Nostalgia

Yesterday while Ron was off work sick, and the rest of us were lazing around with the same funk that kept him home.. we watched a really cute movie.. "Without a paddle"... It is a coming of age movie about four friends that signed a blood oath as children to find DB Cooper's treasure.. one dies as an adult and the other three go on an adventure to fulfill the oath.. The movie itself was cute.. I enjoyed it.. but it got me to thinking about my own childhood friends..

Jan and Sissy are the first two that come to mind.. We met when I was 7 , Jan was 8 and Sissy was 5.. they knocked on our door wanting to know if we wanted a dog.. along side them was the biggest English Sheepdog I have ever seen in my life.. From that day on we were inseparable.. Jan and I grew closer than sisters.. we allowed Sissy to trail along behind us.. There was nothing we didn't do together.. Jan was gonna be an actress or a veterinarian.. I was gonna be a doctor or a singer.. heck maybe even a singing doctor.. I don't remember what Sissy's plans were but, I know she wanted to be Me or Jan most.. We had sleepovers.. campouts.... skating trips.. movies.. you name it.. it lasted a couple yrs then I moved back to KY.. when I was 11 we moved back to FL and Jan and Sissy and I became the unstoppable trio of trouble once again.. (sorry bout locking you outta the house in your underwear Sissy).. again there was very little that we didn't do together..

Then there was Barb and Tracy.. and Dawn and Jimmy.. and Ruth, Ricky, and Barbara Jean.. these are the ones that stick out in my mind as friends that I had with me almost all the time.. we moved around a lot so every neighborhood I had different friends.. But, Jan and Sissy were the constant.. they were there always..

When I turned 13 we moved once again back to KY.. that is where I met Brenda and Ginger.. forever to be known as BK and LA... by me.. and each other.. BK and I lived in the same neighborhood.. we also became sisters by choice... LA was brought in about a year later and became our group silly one.. BK was always the quiet one.. I was the loudmouth, outgoing, in your face one.. (imagine that) and LA.. was the silly one.. the one that would make us laugh until we cried.. and wow did the three of us cry a lot.. I shared my first real love and heartache with these two incredible people .. they told me what a jerk the guy was for losing me.. and I did the same for them when their hearts had been broken.. It didn't matter if we were the cause of the breakups.. we were there for each other..

When BK started dating a guy that I really liked .. and who liked me a lot more than he liked her.. BK gave me her blessing and her boyfriend.. He and I later married and he became the father of my four children.. It was never a matter of jealousy between us.. it was never an issue.. we just did what we thought was right and still kept our friendship.. BK eventually married the brother of the guy I married.. and LA married a guy that none of us liked but her.. I introduced her to him.. I didn't like him.. but she did.. and that was what mattered..

We grew up.. had kids.. I lost touch with LA .. BK kept up with both of us... I was easy to keep up with BK and I were family.... We did the having babies around the same time thing.. the comparing growth of said babies.. the our men are driving us crazy thing.. and we still cried on each other's shoulders and laughed at each others jokes..

When my ex and I split.. BK took the family's side of the break up and she and I no longer speak.. we live about a mile from each other.. I have spoken with her on the phone briefly from time to time , mostly calling when my ex is there with my kids.. but no real conversation.. I hurt everytime I think about her.. everytime something good happens in my life.. I want to share it with her..since I can't do that in reality.. I tell her what is going on in my life by just talking to her.. I know she doesn't hear me.. but it makes me feel like there is something of that connection left..

During the 18 years that Ronnie ( my ex) and I were married..We moved to FL... I reconnected with Jan and Sissy.. the childhood closeness was still there.. but we also developed a strong adult friendship as well.. Jan isn't an actress or a veterinarian.. I am not a doctor or a singer.. (Karaoke doesn't count) and unless Sissy wanted to be a manager of a seafood store and restaurant.. she didn't become whatever it was she wanted to be either.. But we are all doing things that we love doing... We all have lives.. kids.. marriages.. 2 of us have 2nd marriages.. but the connection that made us the trio we were.. still exists..

I have made some adult friendships that I wouldn't trade for all the world.. Mauritha.. I love you !!!! y'all all know about the Russ... love you too man.. and there are several people that I hold dear to my heart that I know deserve mention here.. but with the tears blurring my vision.. it is a bit difficult to think.. My point is.. the friendships that I have made as an adult are every bit as rich and wonderful as any I have made in my life..

The ones that I made as a child, however, shaped the me that I am .. were the ones that supported my dreams.. made my home life bearable.. and got me through what otherwise would have been a nightmare childhood.. and I guess I just want to thank them all..

Hey Y'all wanna get together and see if we can go find bigfoot.. how bout that UFO we saw that time Jan? .. BK.. I still love you as much as I ever did.. and LA if you read a blog one day by someone with a troublesome name..think TJ.. I'm still around..I'll even sing for ya.. anything by Journey...