As it happens, yesterday she called me saying she wanted to "sound me out" about something. Not worth getting into the details, but she was looking for me to validate some excuses she was making for not doing something. I call them "excuses" because in my mind that's what they were. There are times when she's clearly using her mental health issues as an excuse. So I gave her my honest opinion rather than doing what I know she wanted me to do--tell her what she wanted to hear. I was nice about it, but honest. She then got cross at me telling me she didn't want my opinion, she just wanted me to listen. I told her that I thought the expression "sound you out" meant she wanted to know what I thought (although I could be wrong about that!
). Long and the short of it is, she hasn't contacted me since. Very unusual for her but <shrug> ...I just don't care right now.People are right about her child being in a dangerous situation. That said, the day after she cut herself up I was at her house for most of the day baby-sitting her. Her daughter had gone out to a kids party. The psychologist who had assessed her in emergency the night before turned up. He was accompanied by a woman who was from social services. I didn't stay in the room while they were talking but listened in from the room next door. So, to keep it simple, now she's kinda "on the books". Her daughter will probably be removed if she does anything like that again. The good thing is that my "friend"'s parents live here as well and they do try their best to make sure the welfare of their granddaughter.
And Effaeldm, she actually does work sporadically in plantation forests cutting off dead limbs etc. And she lives out of town on a semi rural property and so collects wood from paddocks, has to cut up the wood etc for the fire. And she's creative, does heaps drawing etc. The issue at the moment (as far as I see it) is that she's using it as an attention seeking thing. This last episode came about because her girlfriend refused to answer he texts and so my friend threatened to cut herself and when her girlfriend didn't respond she did it.
Anyway, enough of my prattle. Thanks again everyone. It's nice to be able to come back here and get such support (particularly since I've been fairly absent on KW for the last couple of years).
Hugs for all.
