I should have worn the pajamas

It's time for another installment of Friday, I'm in Love. It might just be a little bit of normal in this otherwise crazy snowbound blog rambling. (Yeah, even that sentence didn't make sense.)

What shall today's topic be?
How's about we talk about the time The Mother tried to set me up on a blind date thinking I wouldn't catch on. This time is also known as this past New Year's Eve.

Let's get started, shall we?

So, The Parents have been hanging out with all of their high school friends for a couple of years now, and once upon a time it was mentioned that they had a single son, but at the time, I shot it down quickly and it did not even register.

Mid-December, The Mother said that they were going to D and M's house for New Year's Eve, and all the kids were invited. She said I could come if I didn't have any other NYE plans. I agreed, on the contingency that I don't have any other NYE plans, which I don't ever have.

A couple of days later, Mr. Incredible (husband to Reckless) texted me about her first birthday surprise, and mentioned that I would be there for the second birthday surprise, on NYE. To which I thought "score! not spending The Eve with the parents!"

I mentioned it to The Mother, and she looked quite downtrodden. I even asked if she was okay, and she blew it off as being tired. And I believed her.

A few days later, she mentions that they were thinking of moving the time for dinner, so that I could come. While I usually have a sixth sense about these things, I still didn't put two and two together. I agreed to go to the dinner, and stay as long as I could before coming home and changing for the birthday surprise.

The morning of The Eve, I get a call from The Mother. She is attempting small talk, which I'm a whiz at tuning out, and then I hear it. "What are you wearing tonight?" Immediately, I knew what was going on. I told her some ideas I was thinking about, and she told me to "just be sure I was dressed cute."

Okay. Now I know what's going on. I immediately texted The BFF with the news that I was pretty sure that I was being set up and I was told to dress cute, to which she replied "should I let you borrow my 'I heart boys' pajamas?" (The BFF's mother in law is awesome and buys her things like pajama bottoms with the words "I heart boys" on them. For her son's wife. Seriously.)

I dressed myself cutely, now armed with the full knowledge of what was really going on that evening, and headed out the door. I hate that this picture is blurry, because I was rocking the curly hair that evening. I'll probably still scrap it and all.

I get to the house, and the awkward introductions get out of the way. He seemed nice, but I could just tell immediately that he was not my type. I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the 45 minutes that I was there. Right before I left, he mentioned that he had just ended a 5 year, on-again/off-again relationship.

Okay, check please.

Not blog-worthy, you say? Well, you're right. But the story doesn't end there.

The next day, The Mother asked me what I thought, and I said he was nice enough. Then, she goes on to tell me about his past.

About how he's a recovering alcoholic.
And drug user.
And how his parents bailed him out a couple of times, but eventually they had to do the tough love.
And kick him out.
So he was homeless for a while.

Now, I'm all for the redemption and the likes, but not with someone The Mother wants me to start a relationship with.

Really, Mother?
Are you that desperate for me to get married?

**That's just a little taste of what dating is like when you check the "over 30" box..
Stay tuned for more "Friday, I'm in love" stories.