New Beginnings~BFF #155

Things have been looking up in Adriana's world since her new house purchase a few months ago.  The little apartment she had been living in was nice and owning a house was something she thought she would never want, yet now it was the most natural and exciting thing she could remember.  Angel had been with her every step of the way finding and ultimately buying this bungalow style home on the river.  It had 3 bedrooms, though one was very small and had become her craft room.  She was very accomplished at a variety of crafts which she sold at local craft shows.  It was not only fun to make the trinkets, it was fun to be part of the crafting community.  She found them to be friendly and fun people.  No one acted as if she was anything other than another crafter and local.  They must know, but they didn't judge.  She was so welcome in this group and had made several good friends.  Angel was not a crafter, but she did go sit at the sales with Adriana once in a while just for the fun of it.          


Her promotion at the hospital had come rather quickly once she proved herself to be invaluable with numbers and record keeping as well as more than adequate with the computer.  Everyone enjoyed working with her and appreciated her timely and nearly error free reports.  The promotion was offered when Mr. Blakersman retired and she was the most qualified for the position.  Her first day she stopped just to admire the door to her office.  Her own door with her own name printed in gold lettering.  Her own office for the first time in her life.  The door read:

      Adriana McNaughton

Vice President~Accounting

She was pretty impressed with herself, truth be told.  Just 3 years ago she had been a patient here in the psyche ward and had no hope for a future in any kind of business.  Now she had proven to herself and her superiors that she was mentally healthy and dedicated to her job as well as her life outside the hospital.  She was happy and sociable and still single.  Dating in your late forties is not an easy thing and never having been married or even in a serious relationship, she had no idea what she was missing.  Angel was single and also in her mid forties and they spent a great deal of their free time together.  They really liked each other and had many interests in common.  Angel also liked the friends Adriana had made in the crafting community. 

The new home was just a progression of her new life.  The promotion made it financially possible and her credit history was perfect, so why not?  The location was a bonus, less than a mile from the hospital and she could easily walk to work.  It was also right along the small, but beautiful river that ran through the small town.  Her back yard sloped gently down to the river's edge and was the thickest and most lush grass she had ever walked barefoot through.  The neighbor was about 200 feet to the east and the family had come to welcome her the first full day in the house.  The husband, Josh, was a construction worker for the large construction company in town and offered to help with anything she might need repaired.  He told her that he often did side work on week-ends to supplement their income and would always make time for a neighbor.  That was good news to Adriana because there were a few repairs that needed to be done and this would alleviate the worry of trusting a stranger.  Marian, his wife, was a part-time librarian and both of their sons were teenagers.  Marian said the oldest was a senior and the youngest was a sophomore and would be getting his license very soon.  It was the younger one who offered to mow her lawn for her, if she was looking for someone.  She had thought she could do it herself, but now, this seemed a very good idea.  A neighborly thing and it would free her up to plant flowers, which she had never done and of course, work on her crafts. Thus, her days off work would be filled with hobbies, not jobs.  

She had moved her living room furniture from the apartment.  The small dark green sofa was not worn and was very comfortable.  Since the new living room was smallish and a bit odd shaped, she had worried that it wouldn't fit, but it had and she was very pleased with the over all look.  Her overstuffed side chair was a soft shade of olive green and the hassock fit perfectly in it's new space.  She had 2 end tables, one by the sofa and one by her chair and each held a lamp which looked to be antique, but had actually been purchased at a discount store just a year prior.  Aside from the sofa and chair the room also held her TV on a dark wooden table and nothing else.  It was very sparse and very neat.  The kitchen was behind the living room and the two were separated only by an island bar where three stools sat on the living room side facing the kitchen.  The counters were uncluttered. They held only her coffee maker and a decorative spoon holder that Angel had given her for Christmas a year or so ago.  

The master bedroom was not a large room, but her double bed and chest of drawers fit well and even allowed room for a small chair she had purchased at a yard sale last summer.  It was a dark blue velvet side chair and she loved it the moment she first laid eyes on it.  Her bed was covered with a light blue and yellow and white quilt.  There was no other color in the room.  It was neat, it was always tidy and she loved this room.  She had a small TV on top of the chest of drawers because she had become accustomed to sleeping with the sound of late night TV.

The guest room was across the hall from her room and had nothing in it yet.  She would be shopping soon for a bed and dresser for that room also, but so far, just hadn't taken the time to shop for them.  She didn't really expect to have any over night guests, so it didn't seem a priority.  The room is painted a light shade of mauve and so she reasoned it would be easy enough to furnish and the bedding would be gray.  Someday.

Today Adriana came home from work with the intention of fixing a quick dinner and heading to the craft room to work on some Christmas ornaments she wanted to have finished for the next craft sale just 2 weeks from now.  


Just as she was unlocking her front door, Marian's voice called over from her own front yard, "Adriana!  Hang on a minute!"


She didn't really want to get into a big conversation, but she couldn't ignore her either, so she started to walk in that direction smiling at Marian.


"Hi.  What's up?"  she asked.


"I have been invited to an organizational meeting tonight and I thought you might be interested.  It's a group of about 5 women, so far, that want to form a club or something to help raise money for a scholarship for a young woman to be chosen each year.  They are going to look for a deserving girl with no financial means, apparently.  I just thought you might have something to add to the discussion and planning.  I also didn't want to go alone."  She smiled and waited for Adriana's response.


"I don't know.  Do I really need another thing to do?  Marian, it's so nice of you to think of me, but let me think on it a few.  I'll call you after I have a chance to run it around in my head, another responsibility..." her voice trailed off.


"Okay, it's at 8 and I would be happy to pick you up about quarter of, if you want to go.  If not, I totally get it."  Marian turned to go back home and never looked back or even thought about doing so.  She didn't want to push her new neighbor into anything.  She liked her and wanted to be friends, but friendship takes time to form.  She would be patient and see what happened as time passed.


Adriana went on in her house and set about making herself a bite to eat.  Meetings and fund raising were not very interesting to her, but making a connection with her neighbor might be a good thing.  She called Angel.  After a lengthy discussion with her, she decided against the club.  She also decided she would make this up to Marian by including her in something very soon.  Maybe a nice week-end lunch date with Angel.  That could be fun.  They needed to get to know each other.  She called Angel back and both agreed it was the perfect answer.


Calling Marian to inform her of her decision would wait a few.  She needed to eat and relax a minute.  And dinner was done.  She had nuked a prepared "in a box dinner" and was actually looking forward to eating it.  It smelled delicious and looked pretty good, too.  She would have to remember this one, most of them looked like crap and tasted like the cardboard in which they were packaged.  This one, turkey with dressing and gravy was very good.


Marian was completely on board with the luncheon on Saturday and was declining the club offer as well. Admitting she had only considered it to invite Adriana to come along.  They both laughed and chit chatted a bit about the boys and Adriana's day and hung up.


This new beginning in this new house with new neighbors was looking very good.  It was feeling very good and blending the old with the new would be even more fun.  


How many new beginnings is one person allowed?  This is something Adriana never let herself say out loud, but thought to herself constantly.  


Jo