2023-06-06 - 8:27 p.m.

I was not home at all yesterday. I worked this AM at 7, and decided just to stay at Gandalf's house the night before so he could drive me and I was not late, as the bus leaves my town a bit after 7 and I get in around 7:30 ish when relying on that. The workplace is OK with that but it much better to be on time so no one else has to pick up the responsibilities of the role for that first hour of the day. ( Really just delivering the newspapers to each apt after they are dropped off! br>We did go out with my bestie and her daughter for a bite to eat, then came back to his place the night before, after ending up just hanging all day- AFTER I had decided to just show up and hope he was not put off by me doing so unannounced.

It was so fun of course once again as we were all out.

It just made more sense, in part as my college grad said did not mind if I am gone. We are all (The kids and I) heading to FL for a week so so will have plenty of time together. I was excited when the college student showed up, done with May term. I did not receive any communication as to when he was done and back as he arranged to be picked up by Dad.
So it delighted me when after connecting with Gandalf he drove me back home that he then offered to take Bellatrix for a walk while I packed up my stuff to stay at his house. We really just wanted time together to be able to talk.

He actually was worried when he did not hear from me for the two days of the cell phone lost and me being inaccessible. Not worry in a bad way but in a good way I think as he honestly was afraid I might have had second thoughts of being interested in him.
He is so sweet and thoughtful and what I apprechiate is that he is honest and doesn't play games and mask his feelings..
I awoke today and had a sore throat and thought it might be allergies, dust etc. After got to work and put on the mask I noticed my breath was foul and the throat started hurting more
and I had the immediate thought of strep . I took a COVID Test that was negative and that was relief. The throat at that point was not very sore (I would have left work immediately if it were) but the bad breath made me think I best check and be sure it is not strep throat !

I was masked all day and at a desk so at least 6 feet from anyone that comes up to me so figured did not have to assume cause I do have mad allergies..
It was a double header work da and writing as I am sitting at the reception desk of job #2. I just disinfected the heck out of everything.

Gandalf is at the store now picking up some provisions for me; honey, juice, chicken soup
he has a slight sore throat too.

My bestie had dinner plans with one of my kids- and was going to hang at MY house with the young adult-
and basically has been crashing there sharing my bed (Its a firmer mattress and better for her back than the one on floor for guest and plenty of room in the king sized bed , she does not move at all - and it is easy for us both to fall asleep.

Can't say the same as to when stayed over at Gandalf's. He is really a gentleman and wants to get to know each other and savor the slow physical exploration. I have not had a man that is so attentive and caressesses so gently and beautifully and focuses on my pleasure like this in a long time. We kissed for an extended period again- and that was it, along with caressing- but taking our time. We enjoyed cuddling but it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to actually fall asleep. We are both just too excited as we laid there next to each other. Dozing finally happened a bit for a few hrs perhaps-
but this sleep deprivation feels worth it.

to wait til after my operation and healing and our travels we are in no rush for more yet and enjoying the wonderous discover of each other. Slow revelations about our lives in conversation.

This beautiful man wrote me a poem about the first night we met.

He said he has not written a poem in 30 years

and it is I swear better than my poetry (HA HA)

He said he took one poetry class and was not that good but this just came to him.
I was so honored by this.

SO and the college student has option of mattress at foot of my bed or couch, and I realize I might have two folks in my room I don't want to expose to strep!

So the plan was for Gandalf to give me a ride home from work, just so he could help me and my friend and bring a couple things back to my house- a bag of hers; and a borrowed bike of mine she used the past few days around town.

So I asked if he would mind if I stay at his place and we kinda quarantine a bit tonight and get strep tested tomorrow.

He is of course happy to have me stay. He said he will sleep in the living room so I actually can get good sleep as I really need it. ( where I slept the night along with my bestie when we all hung out there last weekend.It was quite comfortable).

He called from Target as is picking up some things and asked if I needed/wanted anything. Chicken soup, a couple grapefruits for breakfast, I said, honey would be good. He said he could look for strep rapid test too.
My throat got progressively worse as the day went out.
When I looked at it I saw the white spots. He had picked me up today and I had a solid nap while he worked. He was on a call when he picked me up; and he said it worked perfectly actually as he was connected both from his office and the cell phone so he was able to navigate picking me up, on mute except for when he talked, and then when home hopped back into his office while I went up to his room to take a solid nap. (Which was fantastic.I did sleep really soundly for two hours! I got off at 2 at the one job and then begin at 5 at the other job.)

It was such a GREAT DAY other than the sore throat.

I executed the contract with the company that sought me out, after having done good work for them years ago ( when working at another company).

So we finalized our agreement for my services and are meeting tomorrow of the next day to go over some things and they are going to hand me some work as they are in a bit of a surge and need more support. I am so excited to support the contracts manager that they hired after I was the gap fill. She is really good! I was so honest with her about my background that I only recently pivoted to supporting the gov con space and had no where near the 10 yrs in that space that the job listing had for the role I was gap fill for! I told her I was fortunate to be in it; a job that I was underqualified for as learned so much. I mean the CEO and CFO taught me SO MUCH in that job! I recall the day she started -She is far more experienced in that particular space and I loved seeing how she just picked up the phone and established good communication Right AWAY on day one that she took over the work. I learned much FROM HER
She CALLS and chats with people! NOVEL! HA HA
I mean so much business is only via email nowadays. This makes her exceptional in her role. I took some tips from her!

She also has a keen eye for editing. ( she missed one thing I saw- but she saw things I missed in the contract I drafted - nit picky things . Formatting , capitalization.)

We are both equally picky however and I like that. I had made a final THEN saw a space missing and one darn paragraph NOT justified after she had justified the rest ( her preference and actually mine too!) so I HAD to redo the final redline and final clean word and PDF for those tiny not really important nits!

HA HA

I makes me happy to see someone as particular as me actually! (I Was not always like this- it was a honed; coached and mentored learned skill from the attorney who was a good boss at Verizon for a time.)

It is so refreshing to have someone in my life who is so nurturing and caring for me. YET he does not show any signed of being controlling or things that raise red flags or fear in me.

I get such a good feeling about this.

OH

and YES he bought tickets to take me to see Hadestown.
He doesn't even know what it is but is looking forward to a date with me. (This time the past couple days was not planned. I stopped by just to let him know I lost my phone and it was the funniest thing as he was not answering the door- he did not hear me knock ,so I wrote a note on the back of my business card. Then I slipped it under his door,so he would have my home #.
Then I did same and put one in his truck on the dash.
It started to slid down, in a crevice in the dashboard,
so picked it up before it disappeared and tucked it on the steering wheel so he would see it.
I decided to wait as I heard audio of what sounded like gaming? LOL
I didn't know if it was him? But figured out quickly it was some recording?? (I think a game? HA HA He is a geekly typically long haired hippy tech software bro- the kind that are in the basement operations/soc...
I laugh at the fact every tech company has the software engineers and techies who are the sterotypical long haired hippy dudes in tshirt and jeans, scruffy.

Oh he is buying a razor tonight. He decided to care a bit more about his appearance... HA HA

and not to give me brush burn from his beard.

It was rather raw.

OK here is here to pick me up!

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