My ten new BFF's

Divorce brings a lot of new people into one's life.  Sleepless, I lay in bed last night counting all the people whose presence in my life I can attribute directly to my marriage ending.  Today I'll list the professionals only.  Another day, I will pay tribute to the wonderful new friendships I have developed since becoming single again. There are many of those... and the blessed thing is that they are not friendships with women who seek to bash their husbands, or lament their single state.  Some are even happily married (Hard to believe I know, but it's true!)
So for now - a la David Letterman - here are the top ten new BFF's you'll meet when your marriage ends:


1) a Marriage and Family Therapist
2) a Real Estate Agent
3) a Mortgage Broker
4) a Personal Trainer (see upcoming blog called "Fat-ish, Fit-ish and Fifty-ish")
5) a Dog Trainer (don't get me started)
6) a Psychiatrist (yes, I confess I've dabbled in anti-depressants)
7) a Parish Nurse (she runs the Divorce Care program at my church)
8) a Home Reno man
9) a Travel Agent (can't bring myself to use the one who arranged all our trips together, including our   honeymoon)


.... and the number 10 person who enters your life when your husband no longer wants you (drum roll, please):


.... the man who works at the post office who twice will help you fill out those forwarding mail service forms- once from the matrimonial home to the temporary apartment in which you will take refuge for a couple of months,  and once from the apartment to the home you will buy for the very first time all by yourself.


Honourable Mentions

• the tankless water heater company whose installer had to come several times to get it right (and still hasn't)
• the paper boy who is really a man and who gave me my first Christmas card (without knowing I used to get more of them)
• the property manager to whom I reported being threatened by a fellow resident while out walking my dog late at night
• the neurologist who is trying to figure out why my hands and feet ache and tingle
• the vet with whom I spent Christmas eve when  my dog ate a toxic amount of Purdy's chocolates and then went into convulsions
• the lawyer through whom I will file for divorce in April