My friend from high school from Pittsburgh came to the house and heaped the praise on me about its look and I love that. When people say it is cool and artsy I feel very happy. She and I went to eat at a local chain breakfast place nearby. I hadn't been there before, but it was terrific. No wait, nice service and food, a pretty place, etc. And it was uncrowded and we didn't have to rush to leave so others could take our place. We came back to the house and talked and talked. She was very inspiring. No difficulty finding things to talk about and it was a great, true, dialogue back and forth...

In contrast to my evening date with the old friend of my ex-husband's. I've always said he is so great on paper as a "catch" for someone... Tall, handsome, very fit, travels the world, great education, great high-paying job, etc. But, as I discovered when I met him 30 years ago, he tends toward the boastful. An example... He told me all about the new position he has in his company, how the boss begged him to come work for him, and then offered an obscene amount of money that just made his jaw drop. We go to the counter to pay to leave and he hesitates a moment as if he's waiting for me to pay for half of it and says, "Well, I guess I'll buy your dinner as your housewarming gift." I said (I really did), "Hell, you'll pay for my dinner because you just told me how much money you make!" Through dinner and then back at the house for a too-long period of time I heard about his entire diet plan and what he eats and doesn't eat ("You eat a flour tortilla you might as well eat a donut for all the sugar it is going to dump into your bloodstream."). His exercise routines. Lots and lots about his work. And, oddly, the revelation that he slept with the ex-wife of my ex-husband (after they had split up). Guys, you don't EVER EVER need to tell a date about anyone you've ever had sex with. EVER EVER. Real date or not, even friend dates, you do NOT need to share information like that. This friend is generous and even gave his paraplegic brother a kidney. That is a lovely thing to do. And he tells you about it every time you talk.

But anyway --- I was glad when he left. Obviously. He also liked my house and I enjoyed the praise and he did let me know that another friend of ours does drainage work on yards and maybe can help me with my bog.

Yesterday I shuttled the sister and brother-in-law to the airport so they can go to Holland. No drama there and they were right on time, too. No one mentioned how spotlessly clean my car was, but I was really glad it was. I took it to a car spa and got it really cleaned on Friday.

After leaving DFW, I headed northeast to Oklahoma to see my aunt, my last aunt on Mom's side after Mom and the older aunt died last month. They had a fourth sister that died in 2015. This sister is about to be 92 and she is currently in a nursing home. Bless her heart, she is in the kind of nursing home that I hope I never have to be in. Clean, sure, but grim and people hollering down the hall, "Help me, help!" Old old people sitting in wheelchairs in the hall and in the entry and in the dining room. Mom's place had lots of very old people, but they were all in better shape and the whole place looked like a hotel. This aunt also had a small room and a roommate. But she is moving to the Valley next week to live with a son there. I hope she thrives there for a few years at least. We did have a good visit and she knew me and didn't seem any older than she ever has. I did get a little emotional and weepy with her because hugging her felt like my last little connection with Mother.

I was glad to be able to leave, just because of the atmosphere, and dashed back home to watch Dateline and eat a burrito and go to bed. The countryside and corn fields and trees were brilliant green and really pretty. There is a casino just across the highway from her place. I considered going across just to use their clean bathrooms and maybe gamble a little bit, but there was lots of highway construction and getting across to that side wouldn't have been easy. And I certainly didn't need to waste any money on gambling.

This week will be short. Holiday weekend ahead, but I'm also taking off Thursday and Friday. Best friend driving from Ohio right now and she'll be here Wednesday through Friday. That will be fun. After she leaves I don't think there are any more social engagements on the calendar. Hooray. I'm not a socialist!! haha