This week has been upside down for me for various reasons-totally upended by a stressful situation with work and my business that was very complicated to resolve and which threw me into a tail spin for much of Thursday. I am so grateful for honest friendships-I am new to my house and this city and so friendships are pretty new for me here-after this terribly challenging day on Thursday I nearly cancelled a gathering I had organized for neighbors on the Thursday evening as I just felt I wouldn’t be able to be a scintillating hostess-but I didn’t cancel and they did come and I simply said in a nutshell what my day had been-which resulted in a wonderful impromptu tai chi class in front of my Christmas Tree. The next night I had more new friends coming over and about an hour before they arrived again a stressful situation threatened to topple me…when I told my friends about what was going on they then had permission to tell me frankly what was toppling them at right now. As I was beginning to flag after dinner one of my friends said she was fading fast and would have to leave. I am so grateful for honest conversation which dispels protocol and allows others to say exactly what they need without feeling they need to hold onto expectation. As my grandmother always said “Don’t stand on ceremony.” It’s a relief to not have to do so.