Finally, I got to catch up with my friend, Dolly! We’ve been friends since grade school, when she came to F. G. in 4th grade, driving all the way from Mishicot every morning. One of her neighbors worked at the Court House kitty corner from the school and that’s how her brother and she got to school every day. A few years later her folks transferred them to Emmanual but we remained in touch. As she recalls it, during the summer we stayed at each other’s houses alternate weekends, including some time spent at their cottage at Little Sturgeon in Door County. Excellent memories, excellent!
Of course, we remained friends through high school, culminated by singing together for our Senior Class Night presentation. Dolly played the guitar and we sang “Take Me Home, Country Road”. We’d often talked about moving to San Francisco and opening a craft shop, but my sister, Lori, sort of pointed out that we’d need a whole lot of inventory to sell in our shop…talk about raining on our parade! Good thing she did, too, or we’d have really messed up!
After getting married and me moving to Milwaukee, we sort of drifted apart but talked on the phone occasionally and saw each other at class reunions and such. Since moving to Florida, I think I’ve seen her more than I did when we lived up here! Again, that not seeing what’s under your nose….I have a photo taken at her house when Timmy was about 2 ½ years old, and he’s attempting to pedal her exercise bike in the breezeway. Justin was born one day after Dolly’s daughter, Kristin, and they had a chance to meet up with each other a couple years ago at WELS Youth Rally in CO. That is so cool, and I’d hoped for a second generation of friendship, but it was not to be. Too different and too far apart, unfortunately.
What was such a blessing for our friendship was having Dolly call me last summer when I was in Alaska on the cruise ship, to tell me she heard “our song” on the radio and was simply compelled to call! We used to lie on the roof of the utility shed in her backyard, with a radio and Teen Magazine, and sing along to the radio. Our favorite was “Those Were the Days”, which is what forced her to dial my number (or, push my number, as the case might be!). Whenever we talked or saw each other, no matter how much time had passed, we never missed a beat. I love that!
Of course, we remained friends through high school, culminated by singing together for our Senior Class Night presentation. Dolly played the guitar and we sang “Take Me Home, Country Road”. We’d often talked about moving to San Francisco and opening a craft shop, but my sister, Lori, sort of pointed out that we’d need a whole lot of inventory to sell in our shop…talk about raining on our parade! Good thing she did, too, or we’d have really messed up!
After getting married and me moving to Milwaukee, we sort of drifted apart but talked on the phone occasionally and saw each other at class reunions and such. Since moving to Florida, I think I’ve seen her more than I did when we lived up here! Again, that not seeing what’s under your nose….I have a photo taken at her house when Timmy was about 2 ½ years old, and he’s attempting to pedal her exercise bike in the breezeway. Justin was born one day after Dolly’s daughter, Kristin, and they had a chance to meet up with each other a couple years ago at WELS Youth Rally in CO. That is so cool, and I’d hoped for a second generation of friendship, but it was not to be. Too different and too far apart, unfortunately.
What was such a blessing for our friendship was having Dolly call me last summer when I was in Alaska on the cruise ship, to tell me she heard “our song” on the radio and was simply compelled to call! We used to lie on the roof of the utility shed in her backyard, with a radio and Teen Magazine, and sing along to the radio. Our favorite was “Those Were the Days”, which is what forced her to dial my number (or, push my number, as the case might be!). Whenever we talked or saw each other, no matter how much time had passed, we never missed a beat. I love that!
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Her niece is serving with the Friends of China and became my source for information which was used by our Sunday school kids’ mission project for the first half of the year. Again, that 'small Synod, small world' thing!
We had lunch together at Luigi’s in ‘TRivers and then went shopping at Honey Pot. I found some beautiful glass pieces there, and will have them ship it to my home for me, in a couple weeks. I sure don’t want a box to arrive and me not be there to secure it. Honey Pot is owned by another schoolmate of ours MLHS and I love being able to aid her business, plus add to my glass collection at the same time!
Next week when I come back from Lori’s I’m going to take a DVD copy of “Under the Tuscan Sky” to Dolly’s, plus some pretzels and honey mustard dip so I can take her on a vacation without having to leave the house! She has no desire at all to travel, doesn’t have that gene, I guess, so by us watching and sharing “Tuscan Sun” it might be as close to Italy as she’ll ever get! We saw those good chips at Honey Pot but I’ll have to search for the dip….I used to get it at Cook’s Corner but they are no more, so……………………
A full day spent with a dear friend, that’s another reason I am here!
We had lunch together at Luigi’s in ‘TRivers and then went shopping at Honey Pot. I found some beautiful glass pieces there, and will have them ship it to my home for me, in a couple weeks. I sure don’t want a box to arrive and me not be there to secure it. Honey Pot is owned by another schoolmate of ours MLHS and I love being able to aid her business, plus add to my glass collection at the same time!
Next week when I come back from Lori’s I’m going to take a DVD copy of “Under the Tuscan Sky” to Dolly’s, plus some pretzels and honey mustard dip so I can take her on a vacation without having to leave the house! She has no desire at all to travel, doesn’t have that gene, I guess, so by us watching and sharing “Tuscan Sun” it might be as close to Italy as she’ll ever get! We saw those good chips at Honey Pot but I’ll have to search for the dip….I used to get it at Cook’s Corner but they are no more, so……………………
A full day spent with a dear friend, that’s another reason I am here!
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p.s. My poor sister, Kerry, has been sick for over a week with this horrendous cough that comes all the way up from her feet. Monday she coughed so hard that she felt something go "pop!" inside, by the belly button and start to hurt. She told her co-workers what happened they guessed right--she has a hernia from coughing!!! Now she needs to see a surgeon and figure out when to have it repaired, hopefully NOT under emergency conditions, if it becomes constricted or strangulated. I wish I could be here when she has the procedure, to help take care of her, but anticipate the surgery won't take place until after I'm gone. What next?????
