Hi Sage - Yah, I know what you meant too - and thank you so much for re-framing what looked like a hopeless sitch just a couple of hours ago
For now, I have backed off, which NG and I both recognise in each other as validating signals. Yeah, we are bigger on actions than words. I like your suggestions, especially about defining goals and time limits. Knowing NG, I need to give him a couple of days before the next foray.