How do you make grown up friends?

I had an attack of the binges last night, piling unhealthy food on top of unhealthy food, trying to fill a void and stuff my feelings. It didn't work, I knew I was doing it and I actually made a concious decision at one point not to stop.

I really couldn't tell you why. I think it stemmed mainly from boredom and loneliness. I sent the hubby into town to have a birthday celebration with his friends - he doesn't do enough fun for himself. But even though I wanted him to go, I was a little resentful. Not that he went, but that not only didn't I get to go, but I won't have a similar situation pop up. I really don't have "live" friends anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I love my virtual friends and the support they give me, but I miss have girlfriends that I can go out with, and talk, or go shopping, or get coffee, or hell even just sit on the pier and chain smoke at 2AM (I occasionally miss smoking too, but it makes me horribly sick now). I miss going out with the girls and having girls to go out with. As much as I love my country life, it is a bit isolated.

Coupled with my tendency to be introverted (I am shy, but people who know me never believe that. I have trouble making new connections, but once I know a person I am a sharer) the isolation leads to an increased difficulty in finding new friends. And it becomes easier to hide behind my weight and blame that as a reason people won't talk to me and why I can't make friends.

BUT I did wake up this morning in a good mood, with no desire to even look at the unhealthy food I ate last night. I made King Arthur Flour English Muffin Bread before I went to bed last night using honey instead of sugar, whole wheat flour and a little flax seed for a fiber boost and it was ready this morning. The monkey, who rarely eats anything and almost never touches bread, ate 3 slices of this toasted with raspberry jam on it. I had about 2 slices - hard to tell as certain monkey & moose children kept stealing it from me - with low-fat cheddar cheese. I made gazpacho this afternoon (fresh salsa you can eat by the bowlful!) and I feel more in control of myself today. Still lonely, but that's okay.

How do you make grown up friends in "real life"?