What's making you happy today?

[Griff]

I scored 5 touches on a 13 yo at fencing practice last night. baby steps

[monster]

new bike. sunshine. last soccer mom day. school will be out by this time next week. fried egg butty.

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

Just now...like just right now...my new refrigerator was delivered.

Frozen ice cream for the summer! Yay!

skysidhe -- we're in the process of shopping for a new refrigerator - our old one is really old, the temperature is no longer controllable, and all the shelves are always full of water.

I didn't know there were all these new styles (freezer on the bottom, french doors, etc.). What did you get?

[Elspode]

I had a date last night. I went very, very well. Thus, I am happy.

[Trilby]

elspode...you went very, very well or the date went very, very well?

Either way---YAY! Good for you!

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by HLJ

skysidhe -- we're in the process of shopping for a new refrigerator - our old one is really old, the temperature is no longer controllable, and all the shelves are always full of water.


I didn't know there were all these new styles (freezer on the bottom, french doors, etc.). What did you get?

This is the one.




The old one had the same problem as yours did. It was very old and lost temperature control. The freezer wasn't separate and didn't freeze.

The new one is a low end Whirlpool. It's not fancy but it's new, keeps the milk cold and the icecream frozen so I couldn't be happier.

If money isn't an object I'd advise you to go with stainless steel and ice cube maker/ water dispenser, french doors,see through crispers but then you'll need to remodel your kitchen around it!

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Griff

I scored 5 touches on a 13 yo at fencing practice last night. baby steps

congradulations ? You'll get there. It's fun to try new things.

[dixy]

Stealing wireless internet

Originally Posted by Elspode

I had a date last night. I went very, very well. Thus, I am happy.

Hooray, best wishes

[Elspode]

Originally Posted by Brianna

elspode...you went very, very well or the date went very, very well?

Either way---YAY! Good for you!

For those of you who aren't trying to skate the thin edge of interpersonal relationships the way I am...good. While what I am experiencing of late has been nothing short of remarkable, stupendous and altogether life affirming...I cannot recommend it for the faint of heart.

Bri...*I* in particular went very very well. And, unless I am extremely gullible and hopelessly pollyanna, my partner on Friday night would say much the same. But even though the bumping and grinding, and all that preceded it, was magnificent, everything that comes along after is not necessarily something that a casual observer would envy. Let me preface what follows by saying that my date last night is not involved in what has gone on today.

The whole open marriage/poly thing is a lot of damn work. Between trying to remain confident and secure within my own view of marriage and sharing, and that of my spouse's point of view, sometimes masturbation seems a superior option. At the very least, no one else has to feel okay about it all save for myself, and i'm responsible for my own messes.

I had a wonderful date last night. Minimal blowing of sunshine up the crinkly fabric hippie skirt of the lady with whom I was out, and maximum return on my investment of time, conversation, emotion and chi. The fact that yesterday turned into today, entirely focused on a planned visit from another couple with whom we had been intimate at Pagan Fest, and with whom we had anticipated a repeat encounter which came to fruition tonight, has put something of a pall on our point of view, all things being equal.

Bri, I'm sure you in particular will resonate with the concept of "odd man out" - an ostensible foursome that somehow leaves one participant with little to do save for to observe...or leave. It was the latter path which I chose tonight. Trying to get four people sexually on the same playing field is dicey under the best of circumstances, and those favorable circumstances were not on the table tonight. Being the nice guy I am, when it became apparent that I was the less necessary party to the proceedings, I bowed out gracefully. At the time, it was the right thing to do. In the end, not so much, apparently.

Even when one is able to access amenable parties to group frolic/sharing, there are things that you cannot quite predict or anticipate. When I left the foray, according to Selene, things didn't actually get better, they just got weirder. The wife of the correspondent couple ended up feeling as though her man was paying rather more attention to Selene than she was comfortable with (I'm sure he was, as they are quite smitten with one another), and bad feelings evinced on the part of the female correspondent. Last I know, the other couple has driven off, with the Mrs in tears, and they've not yet returned although a couple of hours has passed. This is troublesome, because their 18 year old daughter is staying the night with my son, and they were supposed to sleep here and attend a meeting with us on the morrow.

