Kat, I was totally distracted by the tree and missed the last paragraph about the problem ex-friend.

I've had that happen a couple of times with people I thought I knew fairly well. They seemed gripped with some impulse to suddenly reject the friendship, and do it in a way that was as insulting and embarrassing as they could manage. The only thing I could figure was that they were drinking, or that there was a sudden change in brain chemistry, because I didn't feel like I'd done anything to bring it on. On the contrary, this was a reaction to kindness in a difficult time -- when they evidently had some kind of breakdown and rejected friendship suddenly.

Once burned, twice shy. One of these people has made overtures to be friends again, but I'd be a fool to let her back into my confidence. It just hurts too damned much when someone does that to you. Be a grownup, write it off in the categories of "this person has a problem" and "I wish them well."

Tonight I had plans to get a few things done here, but the Roy Orbison biography came on PBS and I was a goner - his songs are just so compelling, his story so interesting and sad. I'll get some laundry in, and some folded, but mostly I sat and enjoyed watching television!

SRS