Good Friends

I was just recovering from the Rally to Restore Sanity (and two consecutive "midnight-train-to-Georgia" rides) when I took off to NC to check on my mother.  Full of enthusiasm and good intentions, I was looking forward to being there and seeing her.  This was another one of those times when things just didn't go as planned or wished.  So, back I came, hat in hand....glad to be home.

So, it was with special joy that I looked forward to seeing Cheryl and Phil, who stopped by here as part of their extended vacation.  Cheryl sent an email the day of their departure saying they would like to take me for a late lunch on the 12th.  From that, I extrapolated (in my hopefulness) that they would stay the night and we would have plenty of time to catch up.  As it turned out, they could only stay a few hours.......so we did our very best to catch up in that time!!

Cheryl is my protest partner (two anti-war protests by the Gray Panthers!) and I've seen her more often than Phil, so it was good to see him looking so well after all this time.  We commented on the bond of our overseas/Aramco friends and the difficulty of replicating those types of friendships here.  We all agreed that those experiences gave us a very different outlook from many people here......and for that I'm very grateful.   As a lot of time has passed since our overseas days, there was a general consensus that we don't feel our age......which is great!  It was a very good visit, with the only complaint being that it was all too short.  I hope it won't be that long before we're all together again.

 
We went to Truffles for lunch, which is right out the back gate.  The food was good, but the friendship and camaraderie were better.  They stopped in the house only a few minutes before heading south.  It was just over all too quickly.  I know they had a long drive and, with darkness falling so early,  they would be driving at night....but, I'm so glad they stopped by.  All I can say is that longtime Aramco friends are the best. Unfortunately, they are strewn far and wide......but it's always wonderful whenever we're able to get together.

To all my friends, far and wide...


Thank You, FriendThank you, friend, for all the things
That mean so much to me--
For concern and understanding
You give abundantly. Thanks for listening with your heart;
For cheering me when I'm blue;
For bringing out the best in me;
And just for being you. Thanks for in-depth conversation
That stimulates my brain;
For silly times we laugh out loud;
For things I can't explain. For looking past my flaws and faults;
For all the time you spend;
For all the kind things that you do,
Thank you; thank you, friend. By Joanna Fuchs