Tuesday Sep 10

Bobbie stopped and picked up some veggie wraps on her way to Barb’s. Surely those would fit into her diet. She walked up to Barb’s front door. She knocked and there was no answer. Her car’s here… she thought and was poking around when Barb came to the door.

Barb looked a little pale. “Hi Bobbie, I don’t feel…”

“Now let me interrupt you dear, you’ve put me off too many times and I’m getting worried about you. Can I come in?”

Barb stepped aside and Bobbie went in. Her kitchen was a little messy and there were several bottles of pop, a package of donuts and 2 bags of potato chips. “What’s all this Barb?”

“I’ve been such an idiot; I ate a bunch of chips and drank pop and this medicine I’m on makes me sick when I eat like that. I tried a couple donuts and threw those up right away.”

“Why are you even trying to eat that stuff?”

“I’ve lost more weight than I expected and it’s disorienting. I’m so used to coping with my emotions with food that I don’t know how to process things anymore. I used to eat when I was happy or excited or anxious and lately with Jeremy’s illness, when I felt sad or overwhelmed. I don’t have any clothes that fit me any more either. Things I had from thrift stores and whatever, that I was hoping to fit into someday, don’t look right or are too big now. I don’t know what to do. I feel miserable and I feel guilty about that because I’m supposed to feel more active and happier and have more energy now that some weight is gone.”

“You wore that nice skirt on at Quinn and had fun at Ray’s party.”

“I had to have that altered for it to fit and I almost forget how to have fun since I’ve been cooped up with Jeremy for so long. I want to lose more weight but I think I’m sabotaging myself. And I can’t bring myself to buy new clothes. Most of my smaller clothes are work clothes, like I said, and now they’re too big. Now that I’m retired; I don’t even know what I’m going to wear anyway. I feel like maybe I don’t deserve new clothes or to lose weight or anything. I’ve dieted before but after menopause I never thought that I could lose weight like this again. It’s like I’m cheating a little because I’m not logging or measuring my food and I’m exercising less. I actually feel crappy about it all and I used to feel better when I binged on potato chips.”

“Oh Barb. You’ve been on an off a diet for 40 years. You’re judging yourself too harshly. You are emotionally connected to food in a way that I will never be. I know you are aware of that, maybe a little help is OK. Do you physically feel OK on that semaglutide?”

“Apart from being sick because I tried to have pop and greasy chips. I think I feel pretty good. I’m actually having less allergic reactions to ragweed this fall. My knees had a little arthritis too and that feels better but that could just be that there’s less weight on them.”

Bobbie thought a moment trying to think of a distraction for Barb and at the same time help her with something. “I did bring a healthy lunch but maybe I’ll put that in the fridge for later. Let’s just have a look at your clothes. I was reading something about a capsule wardrobe, when you focus on keeping or buying clothes that all go together. Maybe we could sort them that way.”

Barb motioned her down the hall to her spare room, there were two twin beds and one was full of clothes. “These don’t fit me anymore but I just can’t donate them yet. What if I gain the weight all back.”

“Do you have a sewing machine? I can bring mine over tomorrow. We can pick out things that can be adjusted and then we can hit a few thrift stores and look for missing pieces. And maybe take a sample of your favourite pieces of large clothes, just a couple and pack them away as a tribute to the diet gods.”

“Ha, diet gods, that’s funny I’ve prayed to them and cursed them in equal measure, maybe I can make my peace with them. It’s almost fall. I need new jeans and sweaters. Thrift stores have lots of different sizes. She pulled out a pile of jeans. Some of them looked unworn. “Some of these were too tight for so long that I never got around to trying them on until now and now, they are too big.”

“Well, try a smaller pair on, maybe we can make some shorts that you can wear right now.”

“I do like jean shorts.”

“Do you like capris?”

“They kind of make my legs look short”

In the end they had two colours of jeans to make into shorts. Bobbie made Barb put them on and cut them to the right length. She’d take them home to hem and take in; darts around the waistband would help.

Barb seemed a bit better. Bobbie went into the kitchen and gathered all the junk food into a garbage bag and got Barb a big glass of ice water.

“I feel a bit better Bobbie, Thanks.”

