The Most Important is the Ending in Anything You Tell

Well let's see, what to say first?

The cats are pretty much back to normal. After a bath for Frost and then lots of catnip poured on and around him and Eli, so they smelled not only good but the same, Eli is back to his same old alfa-I'll-push-you-around-once-in-a-while-just-to-remind-you-I'm-boss self. Frost, however; is still recovering, a little PTSD if you please.

I ordered some really terrific looking shoes that wrap around the top of your foot for perfect comfort with good tread,  hoping, as usual, to be able to find a shoe that doesn't hurt me too badly.

After waiting 3 weeks, they came today. In XL. I mean, seriously. I've been kidded my whole adult life at what little feet I have. Don't they know nuthin'?

So I've e-mailed them to complain.

The Northern Invasion (the good one) begins tomorrow. Since Yankee Cousin is bringing (her) Husband and (her) Brother, they wanted to rent a cabin. Yankee Cousin told them specifically she wanted to rent a cabin close to my house. They said okay! Told her that's what they'd done. She asked for specific directions, but they couldn't give those to her until a week before arrival date. (why, I don't know, do you?) When they gave them, she's NOT even close to my house. She asked them to swap. And guess what they said? They couldn't change accommodations so close to arrival date. Do you see anything wrong with this? So I  e-mailed them a very nice threatening-to-do-a-review-request, asking them to change her cabin. We'll see.

But the most important subject of this blog is you. I really did the previous blog about not winning at the Georgia Author of the Year Awards to make you laugh.

But instead I got a wonderful outpouring of love from so many of you that assured me I was really the best.

Sniff.

You said you were proud of me.

Well, I'm proud of ya'll, too.

I'm a winner, for sure.

Bless Be The Ties That Bind

Visiting my friend all day had me reflecting all the way home.

I've known her since sixth grade. And while our closeness waxed and waned during our young adult years, the affection never did, and we easily reconnected.

I have friends whom I have had for so long I don't remember life without them. We were born close together in years and in geography, and the rest, as they say, is  history. Our history.

I have friends that I've known since early adulthood - only thirty, twenty, fifteen years. Newcomers, you know.

I am favored with friendship from all walks of life - from doctors to the woefully unemployed.

Liberal and conservative and a lot of in between.

Male and female. 

Older than me, younger than me, the same age as me.

Christians, non-Christians.

Red and yellow, black and white...

I love and am loved.

Bless be the ties that bind, indeed.

When Other Friendships Have Been Forgot, Ours Will Not

I had lunch with a bunch of friends Friday. It was in celebration of "the baby" quitting her job with our old company that was once paradise that turned into you know where.

The rest of us had been long gone.

There are all sorts of reasons it took her longer to leave. She interned with the agency and then was hired. She'd been there fourteen years.

But looking at all the women around the table, I saw a lifetime of friendship. Most of them I've known since my twenties.

The others at least a dozen years or more.

We've watched each other go from young adults to....um, what we are now. The ages range from the baby being in her late thirties (no! I've watched her graduate, get married, have children....) to early sixties (no again!).

I supervised all these women but one, most of them for many  years. Our workplace was a family. We loved each other, we prayed for each other. Sometimes folks even fussed with each other, but usually got over it.

It was a joy working with these women, and it's a joy to have them as my friends.

Sometimes it would appear we have more differences than things in common. But as I've said, true friendship is forever, in spite of differences. Because love bridges those differences, every single time, in a true friendship.

We laughed and talked and tried to hear what everybody was saying at the same time and not miss a thing. We don't get together often enough. In spite of some of us already retiring, we are all so "busy", you know.

Don't get me wrong. I think all of us talk to each other from time to time. I try to keep in touch regularly with each of them.  These women are "mine" after all. I was responsible for them for years, and I guess that feeling  never leaves. When  you feel responsible for someones welfare for a long time, that feeling stays forever.

Ask any parent.

I'm  not saying they were my children. They are my peers. But at work, in order to be a good boss, you must have responsibility for the welfare of those who answer to  you. It's your job, and if you are a half way decent boss, it should be your passion.

So, anyway, we had a great lunch. We gabbed and laughed and ate when we weren't gabbing and laughing. But to be honest, I could have been eating sawdust. I was too busy having a good time to notice.

I could ponder on where time has gone, like everyone else has done, but we all know.

TIME MARCHES ON.

And it's marched all over my face!

Friendship

I  have spent the day with one of my very best friends.

We've known each other since sixth grade. We were both raised here, but I guess because she went to a "country" school and I was a townie, our paths just never crossed.

But when her little elementary school was closed down and all the kids in that "settlement" were bused to town, there she was.

As kids we fished together, camped together, ate together, wrote stories together, sang together, and talked.

A lot.

After high school, our paths drifted apart, and although we saw each other from time to time, we were no longer best buds. Nothing bad happened, just time.

Then about sixteen years ago, Family was looking for another church. We walked into this church (where we still attend) and there she was. She was the piano player and thrilled to see me, as I was her.

Our friendship picked up right where it left off, and we haven't turned loose.

It's so good to have someone who is a peer. Spiritually, we pray for one another, we consult one another, and we hold one another accountable when necessary. We share books, ideas, life stories, and food, of course.

She is like a drink of cool water. I don't have to have my guard up about anything. I don't have to watch what I say, or be concerned she won't 'get it'.

She always gets it.

She shares birthdays with my daughter. She helped my daughter learn to drive.

We stay abreast of each other's families and health problems, woes and joys. We have grieved together and for one another, but we have rejoiced, too.

So, today was like sixth grade. She told me about her latest fishing trip, we talked about writing, we talked about music, we ate together, and we talked.

A lot.

I thank the good Lord for friends.

Where would we be without them?