It's not easy being Gina

Gina with Scott Johnson and Kima

"To win at the dating game, it is a big mistake to believe that just because you want to date someone, that you are going to be a couple". Seems like reasonable advice from senior dating sites....however, I am pretty sure that cute little Shiner Man has not explored advice from senior dating sites...In fact, I KNOW that he hasn't. How do I know this... 1) He does not have a computer and 2) He would not have told the world that he was going out with Gina....

Poor Gina...what do you do when you have a cute little Shriner Man vying for your love? Ignore it....that works huh? Yea...that works. Oh yea....NOT!!!

Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I would be the one to give my mother dating advice. Couple that with the fact that I am not really good at giving this type of advice...this really has disaster written all over it. I understand that it would be hard to resist this cute little man...he calls Gina every morning at 8:30 to check in and wish her a good day. He sends her flowers with heart written cards...and he makes sure that she has all the things that she would ever need..most importantly...he is patient. And believe me....he needs to be patient. Very, very patient.

Gina really could not understand why cute little Shriner Man keeps calling her..she has been honest with him about not wanting to date him...

Really Gina...really....could it be the mumbled "I love you too" when you hang up each morning? Could it be the agreeing to be his date at various Shrine functions? Or maybe it is the invitation to spend all holidays with us? Hard to say really Gina...if I was a betting woman I would say probably all three...

Secretly I would giggle away at her discomfort...and of course share it with my best friend in my best barbed whit...for Gina I would point out, what to me, was the obvious infractions that might lead to the misunderstanding. Gina, was not so quick to arrive at the same conclusion. Now I suppose that 45 years of not dating might be part of the problem here, but you would think it is like riding a bike...you just adjust to a new day...or century in this case. Just try being in the middle of this triangle....envious I know.

What's a good daughter to do?

Maybe I will try to see if I can get cute little Shriner Man to make an offer to put in a good word for him???? I just might make a buck or two..

Wait! I'm the Daughter....

I love a rodeo...and the Brawley Cattle Call is one of the best in the state of California....the horses, the cowboys, wild horse racing....what is not to love??? I mean really.....now add in a bunch of Shriners and the night is complete. I may not have mentioned this, but my family has a long tradition of belonging to the Masonic Organizations, especially the Shrine...so it is not unusual that I would have been in the desert on a November night getting ready to go a rodeo...in fact it has been a fun filled Shrine kind of day....a big parade...a bar-b-que and ice cream social...they even threw a guy in the pool...so you can imagine that I am really looking forward to what kind of trouble these guys could get into.....

"When you have a minute...I would really like to talk to you"...not something I was thinking I would hear at the rodeo...well maybe I was hoping I would hear it....but from a cute cowboy.. :)

Shoot...I say a bit casually..maybe too quickly...I am looking into the sweet face of a Shriner...really where could this be going?

"Well..I know your father just passed away...but I am in love with your mother..and I would like your permission to date her..."

Cute little Shriner say WHAT?????

"I really am deeply in love with your mother...and I would like to date her."

Wait...what does one say to this question? Is there a manual?

Now, while I don't know the answer to those questions...I can give you four points on how to react to this question:
1. DO NOT freak out!!!!!
2. DO NOT laugh uncontrollably
3. DO NOT freak out!!!
4. Be gracious and pick your words carefully...

Ahhhhhh...sure...that would be fine......just have her home by midnight....

A twist of fate really does change everything

I am the oldest of two daughters...

Unfortunately, I am now the only daughter since my sister Carin passed away in August of 2000. In that instant, at 36, I became the only daughter of my wonderful, if not, mildly overprotective parents. Talk about a wild twist of fate....I went from having a sister to help with the trials and tribulations in the care and management of Mom and Dad, to having only myself to navigate that slippery slope. All seemed to be falling into place...until that day in 2007 when my father passed away rather suddenly...and I found myself alone with my mother. Don't get me wrong..I love my mom. She is a bundle of energy..at 70 years of age, she runs circles around most of the people my age. We get along great....we love to spend time together and we have had some fun travels...it is just that my parents were married for 45 years and Dad was always her pal. I can appreciate that things change and in most cases I welcome it. However, I was not at all prepared for what happened next....

What do you do when your 70 year old mother......gets a BOYFRIEND???? I have no idea.....