To date or not to date: that is the question.

Sorry I haven't written in so long. Guess it was all that pea soup that did it! Actually, the ongoing pain in my mouth is a big factor. Turns out it may be neuralgia, since the dentist can find no cause or cure for it. Acupuncture next.

Anyway, I got crazy this week and signed up for a couple of online dating services, something I never thought I would do. Not only that, I also committed to working several hours a week at Fenner Nature Center. So I could be dealing with slime either place, don't you think?

This week I did the animal care, which involves feeding, watering, cleaning tanks, and bathing certain ones. The feeding is the really fun part: the green frog gets 10 live crickets; the snapping turtle gets two live earthworms, the garter snake gets four, etc. With some guidance, I bathed two box turtles and the poor little garter snake, who hates the bath, but has an infection in her touche (did you know they had one?) and has to be bathed daily. I had never handled this type of animal, though I grew up on a farm and have some "tolerance" for the realities of life. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how quickly I began to feel affection for these strange creatures.

Then I was asked to go through a large scrapbook, choosing articles about past maple syrup events. Most of the photos were taken by my late husband, who was a fixture at Fenner anyway, and so it was a bit of a sad journey, but good.

Which leads to the other thing: men. There is only one man in my life whom I feel truly drawn to, but he lives very far away and it appears we don't have a future. So, I'm trying to be brave and see who is out there, preferably someone a little closer geographically. I must admit it's kind of fun answering the questions, as well as reading about some of the men.

Lent is fast approaching, so do you think I should give up anything? I'd gladly give up this constant pain, of course, but perhaps it is teaching me something. I've agreed to lead four discussions, a quiet day and do a book review, all in March. Oy! I may have to give up men for a while longer!

Meanwhile, I pray for my seriously ill niece-in-law and for all the precious ones who are trying to find freedom and some sort of equality, be it in the Middle East, around the globe, or right here in America.

And I'm learning to be grateful--every day, trying to continue the "flow" of blessing. May it flow to you, as well.