Danny did come up regularly after our first meeting--like three or four times within the first week. But his goats were also having some problems and he had to hunt some coyotes and he would spend time visiting with my family. I didn't really think much about it. Well, I tried not to think much about it! I just figured he really liked us. Plus, I was starting the preschool during all of this too. There was a lot to think about all around.
September 19, 2009 was our first real, "official" date--you know, the kind where no goats are involved. He arranged it with me ahead of time, and came to pick me up. For those of you not familiar with Central Oregon, Danny lives in Bend. I live in Culver. In perfect conditions it takes exactly 45 minutes to get from his driveway to mine. So he drove all the way to Culver to pick me up for our date. Then we drove all the way back to Bend for dinner.
It was starting to cool down and I didn't want to get cold, so I wore a pair of dress pants rather than a skirt. I still wore sandals though--high-heeled sandals in fact. We pulled up in front of the restaurant in Downtown Bend and were still a little early for our reservation, so we decided to walk around Mirror Pond. Good idea; bad footwear. We walked a couple of blocks to the pond and then walked all around Drake Park before heading back to the restaurant. I had blisters on both feet where most of the straps from my very strappy sandals hit.
We went to Cork. I had never heard of it before, but some of the moms of my students had. One in particular said he scored points for that one. We sat in the back at a small table. This was the kind of restaurant with linen tablecloths and candlelight and the glasses they set on the table that they always have to take away when I just order water. (I say "was" because like many of the restaurants that Danny and I have been to, they are no longer open. I can think of three that have closed just off the top of my head!)
The food was good. I think Danny got a pork chop something and I have no idea what I got. But it was comfortable. He was easy to be with. We talked and I smiled and he drove me home and we probably could have talked more, but he still had to drive back home. By now I didn't worry about when he would call me again. I knew I'd be seeing him again soon, but like I've said before...that's another story.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
How It All Began--Danny's Side
Danny told me his side of the story, rather reluctantly I might add.
Okay, let’s see. What was that? 2009? So, back in 2009 I had a water transfer that I had to do and prove that I was using water beneficially so that COI would certify with the state and not give me a hard time. I was trying to get the irrigation running, the field seeded and everything greened up to prove I was using it correctly.
At the same time, I realized that I was pretty lonely and pathetic and thought I’d find someone to make me less so. I can’t remember if I had been on eHarmony before that point, I think I had, but I had ignored it for awhile. The people I thought were interesting were also living too far away. I think I had told them I would consider matches within the few neighboring states even. I’d have a match, converse somewhat, and then they would be too far away and I knew I’d never go meet them. That would be the end of that. EHarmony wasn’t too big of a hit. I got bored with it. They sent me an email saying there was a free weekend. There were matches from all over the place.
The fourth of July it was free and I was able to communicate with Jenna and someone in Sisters. The one in Sisters just didn’t sound like the right person. Jenna did. I communicated with Jenna and we went through the eHarmony formula. I gave her my email to communicate after the free part was over because it was only lasted about four days.
Jenna sounded pretty wonderful, but she also sounded pretty girly…like maybe more girly than I could handle. She talked about not camping, backpacking, or rock climbing and that being a possible deal breaker for me, but I didn’t think they were things that were that important in the big scheme of things. I just thought I’d get her to try them with me and she’d decide she’d like to do it to be with me. I still haven’t gotten her to do much of it, so it’s a good thing it’s not a deal breaker.
Everything went pretty straight forward on the emailing and everything went good. She sounded like someone I should meet. Even though some days it felt like I was picking rocks for 12-14 hours a day and then driving a tractor after that, it still felt like I should meet her, but that I should probably take a shower beforehand J. Then some days I didn’t think about it at all and I just went home, ate something and went to sleep. I don’t even remember what I did with the dogs at that point.
I don’t know why I finally decided to call her that day—too many e-mails and not enough voice or face-to-face communication—so I couldn’t resist and I called her. I also don’t think I called her until I thought I’d have a chance to meet her. I didn’t want to build up the first meeting too much, but to just do it. So I did it.
I met her mom before I met her, because Joi was out pulling weeds. I met Jenna and she says that my car was clean and that was probably because it was new. Well, that was ‘09 so it was within the first two years of me owning it. So I met her and she seemed really nice.
We went to my parent’s property and we checked on the goats, walked around and talked and I took her back to her house. It cracked me up when a few months later she told me she didn’t know why I was coming up to her house all the time, because I came up to her house regularly after our first meeting, but she can tell you the rest of that story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Meeting--Jenna's Side
I thought we would never meet. A couple of weeks after we had started emailing, Danny invited me for coffee while I was staying in Bend. I really wanted to, but I also knew he was really busy. He was putting new seed down in his field and was spending all his daylight hours on the tractor. I didn't want to keep him from something that had to be done. So I told him we could wait until after he was done planting. However, I didn't know how many acres he had to seed, or that first the ground had to be prepped, or that the seeder would break. After another six weeks, (and giving him my phone number at least three times, haha) I thought we would never meet!
So on August 30th (or so) while I was at my friend's daughter's third birthday, I didn't keep my phone on me. I didn't even think about my phone. My friend, Jaina, drove me back to my car at the church and we sat in her Tahoe talking about whether I would ever meet this guy I was emailing, or if he was like the others and then would I ever consider online dating again. The answer was, "No! No, I would never email someone to get to know them again." And then we joked about the fact that he could have called while we were at the party. I checked my phone and had a missed call from a number I didn't recognize...and a new voicemail. Jaina let me sit in the car with her while I listened to it.
