New People, New Experiences

Tonight, I followed one of my new rules (don't turn down invites to social events) and went to a "Girls' Night", with a few girls I sort of knew and most who I didn't.
The backstory is this: I work part-time at a used bookstore which shares space with an artists' co-op market and a coffee shop. Two people run the coffee shop part, Pete and Amy. Pete and Amy are NOT a couple, but they do have a lot of friends in common. Pete and Amy and their friends are all Christian, and attend the same church, I think (I haven't yet figured out what denomination of Christian, but it involves bible study and fellowship). Tonight, Pete was telling stories about this men's night he had planned, and asked Amy was planned for the girls' night, to be held at their friend Brownie's house. Apparently, Brownie wanted a Girls' Night, and asked Pete to plan a coinciding boys' night for the husbands. Pete knows I'm recently broken up, and lonely, and told Amy she should invite me. I told Pete not force me on Amy, and went back to working in the bookstore and chatting with the artist on duty, Mary Louise (I think... I hope, that's what I called her all night).
When we were closing, Amy gave me a scrap of paper with directions on it, and told me I should come, there would be lemon squares and brownies. I came home, puttered around, watched a bit of television, and decided, since the gathering was ONE BLOCK AWAY from my apartment, that I should go. So, I put on some lipgloss, brushed my hair, and headed out.
I found the apartment easily, knocked and was let in. I was introduced all around, and I already knew 3 or 4 of the people there (Brownie, the hostess, and her husband Jason are regulars at the Bookstore and coffee shop; Erin, this artist that does really cool cartoony canvasses; Amy, who invited me; and Amy's friend Katherine, who hangs out at the coffee shop a lot). I had met, in passing, another 2 or 3 of the women (at the coffee shop over the past year). They were all really friendly, and nearly all named Katherine (3 in one room). I was seated next to Irish Katherine. They all attend the same church, a fair number are married (and young, at that, I gather most of them were around 25). They have a lot of friends in common, and seemed to have all been, at one time or another, roommates with each other. They were telling stories across the room, multiple conversations on mulitple topics, but I didn't feel left out. I ended up drinking two cups of decaf coffee, laughing, joking, telling stories about childhood pets and work and my recent breakup. It was good time, and brownie and I exchanged numbers, and she told me to call her if I was ever sitting here feeling lonely, or wanted to take a walk, or whatever.
I'm glad I did it, and hope to hang out again soon... I'm not ready to join their church, and I hope they don't push that, because I had a great time meeting new people and just chatting about this and that.
A nice way to end the week, and start the weekend. And a nice way to forget all I am going through, and put my best me forward to new people.
:)

oh, and I found out that the artist (Mary Louise?) is a listener to D&Z, to the point of naming off things she heard today and earlier this week that she enjoyed. It's kind of cool to know that people are appreciating something I am involved in.

Pilates tomorrow, solo (Kiren has an infection and is quarantined). Maybe the Pink Palace Crafts Fair, if Tonya calls... or maybe by myself, if she doesn't. We'll see.
And I've decided to get rid of the project dresser - stripping the first drawer made the veneer (that was hidden under the thick coat of colorful paint) peel. and the wood isn't great quality. I'm going to put it on the curb tomorrow, see if I can get one of the bike shop guys to help me take it to the curb. Refinishing it isn't a project I want to tackle right now, it's taking up space in my living room, and it kind of stinks. I'll either save up for a target dresser, scour PB outlet for one, or, at some point, find another project at a charity shop. In the meantime, my bookcase folded clothes storage will work just fine.