"50 dates in 52 weeks, a modern go to guide in finding a husband," I announce at our monthly girls Thai dinner catch-up. "It's time to take things to the next level.  I'm sick of being single and have no plans in being so by the time I turn thirty three."

Sitting with the girls, my BFFs since high school, I announce my plans in finding a new husband, 50 dates in 52 weeks. I've been divorced for nearly a year and so far, I've lost one house, won or maybe a better choice of word, kept two children yet somehow I'm still fighting for the custody of our family dog, Murphy – aka – Smurf. Smurf is an Irish wolfhound cross boarder collie cross - who knows exactly as he was a rescue. Clearly the dog meant more to my ex than our kids Typical.

"What? Seriously?" Sarah responses nearly choking on the spring role she'd already placed in her mouth.

Sarah has never been married or had children and chose a career instead. As she should, she was incredible in a boardroom and excelled at matching the pace of other System Architects – the real IT nerds - boardrooms full of intelligent and arrogant men. She matched and won her battles daily with the upmost humility, integrity and of course.... a little bit of fashion and glamour to boot.

"Good for you.  You go girl," Lilly nervously laughs.  "So, just asking Jess.... how the hell are you going to do this while working full time and raising two children practically on your own?"

Lilly, the best second wife and stepmother any family could wish for, as well as an incredible friend. She balanced it all, Banking Executive, married to the perfect doting husband, stepmother to four step children, one dog and a fitness routine to be envious of that started at 5 45 am sharp every morning. Her life was like the movie, Just go with It on steroids and streaming 24hours on fast forward! 

Lilly's daily routine - workout before work every day - then office, city meetings all day and then home every night by 6 30 pm to arrange dinner for her tribe. Her schedule was planned down to the last minute, updated four times a day and synched on all the family devices, a true balance of work and play, fitness and person time.

Yep, I'm completely inadequate in comparison. I wished I had her organisational skills!

"Is it too early to Face Time Amy? She'll hate missing out on this announcement," Sarah giggles while reaching for her iPhone to check the time in New York. "She won't want to miss this discussion." We are fourteen hours ahead of New York so we usually called Amy at the end of our dinners, her Sunday breakfast or 'PJ' time as we liked to call it so around 6 30 am New York time.  A once a month early catch up that was religiously maintained even if this meant seeing her in a vast array of pajamas.

Amy, the perpetual traveller of our group, worked for one of arms of the Flight Travel Group, a Brisbane based travel agency that was about to purchase a Corporate Travel Agency in New York. Amy was transferred to Jersey, their New York head office for four years to ensure the merger and acquisition ran smoothly.

It sounded more like a hostile take over to me than merger!

Amy refused to live in Jersey so negotiated as part of her package a daily car service, which also allow me one and half hours of her commuting time during the week for emergency advice calls. Amy was gay, a lesbian border bisexual to be exact and was in a relationship with both sexes.

Or is this called fluid now days. I can't keep up!

Sex and the City meets Younger and she is an aspiring Imelda Marcos – with over 500 pairs of shoes - thus her immediate acceptance to move to New York, the perfect place for shoe shopping.

Designer shoes.... Everywhere.

"We'll call Amy in thirty minutes," Sarah replies. "Lets' see who's in her bed this morning shall we?" now grinning from ear to ear.

We met in six grade and became besties from day one, orientation. A kind of High School Musical meets The Carrie Diaries, without all the boy dramas, singing and sex that you'd expect from our generation, Y-gen.

"Yes, it's time to get serious," I reply. "So I've done some research and need some advice on which are the best dating sites to load my profile onto?" I gleamingly smile directly at Sarah, knowing she'll share her thoughts from her latest online dating analysis. 

"So when you say husband.... are you looking for hook-ups or really a new husband as I can guide you to the best sites for both if you like?" she grins in response. "No judgment here."

Sarah preferred hook-ups to husbands. She'd had offers before, including two marriage proposals but somehow seemed content with her career and lifestyle choices and used online dating sites for monthly hook-ups only. It certainly was entertaining, hearing about her dating escapades at our monthly dinners. Some good, some frightening but mostly hilarious so I found it immensely reassuring that I had her to go to for my initial online dating set ups.

"Hmm, good point," Lilly joins in. "Are you ready for another serious relationship or maybe just a bit of fun for a while. You definitely deserve some decent shagging at least. How long has it been since you've been serviced?" she questions.

Why does it sound like she's asking about my car being serviced rather than sex?

"Embarrassingly nearly two years. Does this qualify me as a virgin again? Should I add that to my profile set up?" I tease seeing if Sarah will bite. 

Joshua my ex had cheated on me with his Personal Assistant.

I know, so cliché right.

She had threated to expose their affair to his legal firm so he chose honesty at work over commitment to his wife and children. Sacrificed us and was promoted to partner.

Naturally, it's still a 'man's world 'in many professions.

"Oh, you are soo.... hilarious Babes. I'm happy for you to add whatever you like to your profile but don't come complaining to me if you end up with freaks, fuglies and assholes," Sarah retorts, gagging at the same time.

Fuglies now known as f..king ugly!

"Ok. So what we need is some checklists." Lilly interrupts. Of course Lilly has the checklists sorted!

God I love my friends...

(Readers - More to be added here very soon)