He had a great voice. I had been worried that he would have a high squeaky voice. I don't know why, but that's what I had been worried about. But he didn't. He had a normal voice to go with his kind eyes (which I had noticed from his Facebook profile pic). I'm not sure if I said bye to Jaina or not. I do know that she left and I sat in my car and returned Danny's call. He answered immediately and I asked if I could please speak to Danny. (Please note that this is almost always how I start a phone call unless I am ABSOLUTELY certain of who I am talking to. I hate those guessing games.) It was already him. He was changing water lines but was wondering what I was doing that evening.
Now mind you, I was still in Redmond. I asked him when he was thinking and he said about six. An hour from then! I had half an hour to drive home and then I had to get ready for our first meeting. He said he'd race me there. :) Our plan was for him to pick me up and then we'd go look at his goats that were staying on his parent's property a couple of miles from my house.
He was right on time. I had thrown on some appropriate goat viewing outfit that was nothing like I would have worn if I was going to go look at my goats. I had busied myself making garlic bread for dinner and had butter in my hand when he walked up to the back sliding door. Lauren quickly took it as my mom showed Danny in and we introduced ourselves. I shook his hand. (Please note that this is almost always how I start a relationship unless I know the person through someone else.) Then we left.
His Camry was very clean inside. I directed him (I think anyway) on how to get to the street where his parents property was off of. It turns out that he hadn't been that way until I told him of the secret shortcut. The driveway down to this property is one where you really have to breathe A LOT and just hope the driver knows that there is a cliff on your side. I did (breathe a lot) and he did (know there was a cliff), so we made it with no vomit or death. Good for both of us.
We got out to walk around. His goats were cute, but not as friendly as mine. Of course, he has quite a few more than we do. The property is beautiful and he walked me all around it. Danny's steps are about one and half of mine so mostly I just followed behind him.
We went to the edge of the canyon and looked over where the Crooked River runs into Lake Billy Chinook. He explained that he and his brothers used to take turns throwing rocks and trying to hit the other side. He demonstrated by throwing one. I wouldn't get as close to the edge as he wanted so I'm not sure if it hit or not.
Then he showed me the pivot line they had put in. I never knew how they worked and he explained and showed me everything about one. It was neat and way bigger when I was standing next to it than when I was just driving down the road.
I know we met the farm manager and his family when they came to pick up Mark's truck. Danny introduced me as his friend. It was still light when he drove me back home. I just smiled the whole way and hardly talked. (I know that is surprising!)
I can't remember if he stayed for dinner or not. I can't remember anything about after I got home. I do remember questioning everyone I knew about whether I could call him the next day, how long would he wait to call me, what if he didn't call me, etc. He did call me...but that's another story!
So on August 30th (or so) while I was at my friend's daughter's third birthday, I didn't keep my phone on me. I didn't even think about my phone. My friend, Jaina, drove me back to my car at the church and we sat in her Tahoe talking about whether I would ever meet this guy I was emailing, or if he was like the others and then would I ever consider online dating again. The answer was, "No! No, I would never email someone to get to know them again." And then we joked about the fact that he could have called while we were at the party. I checked my phone and had a missed call from a number I didn't recognize...and a new voicemail. Jaina let me sit in the car with her while I listened to it.
He had a great voice. I had been worried that he would have a high squeaky voice. I don't know why, but that's what I had been worried about. But he didn't. He had a normal voice to go with his kind eyes (which I had noticed from his Facebook profile pic). I'm not sure if I said bye to Jaina or not. I do know that she left and I sat in my car and returned Danny's call. He answered immediately and I asked if I could please speak to Danny. (Please note that this is almost always how I start a phone call unless I am ABSOLUTELY certain of who I am talking to. I hate those guessing games.) It was already him. He was changing water lines but was wondering what I was doing that evening.
Now mind you, I was still in Redmond. I asked him when he was thinking and he said about six. An hour from then! I had half an hour to drive home and then I had to get ready for our first meeting. He said he'd race me there. :) Our plan was for him to pick me up and then we'd go look at his goats that were staying on his parent's property a couple of miles from my house.
He was right on time. I had thrown on some appropriate goat viewing outfit that was nothing like I would have worn if I was going to go look at my goats. I had busied myself making garlic bread for dinner and had butter in my hand when he walked up to the back sliding door. Lauren quickly took it as my mom showed Danny in and we introduced ourselves. I shook his hand. (Please note that this is almost always how I start a relationship unless I know the person through someone else.) Then we left.
His Camry was very clean inside. I directed him (I think anyway) on how to get to the street where his parents property was off of. It turns out that he hadn't been that way until I told him of the secret shortcut. The driveway down to this property is one where you really have to breathe A LOT and just hope the driver knows that there is a cliff on your side. I did (breathe a lot) and he did (know there was a cliff), so we made it with no vomit or death. Good for both of us.
We got out to walk around. His goats were cute, but not as friendly as mine. Of course, he has quite a few more than we do. The property is beautiful and he walked me all around it. Danny's steps are about one and half of mine so mostly I just followed behind him.
We went to the edge of the canyon and looked over where the Crooked River runs into Lake Billy Chinook. He explained that he and his brothers used to take turns throwing rocks and trying to hit the other side. He demonstrated by throwing one. I wouldn't get as close to the edge as he wanted so I'm not sure if it hit or not.
Then he showed me the pivot line they had put in. I never knew how they worked and he explained and showed me everything about one. It was neat and way bigger when I was standing next to it than when I was just driving down the road.
I know we met the farm manager and his family when they came to pick up Mark's truck. Danny introduced me as his friend. It was still light when he drove me back home. I just smiled the whole way and hardly talked. (I know that is surprising!)
I can't remember if he stayed for dinner or not. I can't remember anything about after I got home. I do remember questioning everyone I knew about whether I could call him the next day, how long would he wait to call me, what if he didn't call me, etc. He did call me...but that's another story!
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