THE BLUES

So, what do you do when you are blue? Bluer than blue, even?

The first thought is to talk to that person that you married all those many years ago. But--and don't get offended men--men's first inclination is to fix things. I didn't want things fixed today. Well, okay, I really did want things fixed but I just want them to be fixed--I don't want to have to fix them myself and I don't want anyone else to tell me how to do it. What I wanted was for someone to hear me whine without saying, "Quit whining." I just want them to listen to me, plain and simple.

And besides that, I simply didn't know why I was blue today.But I was, so low and sad that I cried a time or two. Okay, three times.

Phil and I also talked today, three times. He had lots of good advice-- if I want advice, he's my man. I didn't want advice, not today. His advice has saved me from total insanity in the past--he is so good to help me understand relationships and the need for me to not feel responsible for other's behavior and about a billion other things that go bump in the night that I don't understand. But today? Not so much.

So, I sniveled around all day, being miserable and then my friend Pam called."Come on over," she said.

I did. And we talked. About cats and movies and Tony Packo's--which I certainly hope to go to someday--and about a dozen other subjects that had nothing to do with my snivelingness and whining and when I came home the blues were gone. Just like that.

The value of a friend. Uncalculatable! Besides that she sent me home with a jar of Tony Paco's pickles and a loaf of zucchini bread and her husband, Bob sent me home with a Sci-Fi movie. No advice, just funny, laughing conversation and goodies.Does it get any better than this? If so, fudge and popcorn would have to be involved.