Thanks, my friend! (Jan. 31)

Serendipity? I don't know if I believe in it. Coincidence? I'll call it that. And an unhappy coincidence last week when pondering a friend to thank in my (semi) weekly "Thanks my friend!"  
My friend, Kathy, came to mind when I replied to a FB status on a scrapbook magazine page asking who I would most want to scrapbook with me. She and I used to do so when we lived nearer each other, and I have yet to meet anyone who wants to do the same where we live now. It's crazy, because I gave Kathy so much crap about being a scrapbooker until she sucked me into the hobby! Karma from those remarks led me to spend countless income at Michael's. 

We're also good friends outside of "cropping." I miss working with Kathy, who was the first one to reach out to me in that environment, and loved our lunch-time errands and conversation. Lunch at her mom's house is now a bittersweet memory, too.

Kathy's mother died unexpectedly last week, the same day I'd been thinking about her and posted the FB reply about getting crafty, even though we hadn't talked in a few months. A mutual friend gave me the news about Kathy's mom, Joyce, that same night. It was just odd that I hadn't thought about giving Kathy a call for awhile, but I still don't believe it when people say, "I just had a feeling something was going to happen..." That's stupid and unreal. A weird coincidence nonetheless. 

One thing I always say about Kathy is she has more common sense than anyone else I know. She worked on a farm almost her entire life and could mend a fence, bake and decorate the hell out of a cake, and get one kid to a ball game while she's on the way to get another to a 4-H meeting -- practically all at the same time! Kathy is the only person I know who actually cleans her house every Saturday, and I mean EVERY Saturday. This woman is a dynamo -- a mom of four kids who has enough love and energy to go around for all of them.  

I don't remember ever seeing Kathy in a bad mood. Maybe justifiably perturbed at something, but not in a long-lasting pissy sort of way. And I don't think she'd show it if she was. She has grace under pressure and has always been a pure joy to me. I hope she knows that, so I want to tell her "thanks, my friend!" 


Think of someone you love but haven't told that lately. Tell them ... now!