So James and I parted on good terms, a date booked in our calendars and ready to take up our regular lives for the next two weeks until my kids were next at their dad's house. But, funny thing about that: after I left Starbucks I found I had a really hard time not thinking about him. A lot. Of course I went straight home after the date and called Grace - she would've killed me if I hadn't. In fact, I was half surprised not to find her sitting in the passenger seat of my car waiting for me when... More »

Last time...I turn, ready to assert my territorial rights, and burst out laughing. There before me, fighting for the good seat, is my date, pink shirt and all. Of course I recognize him! And a split second later, he realizes it's me, too. "Claire?" He asks. I nod, and we shake hands. He then gestures very gallantly and theatrically for me to sit down, as if he hadn't just been ready to kick me to the curb over that very same chair. I smile, and take my seat.So it's off to a good start.And it is. We laugh, sit down... More »

Okay, so last time I told you about the blind date my friend Grace wanted to set me up on. I told you how nervous I was to go, and in the end I decided this:Maybe it's a bit like pulling off a bandage or jumping into cold lake water: you just have to gird your loins, grit your teeth and get it over with quickly.And so, with some advice (and prodding - thanks, Grace) from friends, I decided to take a risk and just go on the darn date, already! So: you're probably wondering how it went?Well, that remains to... More »

So my friend Grace wants to set me up on a blind date. I can't help but be reminded of the iconic lyrics, "I once was blind, but now I see" from the song Amazing Grace. Odd, no? That it would be Grace to set me up on a blind date? Or am I just focusing on minutiae and trivial coincidences so that I don't have to face up to the terrifying fear that is the prospect of A BLIND DATE???**shivers**Now, in many respects, this date is not, really, blind. First of all, the guy can see (more's the pity, maybe!)... More »

I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm not the first in my group of friends to get divorced. In fact, out of a really close-knit group of four girlfriends, three of us have split from our husbands. That is higher than the national average, but not really all that unusual. We each ended up single again at different times and for different reasons, but given that we all met at baby group with our firstborns, it is a bit surprising that within a decade only one of us is still married.Each of us is different, and has handled... More »

It was the day my divorce was finalized. I left the lawyer's office and I felt conflicting emotions. On the one hand, this was what I wanted, what I needed. I felt -- not happy -- more like; oh, how can I say it: contentedly relieved? I knew it was the right thing to do, and it represented the last official step on one difficult journey, so I was satisfied it was signed, sealed and delivered. Done.On the other hand, it really was an ending. I knew that ending my marriage had been the right thing to do, but still:... More »

Because it is a game, isn't it?  And a damn scary one, at that: well, scary for a forty-something to get back into after over a decade in a failing marriage. But it's my story, my adventure, my journey; and I'm going to share it with you. First, a word about my marriage: from the beginning, I knew in my heart he wasn't "the one", but in my later twenties, I was afraid of losing my chance to marry and have a family, so I settled. And I guess I could have predicted the outcome. Because if you settle for... More »