LH, Joseph, AS and Maika -- thanks for your thoughts, all good advice...unlike me, you guys have this all figured out it would seem. I think the vacillation we see is best ignored and if indeed it's just periodic temperature checking, the running cold that follows is probably because the hot doesn't elicit the reaction they perhaps wanted to unequivocally confirm "still available", if that makes sense (I'm careful not to engage in anything that resembles relationship talk or pursuit through compliments or otherwise). I still remember Maika's "test" at the 6 month mark and how he vowed never again because he didn't like how it left him feeling when W said she still felt the same way. That was a good cautionary tale, no need to give them that satisfaction without something from them that leaves no doubt how they will respond.
I do believe that although the expected contrition and humility may not be the same for the WAW, they all make it obvious if and when they want to R and anything short of that is temperature checking (for reasons that are known only to them, no good comes from trying to mind read). And again, when they don't get the reaction they expected or perhaps wanted, i.e. attention, they get kinda pouty.
And LH, yes, working on the wrong side of 40 with two or three young children makes for a shallow dating pool...and not just for women, although I expect it's harder for them in part because a lot of men will pretend to be interested in order to get some...shoplifting the pootie, lol (Jerry Maguire).
