conversation with joe

so, yesterday i knew i was supposed to get together with gabrielle in the afternoon, so to makes sure i didn't waste my whole day waiting for the phone call, i decided to do something useful and finish painting my kitchen cabnets. (whenever i tell someone this, they ask, "what color?" i am curious if this is the normal response to a painter, or if it's only asked when someone is known to be as colorful as i am.) also, i was trying to be useful because i didn't go to church. janine told me audrey was there, but even that incentive couldn't get me out of bed. so i painted instead. it was good for my soul. i love to paint.
when gabrielle came over, she helped me try and decide what to wear to my mom's wedding. can't remember the last decison so arduous. glad i had help. we sat around and chatted, and she read some of traveling mercies by anne lamott to me. when she said she needed to go home to clean up her room, i said i'd come to help. so we walked to her house, and i read to her as she tidied. it was rather charming. when her phone rang with joe, she just said "i'll unlock the back door for you." he came over, and used her computer while i read to her and she scetched. as i was getting ready to leave, he came into her room and sat next to me on her bed, and the three of us actually had a conversation, for about 2 hours. it seemed to be realy healthy, i don't know if it was cause we were talking about europe, where i'd been and he hadn't yet, or family history is safe, or if i'm just getting aclimated or whatever, but not only could i make eye contact with him, he didn't give me any reasons for distain.