Best Friends, Special Friends

CeLinda and Deborah Kay 

In My Travels

Best Friends, special friends, precious friends. Friendships are one of my greatest joys for more reasons than I am going to list. Best Friends are very special people in your life. They are the first people you think about when you make plans. They are the first people you go to when you need someone to talk to. You will phone them up just to talk about nothing, or the most important things in your life. When you’re sad they will try their hardest to cheer you up. They build you up, encourage you, push you, convince you and challenge you.  They give the best hugs in the world! They are the shoulder to cry on, because you know that they truly care about you. Friends do not assume the negative about you, they overlook your flaws, and they treat you with respect and kindness. You don't have to worry about stepping into potholes or walk on eggshells in true friendships. In most cases they would take a bullet for you, because it would be too painful to watch you get hurt. I actually write this blog to keep in touch with friends both distant and local.  I am grateful for each special relationship.  

Deborah Kay and her special friend Betty

This week I got to visit Deborah Kay in Dallas.  We have been friends since 7th grade where we sat next to each other in homeroom in school.   She has never judged me or hurt me.  She taught me to love popular music, she had a record player. She helped me in some classes and I helped her in others.  Her house was my home away from home. Her parents loved me like I was their own and her brother was/is like a brother to me.  Their children love me because the parents love me and I feel all warm when I am in that circle, all that to say I just had a great weekend.   I got to see almost everyone and play with grand babies and just relax in the loving warmth of honest friendship. I will never take that for granted.

Craig and the Smoked Chicken
Stuffed Pabalanos 

Dallas had perfect weather, I got to go barefoot and sit outside in the sunbeams.  I ate lots of meat, more than usual and I just might have some in my suitcase. I got to visit a niece, her husband and see her sweet and very smart children also.  I got to help Debbie's mom sort her closet some. (Remember I just did that for my aunt in California, this is a bit of a pattern that I really enjoy.)  I also got to spend a day at Dino World with Debbie's kids and grandchildren, that was lots of fun and of course there was knitting time while we watched a few movies. 

One of the movies was, Inside Out, an animated film about 9 year old Riley and the voices in her  head, her emotions sadness, anger, fear, disgust, or joy and how they affect her core memories.  I have often mentioned the voices in my head in a humorous way, speaking of just those emotions so I have wanted to see this film for a while.  In this film Riley's emotions reflect in her relationships like family, fun, honesty, athletics, and friendship.  Then one change can causes problems in the world around her and how she chooses to react in a challenging situation, but even after painful experiences she could rebuild her world. I thought it was a cute film with lots of heartbreak and hope.

We also saw the Imitation Game, a very interesting story about decoding messages in WWII and the building of the first computer.   There is so much sadness around that story that it was hard to watch; the judgments’ and intolerance of people who are different, in this case on the autism spectrum, brilliant, and gay. I would like to think things are different today but I have had many experiences that prove that is just not true. Too bad.

In the Kitchen

I have a Food Saver, a machine that vacuums’ the air out of special plastic bags made for that device and out of Ball canning jars, using Ball canning lids.   I was out of town for a week and before I left town I put three heads of Romaine lettuce in Ball jars and used the vacuum attachment of my Food Saver.  Today I had a beautiful salad for lunch with this lettuce.  It was perfect and crisp without any bruises.   I had seen this on You Tube ‘University’ and it really does work.   If your lettuce is going bad in the refrigerator this is another good reason for a vacuum machine for your kitchen. 

Weeks Until Football Season: 9/11/16  = 26 weeks

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