Together Forever…It’s a Date! PYL In-Flight (July 11, 2021)
Welcome Back My Sunset Loving Passengers:
As part of our relationship reboot (Zeke and Terri 5.0), we have committed to weekly dates. Sometimes it’s just dinner and other times we get a little more creative (don’t ask about Power Exchange; that was a total fail).
Last night we ventured into the Palo Alto hills into a new-to-me area and picnicked at Foothills Nature Preserve.
A friend of mine had suggested that we go to watch the sunset and it was a fantastic idea. The weather was perfect (low 70s) without a cloud in the sky. We parked above the lake and walked down to a meadow not far from the entrance and prepared to be dazzled by the setting sun.
We did not expect to be swarmed by some nosy geese enjoying whatever was growing or living in the grass.
We had to be vigilant to make sure they didn’t try to steal the goodies from our pic-i-nic basket. Yes I just tried to sound like Yogi Bear.
There was no shortage of wildlife including a mama deer and her does. Later when we were driving around the park, I counted 10 in one meadow. There was one on the side of the road that gently stared me down as it chewed grass. It didn’t seem to care at all that we were there nor did it appear threatened. I suppose that’s a good thing.
At one point I commened that we hadn’t seen any dragonflies and within seconds, we saw one or two zipping around.
Since Zeke worked all day, I prepared some super tasty French baguette sandwiches (not shown because we devoured them as soon as we sat down), and packed some fruit, veggies, cheese, and bread.
And some lovely boxed wine that is actualy pretty good. This picture was from a date night a few weeks prior where Zeke surprised me with a picnic and ping pong in downtown Palo Alto. It’s been fun taking turns coming up with new and surprising ways to spend a few hours together each week.
We saw a few people walking around but for the most part, we had the place to ourselves which was helpful during our weekly check in. I read somewhere (or saw on TikTok) that this can be really helpful in building and maintaining a solid relationship. We’ve found this to be true for us.
Throughout the week we try to stay connected through communication and spending time together, even running errands like going to the farmers market in Palo Alto and Sigona’s in Redwood City every Sunday morning.
Today I commented to Zeke that we used to divide and conquer, not seeing the value of spending time together doing mundane life tasks. I really enjoy it now but we also don’t need to get a sitter to do it without kids. And with kids, it was defintely a challenge.
Just in case you are curious, here are our check in questions (courtesy of Jordan Grey). And the pic is from a few months ago when we went golfing as our weekly date. I think we saw deer and geese that day, too. We make sure to sit close, stay attentive, and even hold hands.
1. Is there anything I can do in this moment to make you feel more comfortable or loved? (we start with this one to set the tone)
2. Is there anything I have done in the last week that might have unknowingly hurt you?
3. When you come home from work, what can I do or say to make you feel most loved?
4. Do you think you will need more closeness or alone time over the next few days?
5. How do you feel about our sex life lately?
6. What are the stressors in your life currently and is there anyway I can alleviate that stress for you if only a little bit?
Question 3 doesn’t really apply since we both mostly work from home so we’ve started to skip it. We’ve considered adding a new question in its place but don’t know what to add. If you do a weekly / periodic check in, what questions do you ask each other and is there one we should include?
Will weekly dates and check ins and running errands together keep our relationship on track? I don’t know but I sure hope it will help us avoid a complete derailment.
In Other News…
On Tuesday night from 6–7 PM pacific, I will be sharing more of my stories and experiences as a woman over the age of 40 (and now over 50). Here’s the link to register: Midlife Madness and Women. There’s no cost but you do need to register to get the Zoom link.
If you have a favorite story I should share or even a question I can answer, please let me know. I’m sketching out my talk today (along with a blog post on cybersecurity in biotech…the fun never ends here in the Mead house!).
With much love and gratitude,
Terri
P.S. Take the controls and be the pilot in your own life. It’s a beautiful day to fly, and you are cleared for takeoff.
Song:Together Forever by Rick Astley
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