There's so much more to all of this than I can even begin to tell here...I suppose I'll have to sit down and write about it all, and post it, but really...for most people, this must seem sordid and unnecessary. I'm not sure that I'd want to read about any of this if it weren't part of my life, and I with such a love for the narrative.

I wish I could tell you that it was otherwise, but right now, it seems slightly sordid, even to me. For what it is worth, I can say this much...big risk equals big rewards. With any luck, I know better than to bet the farm.

Selene is asleep now, upset and feeling tawdry. I'm sitting here, typing to you, my Cellar family, and not making a lot of sense. Please don't think me a scoundrel, a lost soul or a slut. I'm not. No one involved in any of this is. Try to imagine going from Heaven to Hell in one 24 hour period; then, try to imagine yourself thinking that maybe it isn't such a bad thing to have made the trip.

That's where I'm at.

[Clodfobble]

I'm sorry things didn't work out the way they were supposed to, Els. But to be honest, I'm more just relieved that you and Selene are okay--when I started reading the above I was worried it was going somewhere much more unhappy. Hopefully the other couple will find a balance that works for them in the long run.

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

... The new one is a low end Whirlpool. It's not fancy but it's new, keeps the milk cold and the icecream frozen so I couldn't be happier.

If money isn't an object I'd advise you to go with stainless steel and ice cube maker/ water dispenser, french doors,see through crispers but then you'll need to remodel your kitchen around it!

skysidhe -- thanks. This refrigerator should use a lot less electricity than your old one. If you have access to your electric bills from the previous year you should see a decrease of maybe 50 or more kWh per month. (Of course, there are so many factors that this might be hard to notice.)

We're limited in space (~32-1/2 inches wide), but we're hoping to get one with the freezer on the bottom, french doors and no exterior icemaker or water.

[Cloud]

Elspode, I am simultaneously envious and dismayed at your post. I don't think anyone can really advise you on such a situation, but hope it works out okay for you.

[Elspode]

Oh, hey...not looking for advice. Selene and I process pretty well, both together and separately. We are utterly good together, she and I. If not, none of this would be going on.

As those here who have known me longest can attest, I often use the Cellar as my written processing outlet about things that go on in my life. I truly am not trying to shock anyone, impress anyone or get a rise out of anyone here. I truly consider all of you my extended family, and as such, being an essentially honest person, you all tend to get included in my world once in awhile. Those who find it beyond their comfort zone would be well advised to avoid my posts, as I am verbose in the extreme, and tend to lead what even I consider to be an interesting life most of the time, fraught with topics that I like to share and air.

I just feel so blessed that you folks are here to share in my process, offer your feelings about stuff in return, and mostly accept me for who I am. That's very special.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by HLJ

skysidhe -- thanks. This refrigerator should use a lot less electricity than your old one. If you have access to your electric bills from the previous year you should see a decrease of maybe 50 or more kWh per month. (Of course, there are so many factors that this might be hard to notice.)

We're limited in space (~32-1/2 inches wide), but we're hoping to get one with the freezer on the bottom, french doors and no exterior icemaker or water.

French doors are definitely nice and it makes sense the refigerator part should be on the bottom.

Any saved electricity will be good! It's expensive here as it is for everyone these days I am sure.

Originally Posted by Elspode

I do accept you for who you are.

You process well. I can say I understand and don't understand at the same time. I am glad you can keep your heart under such circumstances where a lesser person might make up excuses in their head that have no basis in reality. It's a hard line to walk I am sure.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I'm sorry things didn't work out the way they were supposed to, Els. But to be honest, I'm more just relieved that you and Selene are okay--when I started reading the above I was worried it was going somewhere much more unhappy. Hopefully the other couple will find a balance that works for them in the long run.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I was afraid Elspode's post was heading in that direction too. Hope things worked out for the couple, Elspode.