fbb, I totally get it about how it's nice simply to get out and see people! Like you, I'd gotten really isolated, and it was just nice to be among other folks, hear them talk, watch their faces...
It was also a great reminder of just how abnormal my "normal" life had gotten w/my A. If I spoke to these folks, they heard me the first time, didn't automatically go "What?" to everything I said. If I talked w/someone and then saw him/her a week later, he/she remembered what we'd talked about, instead of going "well, I guess it wasn't important enough for me to memorize it" in a snide way like XAH so often did. It was really helpful in keeping myself from minimizing just how bad the marriage had gotten, to see what interactions were like among people who actually liked and respected each other.
And that makes me realize just how often, when I went seeking a specific thing, I may or may not have found the thing I was looking for, but almost always found something worthwhile...thanks for making me think about that!