Mini-Trip Report: Cleveland Weekend

Can you imagine what it's like to step into the life of a man who has a wide circle of close, long-time friends? For me, it's heaven. These people, some of whom have known each other 40 years or more, have welcomed me with open arms, and I am deeply grateful. Chronic readers known I left a wide circle of friends in Tucson and have gone two years without having a group of friends I could call and say, "Let's meet for a drink." These gregarious friends are food for my soul.

Another nice thing about these people is that they are goers and doers. Sit at home in front of the television? Not if there's something better to do!

Our something better this weekend was a field trip to Cleveland. Fourteen of us drove to Cleveland on Saturday morning, meeting another two who live in Cleveland. Ten of us stayed at the Marriott Key Center, with views of Lake Erie. We experienced but didn't love Circle de Soleil Alegria, then had a loud and long dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant followed by drinks back at the hotel. In the morning we had another loud and long meal downstairs, followed by departures to return to Youngstown.

Our traveling companions, Diane and Mike, had planned a Sunday side trip to Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, where we visited the Wade Memorial Chapel to see a fabulous Tiffany window and Tiffany-designed mosaics. Then we climbed to the top of the Garfield Memorial to see the view of Lake Erie.

It was a significant weekend for the Jazzman and me. Saturday marked three months since our first date. Knowing I am the veteran of a string of three-month relationships begun on the Match website, he has expressed apprehension about being able to survive this milestone. As Marilyn K. was running around the table at the restaurant, snapping pictures of everyone in the party, I said, laughingly, "It's our three-month anniversary." "What are you," she popped back at me, "seventeen?" I laughed harder. I do a lot of that around these people.

So the three month marker is in the rear view mirror. And we continue moving forward.