It's possible. She's had some physical problems this past year, for example emergency heart stents that she refuses to acknowledge.

I just love these little urban stories. Our neighbor Tony probably has the low-down on what's up with Frank. I hope whoever ends up with his house doesn't turn it into a rental.

Isn't that the truth? I've been puzzling about Frank across the street. He is selling all his worldly possessions at a garage sale to be held every weekend until January, when he's going to 'sell' his house. I'm thinking it's getting foreclosed on in January, because no houses are selling except foreclosures as short sales. But what's fueling the intrigue is he won't sell anything when the garage sale isn't running. Once he's put it all back into the garage, you can't stroll over there and impulse buy, you have to wait for the weekend. Here's the story I've come up with: Frank's wife, who was a roly-poly lady, is no longer around, so either she died, or they got a divorce. But there is a skinny little Asian lady whom he consults on pricing, and when you go into the house to see if there is any furniture you want to buy, there are several more skinny little Asian ladies sitting at the kitchen table eating and staring at you like you're there to steal them blind. All weekend during the garage sale their cars are lined up along the block, at least 4 or 5 cars. So I think the wife is gone and these are her sibling/heirs who are overseeing the liquidation of the family assets and making sure they get their share.

The other friend who got dumped along with me is saying pretty much what you are, about sincerity. We think some of the problem is that she's five years older than her husband so she's ashamed of any physical or mental slippages that slow her down from keeping up with him.

After my mother died my dad dated a woman who owned a flower shop. We used to get the nicest arrangements with really unusual flowers for a few years, and then they broke up because he didn't want to get married.

Big surprise, that's for sure. My turkey roast is thawing out in the refrigerator. Maybe that's more to your liking.

I guess I shouldn't look a gift bouquet in the mouth. I told my other friends Don't send me flowers, a friendly, coherent email will do just fine.

I'd be hoping she gets confused enough to believe she owed me money...

I think she's got me confused with another friend who lives in Nevada.

Ragged things, they are not going to last until Christmas day dinner.

They are going to the Florida keys from January to April, so when they get back, if she's got some progressive impairment, I'm sure it'll have progressed to where we'll know.

To be continued, I'm sure.