Thank you so much, everyone, for your caring and helpful advice. I'm still getting used to having anyone, much less so many of you, care so much about me. I lived much of my former life mostly in social isolation, with just a very small group of people I'd interact with, so having so many friends is one of the best benefits of transitioning for me.
To give an idea how close to the surface my emotions run nowadays, and how much small things can affect my mood, I just had something happen that has me smiling wide again.
My neighbors have just had a new plane (to them) delivered. I took Maggie for a walk and considered avoiding the group hanging around and oohing and aahhing over the new machine, to avoid having to meet the ferry pilot who had delivered the plane. I got waved over from the other side of the runway, so I had to walk over there. D and her husband C had just bought the plane, and my next door neighbor G was there, too. All are great with my transition, but I really didn't know how far they'd come until D decided to introduce me to the ferry pilot. She told him, "This is Stephanie. She's a really good pilot and she builds really nice airplanes." G chimed in with, "Yeah, she builds the best planes!" D pulled me into a conversation by asking how many planes I'd built, so I had to start talking. I gave my voice my best shot, having to tell the ferry pilot about all the different kinds of planes I'd been involved with, and what the latest project had been. And he bought it, hook, line, and sinker. I didn't need an airplane to fly home.
It is a little concerning that my mood can be swung so easily. I used to live a very stable, though unhappy existence. Now I feel so much that it gets overwhelming sometimes, and takes very little bias to make large changes, sort of like a semiconductor. I guess I really am a trans-sister.
Thanks again, everyone. I love you all.
Stephanie