Newby here, desperate for some advice (thread 4)

[JRuss]

Thanks lt0402 and ForGump -- really appreciate the support.

Last night went well. I kept it light and breezy. We split a bottle of wine over the course of several hours, talked like friends for quite a while on the back porch (an owl (my spirit animal, if internet tests are to be believed) flew very close to us and sat in a tree for quite a while just looking at us). W even hung out in MBR for a while and made small talk before heading to her new bedroom. It wasn't quite the arrow to the chest when she left that it has been the prior 4-5 nights, but it's starting to feel permanent and part of the gradual plan she has and is now implementing.

Sunday's my anniversary. W has either forgotten or is deliberately not going to mark it in any way. So I know I also need to not draw attention to it, but it's hard. It was always one of my favorite days of the year. She actually wants us to go out to eat the day before with several other couples, and I want to say to her "I'd rather go out the follow day . . .", but I don't guess that's BD-approved.