If you also are caring, considerate, open-minded, sincere and seeking friendship/companionship, I'm interested. I find it very attractive in a man if he enjoys cooking - beyond the BBQ, and if he adds making music to those talents I'm in awe.

Most important to me are my family & friends - and they're spread out.

I enjoy strolling in the sunset along the river that borders my acreage, taking in deep breaths of the fragrance of blossoms in the late spring/early summer, that incomparably clean scent of melting snow on a warm winter day. In the summer, I seem to spend most of my productive time renovating my home (in the country), or landscaping my yard. Year-round I feed birds and deer, then enjoy their visits. I have wide ranging interests: photography to canoeing, healthy living & eating, spirituality to ESP, beauty in a dew drop, a Monet painting, or Northern lights. I enjoy music - from classical to New Age, soft rock, some country. I enjoy getting to know people, and other cultures. I'm an armchair traveller and my favourite destinations are Queen Charlotte Islands & lots of totem poles, Tuscany, Southern France, Wales, Ireland, the Greek Isles, the lands of the Mayans. My dream trip would be a cruise up an river in Europe visiting ancient buildings and works of art - when I win the lottery? Hmm. Maybe I should buy a ticket?

I know I'm a work in progress, and hope you know yourself to be as well. The more I know, the more I know I don't know. You know?

Besides being comfortable with my interest in all the above, my dreamboat would be open to thinking about things that maybe don't actually fit with his belief system, like ESP; would be well-connected with his own emotions; would care about his appearance without worrying about big name labels; would not be right wing politically; would love a good conversation, holding up his own end; be very easy-going - no temper tantrums; have wide-ranging interests; be happy doing things on his own as well as sharing; enjoy mysteries &, hopefully, romantic comedies. I'm probably describing someone who doesn't exist, and if I met somebody who didn't fit this description too well, he might turn out to really light up my life! In other words, one can try to imagine what would content the longings of one's heart, but then be shocked when opposites do attract!

Since sharing phone numbers is a risk, a first "date" can't be my first choice: a long phone call. Soooo, concentrating on safety, I guess it would be meeting in a busy public place to share dessert [chocolate, of course], and a glass of wine, &/or coffee. Applebees has a lovely concoction with chocolate fudge brownies, ice cream and available whipping cream. Don't know what their winelist is like -not likely too impressive, methinks. This is really a fake date, because it's really just a first face-to-face meeting which is very different from what I think of as a date.

I think my mind is having trouble wrapping itself around the entire concept of dating. It conjures up images of nervousness, the high stress of two people trying to be acceptable to whoever the person is they're trying to get to know in a different way. But in this particular case it's someone I've not even met yet - not even by email or through a blurb!

So! Here's a far better thought for a first "date" under the circumstances: meet at the Conservatory in Winnipeg, and stroll beneath the banana palms, past the art show, browse through the gift shop if we still want to see another side of each other. Since they're only open during the daytime, this will be an afternoon visit.

Okay, obviously, this is not the world's most romantic date. But it's probably pretty realistic. Apparently, as a first date, sitting watching each other eat is not the best idea. The first date after getting to know someone a little and realizing that we actually want to get to know each other better, and in a romantic way [is there any other reason to date as opposed to just doing something together as friends?] would involve something more, to be mutually planned, and with the possibility of more than a walk under the palms, but again with lots of opportunities for conversation, exploring each other's interests further. Down the road....