New Beginnings, Great Food and a Veritable Ending

Friday night Athletica and I went to a group activity at a local bar & grille that featured a classic rock and blues band.  The singer in the band was the host of the activities group that sponsored this event.  It was fun but a bit loud when trying to speak to people.  We ordered a small pitcher of beer and sat with the rest of the folks in the group who were all from back east.  I met a girl from Virginia who is a hair dresser and a guy from Florida in his 20s who flashed open his sweatshirt revealing a Dropkick Murphys t-shirt when I mentioned I was from Boston.  It was really fun getting out that night.  We didn’t stay all that late.  When the band finished up their set we decided to call it a night.  Athletica had a race the next afternoon and we had plans to meet at her gym that morning.  We said goodbye to the group and the activities leader and band member, Steve, came over to say goodbye.  He shook my hand a little longer than necessary and I just got this strange feeling by the way he was looking at me that he was interested.  On the way home Athletica called and said, “That guy likes you.”  I let her know that I had figured that out.    Its becoming increasingly clear that what’s looking for me and what I will eventually be looking for are two different things.

Saturday morning I joined Athletica’s gym.  We were both riding the stationary bikes to warm up when Brian, our trainer, announced that we were to go directly to the bulletin board to read something he had posted.  Apparently he had seen my Facebook check-in at the bar the night before and wanted to brush us up on how alcohol works as a detriment to fat loss and weight training.  Note to self; either don’t friend trainer or stop checking in at bars.  😉  I thought it was kind of funny actually.  I guess I won’t be posting anymore pics of my exotic martinis either.

I made a six month committment to this gym.  This will require 5am workouts at least twice a week.  Tomorrow will be my first pre-work workout.  Wish me luck!

Saturday night was the Chinese Hot Pot dinner.  I drove out to the east valley and I was actually thinking of backing out.  I’m so glad I didn’t.  I sat at a table with three other ladies that I had never met.  We were given slips of paper to fill out what we wanted to add to the hot pot.  The 4 of us had to decide what broth we wanted in the pot.  We could choose 2.  In the center of the table was a small burner for the hot pot. 

 I chose udon noodles, tofu, Korean pumpkin and taro for my dishes.  The restaurant also provided two different types of soy based dipping sauces.  It was absolutely scrumptious!  I felt like I was talking to old friends rather than three ladies I had just met.  One of the ladies was from Cuba originally and another was from my home town.  That was really fun.  The other lady was so into food.  She talked about some of the more sumptuous meals she had and she described them as ‘orgasmic’.  We split a piece of Japanese green tea cheesecake which was so good that it almost brought tears to my eyes.  The owner of the restaurant has them flown in from a Japanese bakery in San Francisco. 

Food has long been a topic of discussion in my family.  We love food.  I felt like I was with them.  It was so wonderful.  I can hardly wait for the next event.

 I sent DGF an email today ending my friendship with him.  On Thursday evening I received a text from him that was completely inappropriate for someone who had a supposed girlfriend.  I asked him if he were really ready for a relationship.  He responded back that he probably wasn’t.  Shocker.  The more I thought about it over the weekend the more I knew I just needed to put an end to all this for my own well-being.  I told him that I cared very deeply for him but this is where the story ends.  My gosh, wasn’t it only a little over  a year ago that we were making plans for he and his wife to go out with me and my husband for dinner?  Sometimes I feel like I am living in the Twilight Zone.  Or maybe Alice through the looking-glass?  Nothing is what it seems, or at least what it was.

He didn’t respond right away and I figured he must be out with Miss Unaware canoodling somewhere for the Valentine’s holiday.  He emailed me back and suddenly he is single.  Go figure.  Being true to my word that this would be the last time I contacted him I let it go.