Kay, JoJo, Ruth... Long distance Friends

I have had an opportunity to be in mail and phone contact with old friends just recently... and not just about the upcoming wedding but just getting back in touch. I'm sure that you have read various emailing about what makes true friend. As far as I am concerned there is only one marker and that is when you call, email etc. that the months or years fall away and it seems like yesterday that you talked with the person..... everyday contact is not a requirement.

I hadn't talked with Kay in years and contacted her by email a few months ago. .... caught her up on what was happening and got a great letter in return.... and found out that she is still one of the greatest people you could ever want to know. Kay is a successful veterinarian in Houston. She has been a blessing to me for over 20 years. She got Stan and I involved in dog shows which looking back was some of the best fun I have ever had. She gave Joshua a beautiful Gordon Setter for his birthday when we lived in Texas... Wildwinds Jazz a Bell and our first Gordon... Wildwinds Jive n Jazz.... 'Simon'. Our two Westhighland White Terriers, Carley and Bailey were from Kay as well. We were tag- a - longs but really had such a good time at all the shows. Memory is a funny thing..... one thing about Kay that sticks in my mind was the movie Dirty Dancing... I think we replayed the last scene.... remember...... when they do the great dance at the end .....over and over and over again. The other thing was mentioned in a previous post..... she would sigh.... a deep and expressive sigh that spoke volumes and usually was accompanied by an eye roll of Olympic quality..... it made me laugh and try as I might I have never been able to mimic it.

I talked with Jo-Jo night before last and hadn't talked with her in over a year....other than e-mails... she called me and again...it was like yesterday that we had spoken. I am a story teller.... I have a million stories that get repeated often and cause hilarity when told. Honestly JoJo has provided me with some of my best material... she has some of the best life experiences of anyone I know and when she would call with her latest escapade I would be weak from laughing. She and I have been friends for 25 + years.... her brother Ed gave me away when I married Stan. She was in the delivery room when I had Becky. She is mother to 5 really great kids and wife to wonderful Perry. Many of my current Christmas traditions were borrowed from JoJo. She came down for Mardi Gras 2006 and we had the time of our lives at the parade, catching beads and drinking wine. She had a world class mom.... Jackie..... who would occasionally stop by my home on the way to Florida from Texas.... with her huge boxer in tow(Brutus) Once she came in took a look around and told me ..... "I hope to God you're good in bed because you are a terrible housekeeper". She stayed for 3 days and put my house in order.

This morning I talked with Ruth. .... another 25+ year friendship. She started out as my baby sitter for 3 year old Joshua and ended up a part of the family. Ruth has 5 girls.... they grew up with my kids...When we lived in College Station, Texas.... not a day went by that we didn't see each other... she kept me supplied in cigarettes...because I DID NOT SMOKE. She prayed me thru more trauma than I care to remember. She fed my kids fruit roll ups, raisins, and chocolate chips. My favorite memory is Thanksgiving... we did Thanksgiving together and invited anyone who didn't have any place to go.... we had sometimes 30-40 people for dinner. She was pregnant one year and called me the night before......she thought she might be having contractions... I told her she was NOT allowed to have that baby..... she had pies and a turkey to cook plus she had a hankering for tomato aspic(which looks like jelled blood) and I had made her a large bowl of the stuff. I told her to take a pill, drink some wine.... and not be late for dinner the next day. She showed up.... in labor......with the food.... She spent some time with me two falls ago and I can still see her at the stove with her rhinestone encrusted reading glasses on holding a cigarette...
My children are richer because of Kay, JoJo, and Ruth. I really love these long distance friends. Joshua once told me that when I get old that he will take care of me. He added in Kay and Ruth and JoJo( and now my friend Jill).... said he would make sure that we were in the same room together in the home. I am sure that you all are comforted by that promise!!!!!

Thanks to the three of you wonderful women... you have given me some of my very best memories.. and have shared in my life even in the worst of times.... here's to another 25 years.