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DatingThread 55 - Spring has Sprung!

830 replies

Nosdacariad · 24/02/2026 07:23

The Rules:
-The first rule about the dating thread is don't talk about it with people you're dating -Develop a thick skin
-Do not invest emotionally too soon
-It’s all BS until it actually happens
-Trust your gut instinct
-People vanishing, lying & being generally weird is not your fault
-Know your worth
-If it's not fun, stop
-Loo update is mandatory
-No dating the thread
-Treat others as you'd like to be treated
-Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with
-The things you choose to ignore/ tolerate now are the reasons you will break up in the future
-OLD can get very time consuming. Keep doing other activities you enjoy
Optional: Please give your irons (potential dates you are talking to) nicknames like Mr Scottish. Initials are allowed (Mr S) when you are an item*

OP posts:
rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 11:30

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 25/02/2026 11:10

This is interesting. The last two men I kissed on the lips were mad for me after it. Unsure if it was 6 seconds!

Anyway I have a story of hope. On bumble I met a man last year who I thought I’d seen on another dating site. First date went so well so I went for full on snogging at the end. We’ve now been seeing each other for 5 months and it’s going well. Usual messages on site then on WhatsApp then met. He didn’t hang around and neither did I. As he doesn’t live near me but works different areas I’ve recently travelled across London to see him but he’s done similar so it evens out. Going so well he’s coming on a family holiday this summer.

That's great news, and it started with a kiss ha ha

OneShyQuail · 25/02/2026 11:31

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 10:05

Still so sad about Mr Soughdough and very perplexed: in his words to my face on Friday it was "an amazing date" and it ended with a lot of hot kissing so I know he fancies me. Still finding it hard to believe he would just wander off. Question: he texted Sunday and I replied and that conversation ended. Is it up to me to text with a new conversation? I don't want to chase, but I also struggle with texting etiquette, while the voice of "if he wanted to he would" is ringing in my own ears...

Its so hard but leave him be. His actions reflect his thoughts.
Dont chase him.
I bet he reappears again in a week or so after hes run out of his other options as there probably is. He could have had another date lined up for the next night for all you know.

Perhaps just call him Mr Sour from now on 🤭

TwistedWonder · 25/02/2026 11:36

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 10:05

Still so sad about Mr Soughdough and very perplexed: in his words to my face on Friday it was "an amazing date" and it ended with a lot of hot kissing so I know he fancies me. Still finding it hard to believe he would just wander off. Question: he texted Sunday and I replied and that conversation ended. Is it up to me to text with a new conversation? I don't want to chase, but I also struggle with texting etiquette, while the voice of "if he wanted to he would" is ringing in my own ears...

I think as women we always question and doubt ourselves. I’ve had it before when a man not contacted me and thought ‘should I have messaged him’

It is hard but we have to keep remembering if they wanted to they would. If a man a really keen, he won’t let you slip through his fingers over a non text.

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 11:50

Ha ha @OneShyQuail Mr Sour it now is!

Nosdacariad · 25/02/2026 12:54

@rubberduck68 it is up to you, neither is wrong. If there is no reply would you feel better if you texted or better if you didn't?

@TwistedWonder that fb guy was gross!

@CleanShirt you deleted the MIMP (men in my phone).

OP posts:
rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 12:56

Nosdacariad · 25/02/2026 12:54

@rubberduck68 it is up to you, neither is wrong. If there is no reply would you feel better if you texted or better if you didn't?

@TwistedWonder that fb guy was gross!

@CleanShirt you deleted the MIMP (men in my phone).

If I texted him and he didn’t reply back, I would feel even worse than I do now. At least at the moment I have my dignity intact, which is some kind of small comfort.I’m going to follow the general advice on here which is to step away from my phone!!

Polly1979 · 25/02/2026 17:32

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 10:05

Still so sad about Mr Soughdough and very perplexed: in his words to my face on Friday it was "an amazing date" and it ended with a lot of hot kissing so I know he fancies me. Still finding it hard to believe he would just wander off. Question: he texted Sunday and I replied and that conversation ended. Is it up to me to text with a new conversation? I don't want to chase, but I also struggle with texting etiquette, while the voice of "if he wanted to he would" is ringing in my own ears...

He said he would call you so I think the ball is firmly in his court even if you did text last. Stay strong!

Interesting about the 6 second snog theory and it does seem to stack up with my recent experience. Think I’ll also be timing the kisses from now on!

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 18:00

Polly1979 · 25/02/2026 17:32

He said he would call you so I think the ball is firmly in his court even if you did text last. Stay strong!

