If you are over 70, date night can be challenging. Loud places like music concerts or hopping restaurants where you can barely have a conversation aren’t appealing anymore, fine dining is expensive, and as for the movies, I can’t see paying $10-20 to see something that will eventually arrive on my Netflix. Plus it does wonders to my hair! Ok, call me grumpy and old, but I’ve discovered something better than date night! Day Dates! Don’t laugh. Let’s face it. Now that we are retired, folks ask, “Oh, whoa, that’s so cool, now you can do all your hobbies”. Well, we don’t have time for hobbies; we are much too busy with “Day Dates,” medical appointments, and exercise. So we have decided to turn these appointments into dates! We take the long way to get there and enjoy the scenery along the way. Maybe a stop at a museum or some fest in town. Sometimes we grab a bite to eat or enjoy a coffee in the mountains. We spend time getting to know each other, ask questions, and make travel plans between appointments. It’s less expensive and benefits our relationship. I highly recommend trying “Day Dates” for every age, actually. Just spending quality time with those you love is important. Sometimes it’s the simple things that bring the greatest joy!
Turning our appointments and my study days into dates has been interesting to say the least. I’ve been taking German lessons once a week for 2 hours each visit. Then I have homework for an hour each day. Lutz has been a wonderful helper and has provided so much support. I’ve learned a lot about him as he helps me, and I have to say he is one patient man. In addition, I’ve been studying daily for a year with Lutz for my Verfassungsprüfung (German Constitution Test), so I can get a German passport. In the meantime, we stopped drinking for a month. And we haven’t harmed each other in the meantime. I took the test last week, and to celebrate all the time we put into studying, we celebrated with a glass of champagne! I’m still waiting for the results. I feel confident, but hey, I can always take it again!
We also take Day Date bike rides. This date happened to be in our hometown, Wolfach. It was the opening of our Easter holiday market. The egg decoration is about 10 meters tall. People here say it is the largest in Germany, but the largest in the world is in Pomerode, Brazil, at 16.72 meters tall. “This city is known as the most German city in Brazil, where most inhabitants are descended from German immigrants and are bilingual in German and Portuguese.” Pretty interesting fact, right?
The market was filled with stands selling handmade items. I loved these pieces so much. They reminded me of my mom’s collection of Mexican Alebrijes folk art animals. The paintings on these bowls and animals are incredible.
Our date on this day was so nice to get outside and enjoy the festivities.
I had a call from my daughter, and she announced they were coming for Christmas this year. I was so excited! We love to show them around, and a castle is always at the top of the list. Lutz decided to make a Day Date to check out the Hohenzollern Castle, about an hour away. This castle has been through a lot over time. It is owned by one of the original descendants and has been restored. They still use a section of the castle as one of their homes.
We bought off-season tickets and, after hiking to the castle entrance…
We were told the castle tour was closed, but that we could visit the churches.
The basement was open to view the original armor, and dishes were on display. We should have called for this one. The Christmas tours were ridiculously high for our family of 10. So the hunt continues. If you know a great castle to visit nearby, let me know!
We were lucky enough to have a “Day Date” with the sun and spent it in our jacuzzi! And of course, practicing my German.
Plus, we took advantage of the day by cleaning up for spring!
The downfall was the next day, when we were back to winter. Yes, snow, hail, rain, wind. I took this picture while heading to my last dental appointment for the month!
Well, that’s all for last month, and I hope this month of April really does usher in the spring for us all. In the meantime, check out this month’s fave recipe and resource. Thanks for joining me, and I hope your “Day Dates” with those you love provide another avenue for enhancing your relationships at any age. See you all next month!
Fave Recipe: Pecan Caramel Turtles
Easy, delicious, and guilt-free! Yes, zero sugar and so, so satisfying! Click here for the recipe.
Fave Resource: The Power of Knowing Your Neighbor; From Hello to Help!
This article reminded me of an event in my life when I was five or six years old. The picture above is my mom, my sister, and me standing behind them. I think my dad took the picture. We had just moved into our home on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California. The doorbell rang, and my mother answered it. There was a neighbor from the block…click here to read more.
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.