SO it's not all quilting.....

I've been hesitant to blog about what's speeding my recovery, lest it seem so hasty and definitely not quilty related. But - if I don't, I may as well shut down my blog because there's sure no quilting going on in this place! Many years ago, when the new EX and I were first engaged, he brought me to meet his brother and sister-in-law, and she and I have been close friends ever since. Way back then she thought to herself that I would be better matched to a fella she knew and had briefly dated than to the man I ultimately married. Too bad she never spoke up, but oh well, huh? So fast forward to this past fall, and she periodically still talks to this fella, although they haven't seen each other in person in 18 years. She asked him if he's seeing anyone and he says no. She says - "You have to call this lady" and gave him my number. Then she called me and said "I gave your number to a really nice guy" "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!!"
"Just talk to him, you don't have to go out with him if you don't want to, but you'll like him" "GROOAAANN"
Sure enough, he called about an hour later, and we talked on the phone off and on for a few weeks until one day he asked if he could come take me to dinner. By then I was pretty sure he wasn't an axe murderer so I agreed, sight unseen. A blind date! AND - he drove 100 miles to do it! By the time that doorbell rang I was
praying my Dad would miraculously return from Heaven long enough to have a talk with this young man! Talk about nerves! But I opened that door and about forgot to breath - he is handsome, rugged, strong and not too silent. A MANS man, as they say. Since I don't have permission to introduce you properly, you'll have to settle for unidentifiable pictures: I'm pleased to have you meet Mr. M:

Who is about to be in a world of hurt in this picture. Yes, he's a cowboy - an outdoorsman, hunter, logger, breeder/trainer of Labrador retrievers. Many years ago, I was a tomboy never to be found in the house unless I was grounded or really really sick. Horses, dirt, motorcycles, guns, anything kind of tough and rough housy was exactly my cuppa, as they say. Age has mellowed me and I enjoy being a woman, but I still love to play outside. We so thoroughly hit it off on our first date that we were nearly 2 hours at the table before we remembered to order dinner! The poor waitress must have made 8 trips over to our table to gently remind and we'd say Oh yea then keep jabbering. LOL! We were 5 hours in all at that restaurant, and ended closing it down. We had our share of uncomfortable moments tho - like as the waitress was taking us to our table thru the bar and who should I run into but my brother-in-law, husband of my matchmaker! I introduced them, and he started making jokes with Mr. M about how much fun I am - wink wink. (Oh dear!!) As if that wasn't bad enough, the EX came in alone and was seated not 8 feet from me, facing me. You could have heard a Saint cuss! After the first stomach churning moments I managed to forget he was there (no, really!) and didn't even see him leave. A very memorable first date, indeed. After that, what else could happen, right? And we both still wanted to see each other again.....so we did. Our second date was...... (wait for it, wait for it..........
HUNTING! Yes, hunting geese with shotguns and a happy, bouncing dog. Tramping in mud for about a mile and a half in the dark of pre-dawn. Climbing a steep levee and hiding in the bushes halfway down the other side, waiting for "shoot-time" Crouching in tall wet grass, wearing camouflage britches, jacket and hat. I LOVED it! At one point Mr. M said "You're going to take a shot at the next flight" and I said Oh no thank you, not really wanting to tell him that I would fall right down the hill if I tried. See, the geese were coming from the uphill side of the bank we were standing on, and you shoot practically straight up. I can't look straight up because my neck is held together by a plate and screws and bone grafts and it just doesn't do that, and I have to arch my back to look up. So, standing uphill, arched back looking up then add a shotgun punch to the shoulder -- it all adds up to rolling right down that hill like Jack and Jill. No, that's not going to happen - and he braced me. I sighted, squeezed the trigger and on the second shot a goose spiraled down and I was so shocked!!! And that good dog shot off and came back a few minutes later with my goose - WOW!! VERY exciting day! Later that day we drove out to Bodega Bay (where Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" was filmed) and had a wonderful lunch at The Sandpiper. So named because of the constant hoard of sandpipers that live right next to the parking lot.

Mr. M walked down to try to stir up the flock so I could get a shot of all of them taking off at once, but they were too calm for that.
So do you want to hear about more of our adventures? The next couple of dates were fun too -- Let me share a quick pic of ONE room of Mr. M's house - he has hundreds of mounted trophies through out his house, this is just one wall.

Why yes, that IS a real bear!! My head just about fits perfectly between those paws.........

I realize that hunting isn't for everyone, and I do not mean to offend anyone, EVER. It happens that it is a huge part of life for someone who is getting to be important to me and I am OK with it, so I'm sharing it as a part of my life. I don't expect everyone to be accepting and that's OK - we all get to be ourselves.
Thanks for visiting and hope you'll come back to see what happens next!