Friday Night

Friday night I had a dinner date with EGN at Tampico, Mexican restaurant here in Baltimore. When we see each other, he usually cooks something, but I wanted to treat him this time. Good thing, too, because he seemed a little tuckered out from his week at work.

We had a very pleasant meal, attended by a nice woman named Ellen. Afterwards, he treated me to ice cream at an ice cream parlor around the corner. I had a fabulous dish of Key Lime ice cream, complete with bits of graham cracker crust. Yum!

We wound up back at his apartment where we snuggled for the rest of the night, talking about all kinds of things, just enjoying being with each other. After a bit, we did play a little bit, undressing each other and rolling around. It was great fun! We tapered off and dozed in each other's arms until I woke up about a quarter to one and got up to leave. I hadn't brought my pills with me, so I couldn't stay.

I'll post about my Saturday after I've had some sleep. I'm exhausted!

Saturday

Saturday morning, Russell came by my apartment and the two of us headed downtown to For Eyes Optical, so I could pick up my new specs. On our way back to my neighborhood, I stepped into a liquor store to pick up some Peppermint Schnapps to go with the birthday gift that xavier78 and I picked up a couple of weeks ago for heterodoxy -- a frosted glass checkerboard with shot glasses for the checkers. After all, it's not right to give a gift that requires alcohol and not supply a starter!

Russ and I separated after making plans for breakfast on Sunday, and I returned home. I had some soup and started packing for my trip to DC.

Doug had posted a picture of todc in a silly crab hat earlier in the morning, so I decided that he needed a hat too. I dug around in my winter clothes and pulled out a felt cap that I picked up a couple of years ago in Phillie with a wolf's head on top, along with a little tail in the back. I saw it in the window of some store on South Street and had to have it. I figured that Doug could pass it on to his nephew if he didn't like it.

My friend Louie had given me a couple of BDSM magazines recently, along with an issue of Out magazine. (Sings: "one of these things is not like the other...") I wasn't that interested in the magazines, but I thought that Doug might like them, so they went into the bag with the booze and the hat.

I also threw in gregmce's copy of The Doomsday Book and my copy of The Man Who Folded Himself, which was also on the Phobos 100 list, but Greg hadn't read it yet.

Doug's party was a blast, as Doug parties always are. The birthday boy got lots of nifty presents, including an über-deluxe Scrabble® game from Tod. The rat hat was appreciated, and Doug wore it for half the day. A photo was taken, perhaps it will wash up on Tod's journal in retaliation. :-)

More stuff:

• Doug won the inaugural game on his new Scrabble board, beating me, ryokan and cubdrummer


• legalmoose is Vegan, and couldn't eat most of the food that was there, so lioncub gave him a kiss, went out shopping and prepared an appetizer and entreé for him, causing comment from the rest of us


• We played Phase 10 and I did much better this time around, staying in the lead for a few rounds. Too bad I had to leave early.


• Roger's lasagna was very tasty!

I had to tear myself away from the party a little after 8:30; my monthly HIV social had been scheduled for the same day. I said my goodbyes (Roger is a great kisser!) and headed out. I wonder when the birthday spanking commenced?

The social was also fun. I'm so much better at mingling and making conversation these days. When I moved to Baltimore in 1990, I was still shy and withdrawn. Square dancing gave me a place to work on my social skills, and I'm a lot more comfortable now. Still, the change amazes me when I stop to consider it.

I have three men that I've promised to call. One of them already left a message for me this morning. I returned the message; we're going to make plans to see each other this week. He just found out that he has HIV three weeks ago. It's encouraging that he's already going to the HIV social; it's good to do things that avoid the feelings of isolation the discovery brings on.

I also saw Michael Mancilla. He's the co-author of Love In the Time of HIV, and I met him at a book signing in Baltimore. (I had forgotten my book!) He asked about how I had been doing, and I told him about my last week or so, with the kayaking and bowling and the rest. Another guy remarked that I was a Pollyanna and that they needed to pull my pigtails. :-) This morning, I emailed Michael a link to my journal.

Scott and Louis showed up from Baltimore and Scott agreed to give me a ride home, which was very nice of him.

All in all, Saturday was a fantastic day!