Mood was touch and go this weekend. For some reason (and really it could have been any hormonal random reason) I crashed badly on Thursday. I got home from the gym (after hearing that bloody 'turn the car around' song that doesn't help the tears) and slumped in front of the telly and cried. And cried. And drank Drambuie and ate an entire loaf of white bread with butter and wrote a rambling love letter that started and ended with

I miss you.

And then I went to bed and had awful dreams, but somehow managed to bumble into a Friday that was at least laced with hope. Until M called at lunchtime. It was all I could do to keep down Kym's delicious mushroom soup and the tears at bay and I resigned myself to another sad weekend until Bud called with her wonderful and generous surprise.

On Saturday an odd calm descended. I was up at 5, so decided to bake some bagels. I also walked to North Perth to explore that end of my neighbourhood and buy some milk. It's a great area, and I found a gorgeous array of cafes and quaint antique shops, and a wonderful florist on Angove Street who sets up at the old defunct servo, and sells - WAY OVERPRICED - sweet williams. I had to buy a bunch. They are the colour explosion in my little apartment and they bring me many smiles.

Then S and I met at the gym for my first Step 'robics class since high school. If I had not been present at the class, I wouldn't have believed that instructor. Camp as camp can be, and frankly a big showoff with regard to his enviable flexibility. I laughed so much my abs also got a workout and the whole class was well entertained with Banana monkeying around, trying and failing to get the steps right. S came for coffee and a fresh bagel afterwards, and then I settled in to make the flourless chocolate cake and coq au vin for dinner, while Geelong nicely demolished North Melbourne on the telly.

The dinner on Saturday night was predictable, and conversation inevitably strayed to topics I didn't relish covering, but then it was over and on Sunday I dozed on and off, while reading, until noon. Then energy kicked in and I laundered, and took myself to lunch at the pantry door where they were playing Ani DiFranco, and I read the paper and looked at the gently moving sunny Sunday just outside the window and I smiled.

Thai pumpkin soup was on the menu for Monday so I put that on to cook while I nipped to the gym for a sneaky shower as the hot water in the apartment has decided to take a holiday.

And so to another week.

Small gifts each day of contact, of returned smiles, of friends being unbelievably generous.

If only Kym wasn't quite so generous with her marvellous marvellous shortbread...