How do you cope with being lonely?

I miss having someone around.  A friend of mine, Kate, just visited for a few days and it was a lot of fun having her around.  I even managed to find places for us to eat even though she's a vegetarian.    I made french toast and it was appreciated, instead of just cooking it for myself.   Of course in my mind the best guest likes to cook (I hate to cook) and Kate doesn't cook, her partner was the cook (she's gay).  But Kate likes to talk and she's funny which makes up for the non-cooking.   She also likes trashy comedies.    We watched a couple of comedies on HBO on Demand which were HYSTERICAL--don't miss Mr. Woodcock with Billy Bob Thornton and I Love My Wife with Chris Rock.  The Chris Rock comedy has a lot to say about marriage and infidelity as well.

  So I will invite more friends this summer, maybe Kate will visit again, and I'm starting my foster care classes in September and hope to have a foster daughter here by Christmas.  I've also sent away for info to join the Association of University Women which has book clubs, and trips.  I'm trying to get out there and make friends.    It's very hard to stop isolating yourself after your marriage ends.  Sometimes you just want to hide--ok a lot of times you just want to hide.  But don't.  As my recently-widowed friend Florence suggests:  join, join, join.    I'm not a joiner but I'm joining anyway.