May 20, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Charlene.

Charlene is in my BSF group. She takes her studies seriously. And she is a nice lady. She is a retired nurse and always worked the night shift because she was a single Mom and wanted to be home when her three children were home. At night she hired a mature babysitter to stay with the children. She had the same babysitter for 20 years. The baby sitter stopped working for Charlene at age 82. The aspect of Charlene that I like so much is she is never complaining. When she was a stay at home Mom, her husband complained about something so Charlene was upset but suggested that if he did not like how she was doing he could move out. And he did. She was devastated but regrouped and went to work and continued to live a good life with not a bit of bitterness. After her children married and had their own children she remarried a man from her church. She is a happy, outgoing enthusiastic lady and I like her. BSF is over for the season but on Friday she called to see if I wanted to go out for lunch with her and her friend Margaret. I was delighted with the invitation so today she picked me up and we three went to McAllisters, a deli that serves good sandwiches and salads. Charlene lives in Brandon, on the other side of the reservoir. Her home is about 30 minutes away. Charlene noted that I take Lyft to BSF and she knows that Linda drives me home. But one day when my group had lunch together she offered to drive me home. She has driven me home ever since when Linda is not attending BFS. Our lunch was pleasant. I discovered that friend Margaret is a gardener. She just froze 15r bags of beens and tonight she must shell butter beans. And they wanted to know how and when I ever ended up in Nova Scotia. Margaret has been rooted in Mississippi and has never been able to travel until now. But unfortunately her husband has heart disease and does not with to leave his doctors. But he does not mind if she goes away so she has organized trips with her lady friends. Early this year they spent a week in the Smoky Mountains and this fall they have rented a house in Charleston. My life is different and she is amazed. But she is a friend and I was delighted she invited me out for lunch. I have been so grateful for her kindnesses over this year that I took them out for lunch. I can not drive them anywhere but I am able to pay the bill.