Grizzy - tell me about it ! I did the online dating bit a few years ago, and I didn't so much look for romance, but viewed the 'dates' as someone to have a bit of lunch with, and with that mindset I wasn't disappointed, but it was a bonus if they were 'fanciable'.
I met a fair amount of 'characters', and those that used 'darlin' on a first meet would not progress to the 2nd date. I would think "oh, pleeease". Then there were the ones who despite being in my age group (a teenager in the 60's), would turn up looking like a grandad from the 1940's ! I'm not picky but I do have 'specifics' - clean nails are must, good teeth - also a must if they intend to be kissed, and general pride in their appearance. If things progressed further I would still insist on sharing any meal bills - never be beholding even at our age !
Yes I did meet some howlers, but also a lot of really nice chaps who were more than passable and made intelligent conversation - always a plus, and a few I met with more than a couple of times. You also have to suss those who claim to be 'separated' then find they are still living with the wife - but of course they 'lead separate lives' - yeah right. Recent widowers you quickly realise are still grieving, obviously can't cope on their own, and are looking for someone to cook the dinner.
However, I did meet the final love of my life although I didn't realise it at the time. Big problem - he lived in Zurich, Switzerland. Lots of correspondence for 6 months, photos and speaking on the phone. Then he visited his parents here in the UK, so we decided to meet up. Wow ! he stood waiting in the carpark of a motorway service station, and it was a bit of a heart skipping moment when you just 'knew'. I couldn't have been more 'breathless' if it was George Clooney standing there. Anyway, the romance kicked off big time, and as I was retired and he worked from home, we managed to alternate monthly visits to each other. This carried on for over a year while we discussed a more permanent arrangement, but it was not to be, he contracted oesophageal cancer, so I spent the following year spending more time over there, most of it visiting him in hospital (which knocks our NHS into a cocked hat re cleanliness and organisation), but he finally succumbed, and I lost him just 2 years after we met. They always say its better to have love and lost than never have loved at all - so true in my case.
His final wish was for his ashes to be spread in the gardens of the stately home where we had our first date - surprising for me because I expected him to want to be scattered near the Alps where he lived, but his sons respected his wishes, and so together with their families they brought them here, and we had a beautiful ceremony, after getting permission from the Head Gardener. A bench has been placed where his ashes rest, with a plaque in both English and Swiss German.
), I was given a FREE upgrade to an outside with balcony !
We flew with 8 colleagues & their spouses to Puerto Rico & then had ten days in the Caribbean. We were on the Radisson Diamond, she was the only twin-hull cruise ship ever built & carried 400 passengers & crew so was fairly sedate. We visited every island, both loved Martinique & if I could cope with the flights we would return. Thinking of LATI's search for a new bed the one we had on this lovely ship was the most comfortable one I've ever known; the staff were delightful, the girl who looked after our cabin knew how much I liked the china & gave me a cream jug on our last morning - "Don't worry madam, they get broken so we have hundreds but I know you'll look after this little one & it's our gift". Would I go again? Yes, if it was a small ship but he wouldn't, what we really want is to return to Sicily & a 3 star hotel that for the first time in more than a century is struggling to stay open.
10 years later, and they can look elsewhere for a dinner cooking carer 
