First Grade Friends

I'm pretty excited today. Glad the thunderstorm passed. And glad that I get to see one of my life-long friends again today. She has been in Arizona for the past several years (before that, Lousiana)-- Air Force couple. I've seen her a few times over the past few years and also met her husband, but I have yet to meet her two children. Her younger sister, who is also in the Air Force and married with children, has been living in Turkey. Her older brother lives in New York, married with kids and then her younger brother I believe still lives in the Poconos. So- the siblings- who I practically grew up with too- have arranged family vacations at the same time-- and their parents decided to rent a park today and invite all friends and family they know of. The party already started, but I am more of a late sleeper and nooner kind of girl, so I am headed up there in about an hour. Enjoying some coffee-- and wishing my pictures weren't still at Dave's-- I'd love to bring some old Girl Scout photos to laugh over.

Since I am in the middle of writing a memoir, I feel closer now to the elementary school version of these friends-- it's funny how we're 30 but sometimes I can't get the "young us" out of my memory. I recently wrote about the friend I am seeing today- a scene where she is over my house and my mom and her then boyfriend got into a huge fight-- we locked ourselves in my room and cried until we heard his truck leave. Of course that's the nutshell version- but it just makes me realize how long these friends have been in my life and how I should make a better effort to stay in touch more- even if it's though phone calls and letters because of the geographical distance.

At any rate, I guess I should finish my brew, stop for ice for my cooler (soda only, kids- it's a family park) and head up to the Electric City for an afternoon for food, fun and old friends.