Saturday With Noreen

 After breakfast, I called Noreen to see how she was doing and if her unwanted house guest had finally left. Yes to the last mention--"Michele" (she uses only one "L") had moved on to sponge off somebody else. The fact that she was at Noreen's for several months is incredible, especially since she paid no rent. Noreen had actually been to see her at Target, where she works, so she holds no grudge.

As for Noreen's emotional health, she's in a depressed state. She believes her children don't love her and that she has no significance in the world. She described her marriage, which ended in divorce years ago, which was certainly not ideal anyway. We talked long and frankly. Although she was an R.N., she doesn't want to pursue therapy. She is religious and belongs to Emerging Spirit Church, one of those odd sects that abound in this area. Although she's bright, she's believes the answer to her sadness is in the bible, not science. I gave no advice, but listened and sympathized. I did tell her that a therapist helped me--to a point--when I was my husband's caretaker for so many years. I asked Noreen if she was thinking of taking her own life, but she assured me she would not. 

We decided to meet for lunch after we had discussed our problems at length. She suggested Danny's, an excellent idea, as it's just a short walk from the transit center. They have a terrific menu, with all kinds of items--including a good vegan section--that's hard to find anywhere else. We met there at 1:00 and continued our serious talk over sandwiches, Chardonnay, and a hazy IPA. I think--I hope--she felt better after and, incidentally, it helped me, too, to be so completely open with Noreen. I consider her and Diane, along with my daughters, subs for my dear twin, with whom I used to be able to talk the same one. I'll see a shadow of Betty on Tuesday when I go to Santa Barbara.

When Noreen and I said goodbye, I walked her to her car. To my surprise, she gave me this lovely waxed amaryllis, the waxed part forming a kind of vase. I love amaryllis and consider a beautiful token of our friendship:

Got home about 4:00. I had thought I'd get the patio shaped up, but lazy me, I didn't. Hey, it'll still be there today and Monday--or for the next millennium if I don't get on the stick and do it.