the ex. My officemate has offered to beat the ex up, which isn't necessary, but pleases me all the same.

I'm curious to see what happens with the ex. He's working on the 3rd wife. Hopefully, he'll get his way. I'll pity the poor woman, but if it's the woman from Missouri, I know she'll treat G as one of her own. And hopefully, with the ex happy, things can continue to be civil. Who knows?

Meeting Drue

They were supposed to meet at Coastal Flats. It was her favorite place: a laid back restaurant with Carribean style food and a wait staff that always made sure that you were well-taken care of. She wondered if she'd be the early one, which was rare. She tended to run late. But, as she realized that she had arrived first and began the obligatory cell phone check, she felt the hand on her shoulder.

He wasn't what she had imagined and people didn't always look like their pictures. He was blond when his hair looked red in the pictures; it was a trivial fact, but she had promised herself no more blonds. She trended towards guys with brown hair, brown eyes. Curly hair was a plus and redheads were her personal favorite.

His sweater did him no favors, but he was about 5' 10" with hazel blue eyes. His lips were thin but expressive, settling into a self-amused smirk. 'You must be Andrew.' She couldn't hear his response over the crowd noise, but she knew it was him and they followed the hostess to a booth in the center of the restaurant.

Other than getting the ball rolling with small talk, she let him do the talking. She was tired. She had to worry about being in court the next day, for her custody case. And she thought it was a strange coincidence, that tomorrow would be the day of rememberance for Pearl Harbor. But even though she was somewhat distracted, he pulled her into the conversation, made her laugh and she found herself admiring his hands. With thin, long fingers, his hands seemed artistic enough but the cuticles were cracked. Artistic but not pampered.

Her ex had butcher hands, fat, meaty hands that would make most any Italian American proud. She had settled for many things, with the ex. She liked Drue's hands and she admitted, she liked Drue. Even if he was a blond. But what could you expect from a guy from CA?

Kids and Halloween

Halloween is fast approaching and I rarely see neighbors out with their kids. When I was a kid, it seemed like the whole lot of us spent the day out in the street. We'd race, hide in the woods, poke tar bubbles with sticks...we'd do anything but stay at home. I've seen three kids in the neighborhood so far: Sondra, who's G's age, but she alternates months between here and Ohio, Trevor, who might be 5 and doesn't live here and Peyton, who's an accquaintance of G's but she's too high maintenance, she drives me to distraction (if she asks for a Pop Tart and I oblige, she'll imediately change her mind. But no, now she's interested again but it can't be toasted, no, no but it must be warm). I'm dying for nieces or nephews to spoil, but God forbid I have to put up with picky kids.

I miss Halloween, marching up to the doors and seeing the parade of kids and watching the neighbors' faces. It gave you a true sense of community, to see the various ways folks would decorate their houses, ooh and ah over you or your little one. Right off Davis Ford Rd, one of the neighbors would solicit folks' pick up trucks, fill them with bales of hay and we'd caravan through the neighborhood, letting the kids check out each house and the neighbors would follow and shower them with candy. This year, like last year, we'll probably hit Fair Oaks Mall, though maybe, we'll hit some of the older neighborhoods. Long live Halloween, costumed kids (no candy for the mini Britney Spears) spooky houses, Milky Ways, Snickers. Not sure about that pumpkin ale, though.

This link looked pretty cool: http://pandagon.net/2006/09/29/divorce-is-still-good/

Five Months Following the Divorce

Five months since my divorce and some of my friends still act strange. Some of the friends that I keep in touch with anyway. People either ask how I'm doing and their eyes roll elsewhere, as they silently plead for me not to tell them, or they ask with such a wide smile, I wonder if they've read some handbook re: how to look pleasant when asking a potentially dangerous subject. Becuase while your friends care, the reality is that the majority of them are still married. And what married person wants to hear about your reentry into the single world? Most married people wear their marital status as a badge of honor. You're married, you're respectable. No longer married instantly begs the question, what did you do [wrong]?

The marrieds really don't want to hear how your life has changed. They may want you to be happy, but you are no longer one of them. You've gone and upset the status quo. They may not want your kid to play with their kids. The mom of one of my son's school friends is always 'busy,' despite the fact that our two sons used to play together almost every weekend. And I feel bad, because I know my son gets bored without his old playmates. He is 4 and while I'm willing to watch cartoons with him and wrestle with him, of course, it's not the same. I'm curious to hear if anyone is familiar with single parents' groups in the No. VA area.

Divorce can be a beautiful thing. It's just teaching your kid that life can go on and that he and I are still a family, that's the hard part. As far as surviving, though, it's nice to listen to the quiet of the new home...silence. Some people say it's scary but for me, I like it. Silence means peace, quiet. No more arguing, no more listening to nagging (my ex and I were an atypical couple; he was the nag). No more worrying that my kid would treat me like a 2nd class citizen after seeing how women were treated in my ex's family. Five months is a short time. But it's a start.