Hot Damn...Grandma's and Grandpa Are Going on a Date

Found: One old article in my desk drawer. Did I publish this funny thing or not? The answer is yes and no. Yes it appeared on Generation Fabulous back in 2015 before that website became Women of Midlife. No it never appeared on this blog. Here it is.

My husband and I have been married for 53 (almost) year. I know things have changed a lot since we were teens but don't tell me that romance is not still alive...my husband and I are going on a date!

I have it on good authority that date night is suppose to help keep the passion in a marriage...well it is one of 100 suggestions, number 3 I think. I knew we could do number 3 so I didn't read any further.

I found out about this second hand on the Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop website. Vikki Claflin wrote the article about date night and romance so she is the authority, not me. I am just going with the meme. But, I want you to keep in mind that I am probably 20 years older that Vikki so my date night probably does not look or sound like hers, not by a long shot.

When I told my husband about the importance of date night and the romance in our marriage, he was all over it."Well," he said, "I have a coupon." The economy of it all just carried me away on a cloud. The coupon was burning a hole in his pocket, my hair cut is fairly new and he is alway ready for a little romance if you know what I mean. I actually heard a little enthusiasm in his voice. Date night might happen!

While I was floating on the cloud of date night romance, I began thinking about how I could turn this into an opportunity to shop. There is a discount store very close by and on the way to almost every place we go. I didn't have a coupon but really, you can buy a dress or a skirt for $20 or less. I was feeling hopeful. Then, would you believe it, on the day we had our date night conversation my husband mentioned that he was driving out to do some errand. Just like that I was going shopping.

Before I knew it we were in the car. As we approached the store he pulled up to the curb, I opened the door and jumped out as he sped away. He called me on his cell phone immediately to let me know he would be back to get me in a less than half an hour. I must be a fast shopper because he was back in the parking lot in less than 30 minutes. I was ready to jump back into the car as he slowed down near the curb.

Picking a day to go out was harder though. We are a little older and we don't want to go out to eat when there is a crowd. Then there is that coupon that is only good between the hours of 4:00 and 6:30 pm excluding Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

We wouldn't want to go on Monday because, well, it Monday and the weekend can be pretty tiring. Besides, football season has begun so you know we need to stay at home on Monday nights.

Maybe we can go on Tuesday or Thursday. Wednesdays are probably out because my husband golfs with his friends on that day. Seems like we have something on Thursdays but I can't remember what it is right now.

And Friday night? Don't even think about it. Have you seen all those people out on Fridays laughing and talking loud? No, Friday would never do.

What was I talking about? Oh yes, romance and date night. I can vaguely remember dating my husband all those years ago. It seemed so easy and fun when we were young.

We went out on Saturday and danced. I wore a beautiful dress and my shoes always matched each other. My earrings were clip on and didn't even hurt for a while. There was curfew that I never obeyed and rules that I didn't fallow.

We never had a plan until we got in the car. That was when we would decide which dance to go to or even if we should catch a movie. I remember a lot of hugging and dissing. Boy, we knew what romance was back then! Best of all, coupons had not been invented yet. All we did was collect S&H Green Stamps and I don't remember getting any of those.

I am seeing that date night is a little harder than it was when we were young. Now there are those blasted coupon, foods we cannot eat and my body demands a curfew. Do you suppose I will have the energy to enjoy myself after actually setting the time and date, making a reservation ( do that sort of thing in our marriage) then dressing in special clothes that are not broken in?

Maybe I should get dressed in something a little old. I could save the new dress back for a funeral or something. We could go out on a date on the spur of the moment and drive down the road without a plan to see where life takes us. Yes that is sounding very good.

The 2 for 1 coupon never expires I see. I hear a local restaurant lets you have free pie on Wednesday! I could convince my husband that he is not so tired from golfing that we can't go out for free pie.

 If we don'''t want to eat both pieces, we could share one and take the other piece home in a to-go box. We could eat it the next night and I might even light a candle to make the left over pie a little more romantic. There is nothing like making the excitement (and the food) last for two days. I think next Wednesday might be our date night.

I'm sure the late Erma Bombeck and my blogging friend, Vikki Claflin would like that...one of them would have something witty to say, ask if we had taken our pills and send us on our way. "Hot damn, they're finally going on a date!" they would whisper.

Thank you Vikki Claflin for bring up "date night" and the quote, "Hot Damn, Mama's doing on a date". Date night is definitely on our radar once again.

And Erma Bombeck, God Bless you wherever you are.

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