About Lived
Updating my profile (April 4, 2013):
I recently lost my K9 partner of 12 years. I was Blessed to have had such a great dog. As for my back recovery, I hope to be back to work this month. I have begun walking the flat trails of my favorite parks. Most people would see the past couple of years as a bout of bad luck, I have seen them as a wake up call to all that I have been Blessed with.
My profile is a bit long, however, it's as best a description of who I am without meeting me and getting to know me. I will try and upload more pictures soon.
Let me first say for those that haven't read my profile previously, I had major back surgery. I went from thinking I would be back in action within a couple of months, to still at home 6 months later. I will be back to hiking as that is my favorite outdoors activity. It was an urgent surgery and my sciatic nerves were affected much more than I knew. What that means is that one of my legs and foot is slower in the recovery process. I see me back to work in February (hopefully) and by summer, tackling all my favorite hiking paths.
Who am I:
I am very family and close friend orientated. I have a very strong faith in God and I count my blessings daily. I think I just found a nice church that I might call mine. I will always have dogs in my life, as they give me so much joy, even with all their shedding and vet bills. I find the outdoors so peaceful and regenerating. Hiking is my favorite venue and you will find me exploring many of the East Bay Regional Parks and all the beauty they have to offer. Kayaking around lakes and estuaries also is an enjoyable way to spend the day. I miss "Bay Area Backroads" and learning about many of the nooks and crannies that living here has to offer. Many were simply a short drive away with different, some quite pleasantly unique finds along the way. I have knitted and crocheted since I was 6 years old. Many family and friends have enjoyed homemade gifts, made especially for them. I remodeled my home when I made the decision to work for my family.
Some of my dreams changed, living or owning a cabin in the mountains along a lake or a creek/river may not happen, so I created an atmosphere of enjoyment here. It's a small home, but it's just right for me. Lately I have been trying to figure out the world of backyard ponds with Koi and goldfish in them. I work regular week day hours and I do not have the freedom to travel at a drop of a hat.
I have spent the past 12 years volunteering my time, almost exclusively to search and rescue, in the canine division. Prior to this injury I was on the fence of retiring my dog(s) and myself. I have met so many wonderful team members and I have been deeply involved from being on the board to heading up some fundraisers. Extricating myself prior to this surgery, made it feel like amputating a limb. Now, I see it as a sign to step back and enjoy life from an aspect of being outdoors, keeping up my friendships, helping here and there, but overall, stepping back from this time consuming life. I will need understanding with whomever I am with, that this decision is very hard on me and I'm still hanging on to "am I doing the right thing" thoughts, from time to time.
I have led a very active and sometimes competitive life. From my professional life to my recreational life, I was like a train with blinders on when I had a goal in mind. This made me very successful in many aspects and I am proud of my life. Now, I want to continue living my active life, but from the point of exploring and enjoying. My career is now with family (elderly parents) and with a goal of retirement in my future.
Who am I looking for and how do I see POF and other sights I have used:
I want someone who is in sync with my life. Would I enjoy travelling to Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and New Zealand? You bet! Alaska is a goal I see as happening, across the pond? Probably not. So many of you that seem to be travelling a lot and want someone to join them, I may not be the one for you, budgets and my job makes things like that out of my reach. It's on the bucket list, but near the bottom, I'm a realist.
Whether hiking the local parks or walking them, I need to breathe the outdoors until I'm no longer breathing. I have asthma and my active life has had me off and on, physically out of commission, making cardio activities sometimes an uphill battle. Don't let me hold you up. We can start out together, and I'll catch up if you need to run or bike the paths. I'll stop and let the dogs swim and sit and enjoy the view. I want someone physically fit to take on some nice long hikes, even at a slower pace. Living in a gym and building up muscles to gain a physique of a body builder is not for me. My body is not athletic but I'm not a candidate for the biggest loser either. Comfortable is how I see myself, with the atypical moments of frustration with the scale, when the little black dress just won't fit me, as it once did. Then I'm off and running to change that.
Kindness, patience and generosity are virtues I look for. I enjoy a man that enjoys his time tinkering in a garage and/or building something with his hands. I enjoy a clean home, but with crafts it can get somewhat cluttered and with pets, black is not a good wardrobe choice. I do not understand atheists, please know God and have a positive relationship with Him. I cannot recite the Bible and I'm always lost looking up something within. I have enjoyed Bible studies and wouldn't mind finding another comfortable class again.
Music: country, R&B, soft/classic rock, movie soundtracks
Absolutely do not like horror movies.
If you do not have a picture that shows you up close and personal, and any that show you in a setting that I may want to join you in, I may not respond. If you do email me, a simple "hi" may get my attention, but please, once I respond back, don't respond back with another "hi" and no substance, or I may see you as not a cute flirt tactic, but one that requires too much work one sided, mine.
I have, since this surgery, been interested in a few of your profiles but have felt like a first impression would not have been a good one. So I saved your emails or favored your profiles until I felt I was up to the challenge of putting a good foot forward. I didn't realize that some of the emails would disappear. I am quite interested in a long term relationship, to last the rest of our lifetimes. I hope that after reading this far, you are of the same mind. So forgive me for the length, but I want to find my best friend and it begins with getting to know me up front, before meeting me, then meeting and getting to know you.