“Sometimes it’s good to talk things out. I’m sorry I haven’t been around enough lately. I’ve been a little distracted buy someone.”

“Really Bobbie? Are you seeing someone?”

“Remember seeing the picture of Townes Carson and me…”

“You’re dating the handsome cowboy?”

“Yup, he didn’t wear a cowboy hat when he was here but he just sent me this.” She showed her a picture of him in a cowboy hat holding the bridal of a horse in front of a big ranch house.”

“How do you meet guys like that?”

“Trixie has a whole bunch of them; she could get you a cowboy oilmen lickety split if you want one.”

Barb laughed. “I miss Trixie, I’m sorry I missed her last weekend. I still kind of think about detective Harry a bit. I sort of ghosted him but I might try to reconnect again soon.”

“Harry’s great. Well get you some outfits to wear right now and you can get your healthy diet back on track and do you have any projects you are working on?”

“Not right now. I have a lot to do with Jeremy’s estate that I’ve been avoiding. It will keep me busy though.”

“I know how hard things can be. Like you, I lost my Alex and retired at the same time. My life changed a lot. I had the big hotel project that absolutely consumed me but I haven’t really coped with anything. I was struggling with clothes too. Now I’m wearing all my old work clothes because I want to look professional for the motel. I seem incapable of living alone and I’m worried that I’m using men to distract me from losing Alex. On a positive note, I found my new general manager for the motel. I want to be able to travel and relax a bit more and Frank says we’re doing well enough to hire someone so I hired cousin Will.”

“It’s nice to keep it in the family.”

“Townes has decided to build a condo in Oceanbright and I want to spend more time with him if he’s here”

“That’s a project. And it’s sweet that he wants to be close to you. Brose only wanted you to move to Cap City and host big parties for him. Townes is moving heaven and earth to be near you. If you meet the right person, I don’t think that’s unhealthy and I don’t think it has anything to do with Alex other than you liked having a partner.”

“Maybe your right. He also wants me to go visit him in cowpoke country. I’m scared to meet his mother.”

“Don’t worry Bobbie. You have the most formidable mother I can think of. You can handle any mother.”

Barb, you have an the uncanny ability to always be ready with good advice and help me, even when I set out to help you. What are you going to wear at your retirement party?”

“Oh boy, that’s coming up, isn’t it? I might have to buy a new dress. I’m not looking forward to that.”

Bobbie looked at all the clothes on the bed. “We can find something. It’s too bad you missed my Friday night party, there was some pretty good music and I got some hot gossip.”

“Oooh, do tell.”

“George and Sam are back together and I think Sam’s marriage to that Ron guy is over.”

“Oh wow, I know Ron professionally, he’s a teacher. That’s too bad. I mean it’s good for Sam and George, I guess. George must have changed a lot after the business with his son was over.”

“Ya, I guess he did. And my formidable Mother told me the next day that my party was nice but it wasn’t like the old days.”

“Next time you’ll have to ask her to help you organize it; that will make her happier.”

“Ha, she’ll probably complain about that too. My next Friday night dinner will have to be smaller and I’ll have it in the apartment. I’ll make it a pot luck and not hire my chef to cater it. Johnny and company really liked the set up in SPOKES for music. They jammed until the wee hours.”

“I’m sorry I missed that; I love the jam sessions.”

“We can bring the music to your retirement party. I can make sure Jamie comes, after a couple beers all he wants to do is play and Johnny will be there. Uncle Donald’s grand son Russel was singing and playing the fiddle too. He’s in Cap city with Trixie learning the ropes of her business. She’s hired him. Maybe she’ll bring him to the party.”

“That’s cool. I know Will has a background in tourism and hospitality and experience working in a hotel and that makes him the right candidate for you but what experience does your nephew have for Trixie’s business?”

“Trixie talked to him more than I did; of course. I did take a peek at his CV and he’s got and undergrad degree in geology, an engineering degree in petroleum management and he’s just finished a PHD in environmental studies. He’s pretty much only been in school but he did work a few summers in the oil fields.”

“Oh, I see. Trixie will be learning from him.”

“I think that’s the idea. And he has a cool YouTube channel for his music. I think some of the “Sessions from SPOKES” is live if you want to listen.”