Interesting about the 6 second snog theory and it does seem to stack up with my recent experience. Think I’ll also be timing the kisses from now on!

It might not mean very much that he hasn't.. he has been slow and consistent so far so let's see, I figure if it gets to a week then that's really not good but for now I am trying to stay focused on the evidence so far that is good. The kissing thing is what got me in this much trouble after Friday - damn it!

TwistedWonder · 25/02/2026 18:08

The kissing thing has got me thinking. The only men I can really remember over last few years are the ones I’ve kissed. Other than them and the nightmare dates, everyone else just blurs into one

MsJinks · 25/02/2026 19:59

For those sad you can’t block on email - you can set up a sort of out of office auto reply with rules it’s just for them - so it just bounces back that you’re unavailable or whatever you like to put. You obviously don’t need to ask me how I know this though I didn’t figure the rules out so everyone got it but I could resolve that easily enough by answering those I wanted to answer.
If I want to text someone or something I really shouldn’t I draft it/send it to myself - at least at first!
Still I’m both rubbish at relationships and barely trouble with dating - so I’m not sure how useful any thoughts I have might be - loads of previous experience though ha!

Nosdacariad · 25/02/2026 21:38

MsJinks · 25/02/2026 19:59

For those sad you can’t block on email - you can set up a sort of out of office auto reply with rules it’s just for them - so it just bounces back that you’re unavailable or whatever you like to put. You obviously don’t need to ask me how I know this though I didn’t figure the rules out so everyone got it but I could resolve that easily enough by answering those I wanted to answer.
If I want to text someone or something I really shouldn’t I draft it/send it to myself - at least at first!
Still I’m both rubbish at relationships and barely trouble with dating - so I’m not sure how useful any thoughts I have might be - loads of previous experience though ha!

Thanks, like OOO reply?
"Nosdacariad is not available, she's searching for her remaining fucks..."

OP posts:
Nosdacariad · 25/02/2026 21:40

@MsJinks I think I can't block or use OOO as I'm on the free version.

OP posts:
bluedabadeedabadoo · 25/02/2026 23:03

Evening all! Thanks for the new thread. @rubberduck68reallt sorry to hear about Mr Sour dough. I really thought this was going somewhere for you.
So I had a 6th date with Mr Cheval. I decided to give it a while longer after my last post re the ED issues. I’m pleased to say that there were no ED issues tonight at all and we managed PIV 😊 it was a complete contrast to the last 2 times and he didn’t struggle at all. I asked what he felt was different and he just said he feels more comfortable with me. . I feel so much better about this. It’s all going really well. We are really comfortable with each other, it’s fun, we have had a mixture of actual dates doing things outside the house and some time at our houses DTD, cooking, watching tv etc. our communication styles match too and he’s very open with how he feels. Trying to not get too excited!

rubberduck68 · 25/02/2026 23:26

bluedabadeedabadoo · 25/02/2026 23:03

Evening all! Thanks for the new thread. @rubberduck68reallt sorry to hear about Mr Sour dough. I really thought this was going somewhere for you.
So I had a 6th date with Mr Cheval. I decided to give it a while longer after my last post re the ED issues. I’m pleased to say that there were no ED issues tonight at all and we managed PIV 😊 it was a complete contrast to the last 2 times and he didn’t struggle at all. I asked what he felt was different and he just said he feels more comfortable with me. . I feel so much better about this. It’s all going really well. We are really comfortable with each other, it’s fun, we have had a mixture of actual dates doing things outside the house and some time at our houses DTD, cooking, watching tv etc. our communication styles match too and he’s very open with how he feels. Trying to not get too excited!

Yay that's such great news, well done for sticking with it! Keep us posted...

BoxOfCats · 26/02/2026 04:56

bluedabadeedabadoo · 25/02/2026 23:03

Evening all! Thanks for the new thread. @rubberduck68reallt sorry to hear about Mr Sour dough. I really thought this was going somewhere for you.
So I had a 6th date with Mr Cheval. I decided to give it a while longer after my last post re the ED issues. I’m pleased to say that there were no ED issues tonight at all and we managed PIV 😊 it was a complete contrast to the last 2 times and he didn’t struggle at all. I asked what he felt was different and he just said he feels more comfortable with me. . I feel so much better about this. It’s all going really well. We are really comfortable with each other, it’s fun, we have had a mixture of actual dates doing things outside the house and some time at our houses DTD, cooking, watching tv etc. our communication styles match too and he’s very open with how he feels. Trying to not get too excited!

