Is it just me, my age, or something else?  I have found that once something begins to happen, things can move very quickly.  Is it possible for me to meet someone and then in just a few weeks start thinking about a long-term relationship with this person?

Yes, it is.

I have been given a lot of advice about dating and relationships.  My favorite is the one about dating being like a bag of jellybeans, you have to try a variety to find one you really like.  I have also had friends, friends of friends, Facebook friends, and family members telling me to take it slow, be cautious, and be safe.  Honestly.  I really have been trying to do this.  But it is like being caught up in a huge wave and being thrust toward the shore, not having any control over what is happening.  I admit I am not completely helpless in all of this.  I mean, I am a grown man, for crying out loud!  I take full responsibility for my actions.  Although, it still feels like being caught up and carried away.

Meeting someone new and getting to know them well can happen in a short period of time.  I think a lot of it is our age.  I mentioned this in my previous blog, that she is a widow, and I am a widower.  This fact created an immediate bond between the two of us.  As we have been spending a great deal of time together, we have learned that we have many other things in common.  We have what they call in sales training, “common ground” (I am sure she will appreciate me comparing our relationship to sales training).

We have found that people around us are not as happy for us as we would like them to be.  I can understand their concerns.  They see two people who have only known each other for a relatively short period of time and are now contemplating a long-term relationship (I keep using the wording “long-term relationship” to avoid using the “m” word).  I am not ready to start talking about THAT in this blog, maybe next time.

When I talk about having a long-term relationship, I mean this is serious business.  I am talking, selling my house, and moving.  I hate moving!  It is worse than having a root canal.  I have never actually had a root canal, but I have been to the dentist plenty of times and have had several unpleasant procedures to know how much I dislike moving.  I have to confess that a long-term relationship is not the only reason I am thinking of moving.  The other reason I am moving is because I live in a two-story home and I have really bad knees.  The stairs are wreaking havoc on my poor knees.  I need a home that has no, or very few, stairs.

I am now in the process of going through all of my stuff and trying to sell, donate, or give away most of my things.  Moving is extremely stressful.  Fortunately, I have had a lot of really good help.  In fact, my neighbor came over tonight and moved a bunch of boxes from my family room and basement to my garage.  I realize it is November, but I really do need to try and have a garage sale.  I will attempt to sell some of my stuff, but I am also considering giving away much of it to family, neighbors, and friends.  I have already given away my lawn mower and snow blower.  My lawn mower did not work at all and my snow blower has not been started in at least two years.  I have no idea if it even runs.  I provided full disclosure of this fact to my neighbor who took that beast off my hands.

Moving is incredibly stressful.  We have been working so hard trying to get ready to move we have not had much time to work on our “long-term relationship.”  At least that is how I feel.  I am looking forward to the day when we are settled into our new place.  A place that we do not have to walk up and down stairs, mow lawns, worry about sprinkler systems, or shoveling snow.  That would be great!

The trickiest part of all this is selling my home and buying a new home at the same time.  I realize I could become homeless for a period of time, unless the planets align, and lady luck is on my side (I do not really believe in that stuff).  I hope our real estate agent can work her magic and make things happen, so I do not become homeless.

Again, I am not prepared to go into details about my relationship with this truly kind and wonderful woman, at least not in this blog.  I will probably reveal more in my next blog.  I am being extremely cautious that this is happening so fast.  I believe we have spent enough time together to get to know one another on a deeper level.  I really feel like at my age I do not have time to mess around.  I have met someone special and I intend to pursue a serious, long-term relationship with her.

I wonder what they would call it in sales training.  “Close the deal!”  I think that is what they would say.