[STP]

Journalling

I hope you all are festive and happy this holiday season. Not much to say. My Christmas party this past Sat was a super fun time with over 40 friends coming. KA being more introverted, doesn’t like ‘em big, but she had a great time and was included in rounds of women drinking Slippery Nipple shots. The day was also XWs birthday and I sent her the simple greeting for such.

On Sunday I got an invite from DC (& her bf of nine years) to attend their first Christmas party. I know with KA having D12 we are not free to go and I wouldn’t go alone to that. DC said it’d be great to catch up. I sent the invite to KA, like I customarily do, and she had no idea who DC was and was surprised we got an invite having not seen her in 5 years. (Just over a year for me). I said she probably just wants to show off her new house. I invited DC to come to my house this Sunday for my cookie swap (no reply) where a dozen baker friends and I trade Christmas cookies. I also told DC I pay less attention to her now as she’s living with her bf, and I don’t anticipate ever seeing her again.

With her dogs passing a couple months ago, KA has now talked about extending her weekends at my house staying over until Monday mornings. She works remotely off her laptop so she can be anywhere to work. I’d quietly leave at 5am to not wake her. I'd like this and would adjust any Sunday events around it.

S25 randomly checked his live-in fiancees phone and saw she had been sending nude pics to some guy. S25 works a lot and she’s been lonely. They took a few days apart and I was supportive but also urging him to end it with her. He didn’t.

[Treasur]

Good boundary on the DC party, my friend, kudos to you.

Sorry to hear about S25’s experience - pretty big ted flag as you say but sometimes we’re not ready to say No Thanks until we are, right?

[STP]

Journalling

Happy New Year. I spent my eve with KA at the nearby casino dancing to a band we like. The highlight was the balloon drop and confetti cannons at midnight. So fun! We also went to a Holiday at Hogwarts, Harry Potter themed dinner with trivia that was excellent. Especially for a big fan like her.

I led my first hike of the year for 14 friends that was snowless but below freezing and a week later went on a hike with 7 others in the hiking group. Sometimes it's nice to not be the leader. There was a 20 yr-younger woman there MVT who was disappointed to have missed my hike. I've seen her a few times hiking with that group and she came to my last kayaking session in Sept. I had a dream about her a few weeks ago which I shared (about us riding on a train). Not sure what that means? I know nothing about dream interpretation. I invited her to come to my white wine party.

I also had a dream about JH, a woman friend I've not seen in a few years but talked about some in my 2016 posts. I shared it with her and she had all sorts of theories about what it meant. She stopped coming to my parties 6 years ago and MM was usually instrumental in her appearing. I invited her to come to my white wine party.

I got a text from MM and her existence in FL sounds awful. Shes sick and working two jobs just to survive. Shes still expecting her guy in MI to move down there this summer.

For kicks I invited wine lover DC to come to my party. Her last party appearance at my place was in 12/19 and she threw a fit when I removed her from my group (One must attend a party every year or get the boot).

My wine party was this past weekend and I had 37 friends attend including buddy JS, MVT, JH, and DC (without bf). We had 32 open bottles and the night was fun but a lot of work for me pouring all of them for those attending. JS was thrilled to see JH (I met them both on the same day in '16) DC left way early, before I had finished my 90 min bartending duties, so I really didn't talk to her. She texted me after that she had a good time and apologized for leaving so early due to her head & stomach. I put the three women in my social party group. Sadly KA could not attend as her brother and sister had flown in to discuss how to deal with their mom. KA is very busy right now dealing with her moms aging/memory loss and D12 busy with volleyball games and practices. In two weeks her and I are having an overnight trip to WI to attend a snow sculpture Winterfest which should be a great time.

Update on my sons.
S32 is engaged to his live in gf. Wedding set for 11/26
S29 lives with his mom XW and OM. Wish he could get out of there!
S25 is engaged to his live in gf. No date set.
S23 is soon buying a townhome. His gf has an 18 month old.

[STP]

Journalling

KA and I ended up not going to Winterfest as we both were sick at different times. We did have a fun date night out at the casino seeing a local band we like. I hosted a hike for 21 singles of which most are good friends, followed by lunch. KA had her first time sleeping over at my house on a weekday. I quietly got up and went to work and she was out of my house a couple hours later. I did have a thought if she sat at my secondary computer and went rummaging through folders she could find pics she wouldn’t like… but I feel assured she didn’t do that. We all have skeletons in closets that don’t need to be unearthed.

KA had her D12 for the Super Bowl so buddy JS and I hung out with some other longer known friends at an event. Valentines Day marked my 7th anniversary since my first date with KA and I took her out for a nice dinner and photo of us with her roses. We had talked about dancing and live music after, but both were so full, we stayed in and watched a romantic movie. Oddly DC messaged me “Happy Valentines Day.” Perhaps acknowledging my anniversary to KA?

