That could be a really good avenue of activity for you to get into keberoxu, and you can make some good contacts in your community as well. :-)

sorry to bring down the positive atmosphere, but my current social situation is down in the dumps.

Simultaneously I lost social contact with my weekly friendly music session which unfortunately broke up after over 40 years of playing together, the fortnightly donation of plasma which is as much of a social contact as it is a good deed for others, and my monthly catch-up lunches with old school friends, and that also meant not seeing my sister regularly - "we're Irish twins" but ended up in the same year at school. Today I get to catch up with them all again. Yay!

The cause of the music group break-up was complicated and I still see some of them at a pub session once a month but I don't play my harp there because it is a bit daunting playing in front of strangers and some very clever musicians.

The plasma donations had to be delayed until I had a medical procedure and I now have the all-clear from that but I have to wait for the doctor to give permission re my blood iron levels. Hubby had a couple more of his never-ending medical "adventures" so that's why I missed the "Girls' lunches". Very old "girls" now!

Yesterday I finally had a catch-up with a music friend I have known for over 50 years but she is in a traumatic relationship and I try not to tell her what to do but I lost my cool a bit this time and drove home feeling angry and frustrated. F***ing coercive control!! @#$%!!

I told her I would go and tell him where to go myself. She didn't take me up on the offer. She'll keep putting up with it until it kills her. She already looks very old and unhealthy, even since the last time I saw her a couple of months ago.

Knowing how your life is turning around positively at your retirement village, keb, I have tried to convince my friend to find a place like that. One of the real advantages would be not having to work on maintaining her house and garden. That would all be done by the staff at the village. I have my fingers crossed that she might finally take the plunge on that idea.

I expect my social life will turn around to a more positive, healthy phase but ... in the meantime, I keep thinking that the best way to go downhill mentally is to lose your social contacts and the activities which keep your brain active, e.g. playing music with friends.

I live in hope.