Tuesday, July 31, 2012

this one is for you....

Today is my bestie's birthday.
It seems as if we have known each other forever yet I still remember our first meeting over a game of jump rope on the playground of South O Elementary all those years ago.
I would love to say we were best friends from that moment, but honestly when we first met it was just as individual friends within a bigger circle of girls. Flash forward to junior high where we had a couple classes together and became inseparable almost overnight.


I think I spent as much time at her house as I did my own. Her family would become an extra family to me, with her mom even grounding me along with her a time or two.
We would experience so many firsts together; crushes, dates, dances, kisses, cars and so on.
The most trouble I ever got into was with my DK right by my side...her dad still asks how the lil jailbirds are 25 years after our "outing" (teehee)


We had matching clothes, oh my the bumble bee swimsuits...I SO wish we had pics of some of those!
Songs, rocks and payphones booths that were "ours" . We shared our first job and looked ever so cute in our lil mexican dresses...don't you agree?


 
We have a million little inside jokes, silly nicknames and countless memories over the past 30 years.
There were times that were not as rosy, we have had tough times like most relationships do...however I feel as if those times have made us stronger.


We might not always have lived by each other with my moving to my own lil slice of Paradise here on the central coast of CA shortly after hs grad while she stayed in our
old stomping grounds of the O. I spent a few years in SD for college and loved being close to her & the kids, was hard to move back home and not be right there for it all.
A couple years ago she moved out of state and I was devastated at not having her as close as before.
I was spoiled by being able to just pop in my car and seeing her within a few hours, now I have to pop on a plane to get to her...which I will of course do...just not as easy.
Life isn't easy though, neither is friendship.


We have worked to remain as close as we are. It means picking up the phone, emails and letters, lots of random FB smiles amongst other things.
I want to thank you my cmg, you make my world a better place
for being a part of it.
You force me to see myself much more positively than I would on my own. You are my own personal cheerleader and the first one on board when I come up with a idea for a caper or silly shenanigans. You truly are my partner in crime!
You are a beautiful soul who has touched many lives in such positive ways.
I hope you know just how beautiful you are both inside and out.


I look forward to all the memories we will create in the future...including the craziness
of the mudrun in Sept! I have faith that eventually we WILL take our girls trip to Catalina...seriously after talking about it for so many years we must make this happen! How can we get to Hawaii and not there? Crazy!



On this day of your birth today I wish you all the love and happiness you deserve, may your day be filled with all the people and things that make you happiest.
I will be there in spirit of course!
I love you more than mere words can say.


Sunday, July 29, 2012

sad, but blessed

Due to working in a lovely small cafe we tend to get close to our customers. Many of them live nearby and come in quite often. They keep up with our lives as we do theirs. Last evening I found out that one of our regulars who has been battling cancer passed away. Her and her husband live on the same street as the restaurant and since I live in the neighborhood I would always wave and say hi or make some small talk when walking by.
As we were working last eve my boss and I noticed a fire truck & paramedic outside, but after a short while they left without taking anyone with them. We were hoping for the best, but a couple hours later we sadly saw the coroner's van come. As it was right at closing time we both went out to express our condolences to J. In the small world that is our community his brother M. is married to a family friend I have known for years and they were both there also.
It is always sad to be with someone whose loved one has just passed, but the moment the coroner drove away J. broke down and it broke my heart.
This is the moment none of us want to experience, for ourselves or others.
I walked away after this experience with sadness, but also feeling so blessed with the people within my life. I went home and called my sweet friend B, a phone call in which tears & laughter were equally shared. It is so important to let those in your life know daily just how loved they are. There are lots of  sayings about how life is short, life it to the fullest...etc...etc,but seriously we do only have one life to live so make the most of it and the people you have within it!
Take a moment today to share some of your love, give someone a hug, a kiss or even just a smile.
I love you my friends...


Thursday, July 5, 2012

my moment of wow

I just got back from a fab getaway to see my bestie.
I checked a bag for the first time in years using a fun vintage pink marbled
Samonite suitcase (it is amazing) as I doubt that there would be another one like it thus making it easy to spot! Due to it being a vintage (circa 1960's) it has no wheels so you get a bit of a workout carrying it! I was worried about the weight so I popped on the scale both holding it and without it to gauge it's weight....much to my surprise it was a mere 32 pounds. It felt so much heavier, probably due to that old school style single handle and all.
The big AHA moment for me was realizing that the suitcase I was carrying was the exact amount that I have lost to this point. So, now I am on the path to try and lose another suitcase....woohoo.