The New Normal

Otherwise known as... A Really Good Thing.

GDA  and I have settled into a nice little routine. 

The Weekend.  I arrive at GDA's house on Friday evening with my overstuffed weekend bag, laptop, reading material, and everything else detailed in Red Light.  Typically we go to salsa class together on Friday night.  The weekend is peppered with meeting friends out and movie dates, and then I pack everything up Monday morning and go to work.  Except I almost always leave something behind.  Two weeks ago it was my laptop.  This past Monday it was the clothes I had kept on hangers and conveniently placed on the back of GDA's couch.  My bags by the door made it into my car.  The clothes did not.  That's okay... they were weekend play clothes anyway, I survived the week without them... plus it made packing for this weekend so much easier!

The Wednesday Night Dinner.  GDA comes over to my mom's each Wednesday evening for dinner.  Truth be told, it gives me a reason to break out of my cooking rut and make something good for the three of us.  (I love to cook but increasingly I don't cook unless I have a good reason, relying on Publix Organic Spinach and Feta Pizza, butternut squash ravioli found in the refrigerated section, or something else equally simple for our evening meals.)  It's really fun watching Mom and GDA interact.   Whenever he comes over he gives her a big kiss on the cheek, and they set the table while I am finishing up dinner.  We have all given up meat for Lent, so the dishes have been either fish or vegetarian since Ash Wednesday.  The three of us drink steaming cups of hot tea and play Farkle after we eat.  We move to the couch around 8, watch a bit television, and then GDA goes home around 9:00.  It sounds boring to see it in print, but Wednesdays have become my favorite weekday evening.  I like having GDA in my world.

The Bachata Lesson.  I meet GDA at Salsa Heat for Bachata (the Dominican form of salsa) on Thursday evenings.  Bachata is a bit slower and more sensual than salsa.  We take the lesson, learn some new steps, and occasionally grab a bite to eat afterward.  It's a nice evening out, and since Bachata starts at 7 (7:15 really, Salsa Heat is on Latin time.), I don't get home too late.

On Friday afternoons I pack the car and start the routine all over again. 

This week we deviated from the norm a bit.  Thursday was GDA's birthday so we had a nice dinner out instead of going to Bachata, and this morning after getting up we took a nice, easy, three mile run together.  I am hoping the Saturday morning runs will make their way into our weekend routine, as they were a weekly staple while I trained for the half marathon.  This past week I ran three times-- a record since the race.  Life seems to be getting back to normal.  I still need to find time to see my girlfriends.  I still miss my Dad but I suspect that feeling will never quite go away.    Work has settled down a bit and is feeling much more manageable.  (For now.)  And you know, I'm feeling like myself again... which is a really good thing.