Date #6

Preamble : When you send an introduction email to someone online, it's very rare that you start off discussing Scandinavian knitwear. Or more specifically, knitwear from certain BBC4 dramas. But it garnered a response, so perhaps I might try that one again.

Her loves seemed to be dour Euro dramas played out at a snail pace, mine, well I dipped in here and there, but the conversation started off on knitwear then moved onto TV. And there is stuck. It was strange.

I had a week's holiday and she also went away, not with me I hasten to add. But prior to our respective holidays we agreed to meet up after exchanging a series of telly themed emails.

Now I wasn't expecting anything of the evening beyond talking telly. How wrong I was. We touched on music, politics (a first for a first date I think), our respective careers, what was wrong with London's housing market, travelling in SE Asia, in particular Vietnam. But not once did we talk about relationships. Her fault or mine? I guess both. Do you normally not talk about such things or is it best to lay them out in the open at the first meeting? Let's face it it's nice to know if there's a ex lurking in the background ready to kill me. Plus being divorced, it usually prompts the question 'why no kids?'. Perhaps we were given a different script for the evening but it was really a pleasant evening, conversation wasn't difficult but there was no flirtatious comments at all. Like being out with my sister.

One curious thing I read a while back about dating is that if you stare at a woman's mouth when she's talking it apparently is sexually suggestive. No idea why, but this lovely lady had what appeared to be half her molars missing so when she spoke I couldn't help but stare. Anyway it didn't lead to anything sexually.

Location : Clapham - it's years since I've been there and couldn't believe the new station entrance. Anyway, a bar called the Bridge with an utterly crap food menu highlighted by the veggie salad having ham in it.

Stats : 38, lived in SE London and was English! A rare one at that. My first English date I think during this 'trial'.

Weird factor : Fairly low. Normal. Normal.

Wife skills : Home owner, career driven, maybe too much of a solo life but didn't pick up warmth, so lets say low.

Snog factor : With those teeth??????

Going Dutch : ££ Split the bill 50/50

After effects : Lovely, normal and won't be seeing again. Not even to discuss the next series of Borgen. Scandi knitwear is still cool.