Aww so glad to hear it! For what it’s worth, my last proper relationship started similarly. ED issues but really he just needed a bit of time. He’d been married for 15 years before he met me so I think just needed time to adjust to someone new.

Polly1979 · 26/02/2026 06:11

bluedabadeedabadoo · 25/02/2026 23:03

Evening all! Thanks for the new thread. @rubberduck68reallt sorry to hear about Mr Sour dough. I really thought this was going somewhere for you.
So I had a 6th date with Mr Cheval. I decided to give it a while longer after my last post re the ED issues. I’m pleased to say that there were no ED issues tonight at all and we managed PIV 😊 it was a complete contrast to the last 2 times and he didn’t struggle at all. I asked what he felt was different and he just said he feels more comfortable with me. . I feel so much better about this. It’s all going really well. We are really comfortable with each other, it’s fun, we have had a mixture of actual dates doing things outside the house and some time at our houses DTD, cooking, watching tv etc. our communication styles match too and he’s very open with how he feels. Trying to not get too excited!

That’s great news - it’s so nice to hear a positive story!

MsJinks · 26/02/2026 06:20

Nosdacariad · 25/02/2026 21:40

@MsJinks I think I can't block or use OOO as I'm on the free version.

Ah - I may have got mixed up - I thought people were on about their actual e-mail a/c - their personal one?
I’m only on free date sites and not tried the block on there - as I don’t hang around long enough regularly enough probably to need it.
If you mean the emails the dating site sends to tell you Mr Bellend has sent a message you can opt out of those though in settings.

Nosdacariad · 26/02/2026 07:08

@bluedabadeedabadoo such lovely news 🥰

@MsJinks you're right, personal email. MrX is actually an ex 🙂

OP posts:
bluedabadeedabadoo · 26/02/2026 07:13

@rubberduck68 @BoxOfCats @Nosdacariad @Polly1979 Thankyou! This feels very different to Mr Beard and Mr P. I’m not anxious at all which says a lot but of course it’s very early days 😊

Kaltenzahn · 26/02/2026 08:35

@bluedabadeedabadoo how exciting! It's lovely to get some nice news on the thread

OneShyQuail · 26/02/2026 08:49

bluedabadeedabadoo · 26/02/2026 07:13

@rubberduck68 @BoxOfCats @Nosdacariad @Polly1979 Thankyou! This feels very different to Mr Beard and Mr P. I’m not anxious at all which says a lot but of course it’s very early days 😊

All the best!

CleanShirt · 26/02/2026 09:09

@bluedabadeedabadoo very exciting news!

rubberduck68 · 26/02/2026 09:42

Nothing from Mr. Sour Dough last night. Is it normal for a man to just disappear after four good dates?

whallaloadofbollocks · 26/02/2026 10:35

I don’t think it’s normal @rubberduck68but I don’t think it’s a reflection on you as you had 4 great dates.
He’s either super chilled about these things, or keeping his options open. Either way… it’s about how it’s making you feel, is this a man you want to be in a relationship with? It’s 4 dates in and he’s having you guessing. In my mind a man with intention should be doing everything he can to lock in the next date.

I’d be the same as you and would be expecting more clarity. The fun and excitement of early dating should be enjoyable and not leave you second guessing.

rubberduck68 · 26/02/2026 11:43

whallaloadofbollocks · 26/02/2026 10:35

I don’t think it’s normal @rubberduck68but I don’t think it’s a reflection on you as you had 4 great dates.
He’s either super chilled about these things, or keeping his options open. Either way… it’s about how it’s making you feel, is this a man you want to be in a relationship with? It’s 4 dates in and he’s having you guessing. In my mind a man with intention should be doing everything he can to lock in the next date.

I’d be the same as you and would be expecting more clarity. The fun and excitement of early dating should be enjoyable and not leave you second guessing.

He usually takes 2-3 days post-date to arrange a call, but also I noticed that at the end of the last date he didn't ask if I wanted to do it again, like he had on the others, although we'd been kissing for so long I would've thought that was a mute point?!! Maybe he's feeling more relaxed about things now and not in a hurry. We haven't discussed what we are doing yet - I think it's a bit early for labels and exclusivity, but it also means I have no idea of his perspective. I do know what a crap date looks like though, and what an amazing date looks like and from my end it was four of the latter. He even said so! Men don't kiss you that much unless there is a attraction, so I am wondering if someone shinier has caught his eye, a problem that I cannot solve right now...

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