"you are allowed to take care of yourself"

The above words were said to me over a year ago by Lovely Therapist, shortly after A left.  I feel rather ashamed of myself, but I applied those words to my Weekend of Double Whammy.  I couldn't get out of the Big Family Do, as it was held at my parents' place but I did sidle out of the couples-and-me lunch with friends.  I sort of lied - I said I had a migraine when in truth I only had an ordinary headache which would have gone away with a couple of over-the-counter painkillers.

Instead, I spent the day reading on the sofa, complete with my Darling Little Cat on my lap and endless cups of tea at my elbow.  And I have to say, I felt so much better equipped next day - which turned out to be extremely lovely and fun and full of food and noise and laughter.  My heavily pregnant cousin didn't come, which made the day easier for me, and the gods intervened and made my aunt not ask me about when I'm going to find someone new and did I want her to introduce me to so-and-so ("very nice man, darling, I was at school with his mother, divorced now of course and has two children, 10 and 13 I think").

And I came home with the remains of one of the desserts and a bottle of wine my mother pressed into my hands :-)