Tinkerbell's Pages

On the art of romance...

I realised the other day that tomorrow (May 19th) is exactly twelve years to the day since the boyfriend and I first met (yup, TWELVE YEARS - count 'em!) We didn't get it together as a couple for another two years after that, but that's another (very long and involved) story. Anyway, thinking about this last night, I said to the boyfriend, "Did you know that on Saturday it's exactly twelve years to the day since we first met? Maybe at the weekend we should do something to celebrate." After a couple of minutes silence, the boyfriend replied, "Actually, I was thinking - I'd really like to go and see 28 Weeks Later this weekend." Typical. What a beautiful way to celebrate and cherish our long-standing relationship. Going to see a movie full of monsters ripping people to shreds and feasting on their brains. That really says a lot about us as a couple... : )

On saying it with flowers ...

Poor boyfriend has not had a very good week. He's been feeling quite down about his job, turning 30 next month, his future etc. I've been doing my best to attempt to cheer him up and am helping him to find a new job. I found something which sounds really good, so we're going to sit down today and fill in an application form. Yesterday we ending up having a bit of an argument because we were both feeling quite stressed, so in the afternoon I suggested that we go down to the park just to sit down and relax for a while.

It was a good move because as we sat in the beautiful sunshine, we had a chance to have a good chat and a laugh. It did us good to just get away from the flat for an hour or so. On the way home (those of you who know us, brace yourselves for this ...!!!) he bought me a bunch of flowers. Not a big deal for most of you ladies out there I'm sure, but that is only the second bunch of flowers I've had from him in NINE YEARS (once before on my birthday). He doesn't really agree with them. He thinks they're a waste of money, they serve no purpose and men look stupid carrying them along the road. And yet he bought some for me yesterday. I was truly touched : )

On rediscovering the art of dating ...

When you've been in a relationship with someone for nine years (!) and living with them for almost four and a half of those, after a while the art of dating gets lost somewhere along the way (if it was ever there in the first place). The fun and carefree attitudes you may have held as a student (me) or general-layabout (him) in your late teens and early twenties are gradually replaced by the monotony and exhaustion of full-time jobs, paying bills and all the rest that real adulthood entails as you are dragged kicking and screaming towards your thirties. It creeps up on you before you realise what's happening and it can be quite scary. The closest the boyfriend and I seem to get to dating these days is a weekly trip to ASDA or Sunday dinner at his parents house. Very sad but also very true.

So in the true spirit of the lovely people at lastminute.com, I have booked two tickets to go and see The Woman in Black at The Fortune Theatre tonight - the bonus being that they were half price (yes I know I'm cheap, but I'm broke and payday is still sadly two weeks away.) Anyway, rather than our usual meeting place of the sofa in our lounge, tonight we are meeting up in Oxford Street when the boyfriend finishes work. If I'm lucky he might even take me somewhere nice for a bite to eat and a drink or two before the show, rather than us sitting at home on the sofa sharing a tub of Ben and Jerry's whilst watching The Apprentice like we did last night : ) I'll keep you posted.