Shalee's Diner Cheap Date

Shalee's Diner is asking for ideas for cheap dates for St. Valentine's Day.

Now it's been a long time since Raf and I had a date. Yup, we're "old" so we don't have babysitter problems...although when we were dating...before we were married...we had three little girls who at times needed babysitters. And, yes, I've definitely swapped babysitting responsibilities with others! Now, of course, our babies are 41, 39, and 37...and each has at least one child old enough to babysit!

But back to mine and Raf's dating. Our best, most special, and cheapest dates were when he would take me to one of the several local parks in Nashville, Tennessee, and serenade me with his guitar and voice. Off times I would pack a picnic lunch. Our favorite stroll was a 3.5 miles around Radnor Lake in the middle of Nashville. This is a wild area that Minnie Pearl and Mrs. Tex Ritter (for you young ones, that's John Ritter's mom) helped save from becoming condos in the 1970's.

And now, 31 years later, we are planning our 30th anniversary by going back to Nashville and walking around the lake. We try to do that every time we are in Nashville, BUT the last time we were there I couldn't do it. The old hip hurt too badly. So, on May 5, 2007, our plan is to do that walk. I am soooo looking forward to it. Mind you, when we went years ago there was no fee to walk...there is now, but, hey, it's definitely worth it.

I know I have bored you with this photo before, but it's one of my very favorite of us taken outside the GoldRush club in Nashville on Elliston Place. Our first date was to hear Lenny Breau play at Mississippi Whiskers (no longer there but you can Google it and see pics) in Nashville, and then we headed to the GoldRush for a nightcap.

So there, my friends, are ideas for cheap dates...take a picnic to the park...and serenade your love...if you can't sing, take a CD player. Walk around a lake and enjoy the nature God put there for us to enjoy.

Enjoy an outdoor concert in the park. We go each year to 5 or 6 such free concerts in Stephenville, Texas.

Take in a little theatre or college theatre play...they usually serve refreshments...all for about $7 each.

Go to an open mic at one of the many coffeehouses and bars in your area...get a cuppa and enjoy the music. Money spending should be the least of what's important for a great date.

Remember:

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou.

--Omar Khayyam