This past weekend was my Chocolate themed party. KA again was unable to make it due to having D12 several weekends in a row because her XH is out-of-town for work. DC backed out citing her bf had planned something special for them. I never really expected her anyway. She said she’d bring some women friends to the next one. The event was good with 30 some friends attending and I was quite full from eating. I tend to end parties with a final photo in the kitchen with those who still remain at 11:45pm. There were two dating couples, buddy JS, myself and tan blonde TBP. Well the next day after photos were posted KA messaged me very upset, deeming it looked like I was coupled up with TPB because I was standing behind her (really in the spot between two guys). I assured her I wasn’t, and she counted the photos of us taken where we both appeared in the same pic. All but one were group photos. There is some truth that I do like her and we have a lot in common. I am also in the process of filming footage to make a music video from my parties-for the theme song, I recorded in 2016. Much of the footage was TBP (& others dancing) which KA pointed out and she asked if I could possibly take less pics with TBP. Yes I can. Her bestie JKR, is like my new MM. Both women are around me a lot coming to everything I host.

TBP messaged me on Sunday asking about a large plate of hers, she uses often that got left behind, and I said this WED I could drop it off, as I’m heading that way to see KA to pick up some food. I know about where she lives but it will be the first time at her house. Although I don’t like keeping things from KA, revealing that I’m stopping over at a persons house she doesn’t trust, would not go over well. Don't beat me up about this-there's nothing going on.

This upcoming weekend is my annual guys board game weekend with a brother, my best friend, S23 and S25.. It will be very fun.

KAs D12 asked for more mommy time (less of me around) on their weekends, so beginning in March I may not be seeing KA on some Fridays.

[STP]

Journalling

I know just two days since my last post but I have the time, want to try and post more and have things in my head.

DC messaged me several times today to question if she was being rude by asking to bring two former work friends to my St. Patricks Day party next month. I explained its fine, as my friends often ask to bring other friends. Her speech to text was full of typos which amused her a bunch. It's just unusual to hear from her more often after so long of not.

Tonight I went to return the 'often used dish' to TPB at her townhome. She has since signed up for my hike on 3/2 with her bestie JKR. I had no idea what to expect... whether it was gonna be a quick hand off of the plate or what it was, a tour of her home, and sit down chat on her couch for an hour. We went through her rock collection in the kitchen too. Her place is very comfy and it was a good visit. I was uneasy on my time as I had other evening plans (anticipating the quick hand off) which didn't happen.

Last year, through drunk texting, I had admitted to wanting to kiss her 4 months prior when I took our photo, but she has straight out texted that I'm in a relationship and she wouldn't go there, despite affirming there's attraction. Of course I've never tried to act on such. JKR has confirmed that too that TPBs no relationship wrecker. When it came time to leave tonight we hugged and after 10 seconds I started to release but she held on. That happened a few more times and it was like a min long hug from her. When I pulled away I had the feeling it could go either way but I did nothing but leave with some dinner she shared me to take.. Tests like this happen and I kept it real.

KA in our texting today indicated that I used to not take so many selfies with friends and dared me to go back to that. Party group pics are fine but stop the selfies with friends (women) pics for the next party. I said I'll do that.

[STP]

Journalling

It's been some time since I posted as not much to say. My St. Paddys party was great fun with KA embracing the theme, serving green beer and me taking group pics instead of selfies. DC texted her friends weren't free to attend, and thus went out to dinner with her bf instead. No matter, as I've no reason to text her.

My mom 82, had surgery after a fall, on her broken leg bone and has recovered quickly in two weeks. I am trying to spend more time with her by going out for Thurs-Sat visits every other month, sleeping in my old bedroom. I have 4 brothers and I live the furthest from her at 100 miles.

April looks to be a quieter month for me, with no party... but every Sunday is something fun for me to do: Easter with family at my moms, two hikes with 20+ friends and a photographer urbex outing in Gary IN, at an abandoned church in ruins. TPB and JKR will both be with me for that along with S30 and 4 other photographer friends. Last year, DC expressed an interest in going for her teenage son. I sent her an invite, but shes flaky and I wouldn't expect her to actually come. For various reasons I haven't seen KA on a Tuesday since 3/11 and not seeing her tomorrow either (I'll be at my moms) has us missing one another. Happily we have two date weekends this month: One looks to be attending a Van Halen tribute band followed the next day by driving 2.5 hrs to a 4 hr wine festival. The other is still open. I'll see her Sat.

Today I am distancing myself from Facebook for a bit, having unfollowed everyone. This Sunday (after my hike) is 'dinner with dad' which is an open invite to any of my sons to come over for dinner. A monthly event that lets us not get too distant from one another and gets the brothers together too.

[JohnnyBravo]

Hey, STP

I follow a few YouTube channels of urban ruin exploration. Really interesting!

Glad to hear your mom is recovering. My stepmom is getting older and my sister isn't really able to be a caretaker, so I'm hoping she stays well.

And lastly, I've considered dumping a bunch of people from FB. There are a few I still interact with, but the majority of people I'm connected to there are from my days of refereeing roller derby, and they're not really FRIENDS-friends...

Glad to hear things are moving along.

JB