Friday, August 12, 2016

A Visit from a Long Lost Friend


Okay--she wasn't actually lost. We knew right where she was. But it wasn't here. My friend Kathy, who inspired the fire tower watcher in Wickedly Powerful (and did an amazing job of answering questions about how the whole thing worked, so Sam was as realistic as I could make him) lived here 8-9 years ago. She was a beloved member of Blue Moon Circle, and we all pined when she left to return to Arizona to help out her daughters and grandchildren (and spend some summers up in the fire tower in Wyoming). The last trip she took out here was five years ago, which was WAY too long a time.

Recently, she came back for a two-week visit, staying with me and hanging out with me and a bunch of other Blue Moon Circle peeps. She spent a lot of time bird watching (adding 9 new birds to her lifetime list, some of whom I STILL haven't seen), and we talking (er...ranted) politics, and watched movies, and had BBQs. We even did a Lammas ritual that got some of the gang together again. It was lovely. I couldn't have asked for a nicer house guest or a better two weeks. Even if I didn't get nearly as much work done while she was here, of course. Here are a few pictures from our time together:

Meet Kathy!

She helped out in the garden, since she missed having one, and my knee still doesn't kneel.

Chris and Kathy chatting on the back deck in the evening.

BBQ at Chris's house. She made ribs in the smoker. OMG

Bobbie, Kathy, Chris, and Robin

I have no idea what was wrong with my face in this picture! Maybe I was thinking about her leaving again, since this was her last day.
I hope she doesn't wait another five years for her next visit. The guest bedroom awaits you, Kathy!

11 comments:

  1. There's nothing better than catching up with old friends. Glad you had a great time!

    Kit

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  2. Awww! Three cheers for old friends! I have a friend whom I always refer to as my sun,moon, and stars,who has been absent from my life (and state) for over 4 years now. I've only seen her for a fee brief hours on thrips where she was passing through this way, and it has been very hard only having my nearest and dearest only over the telephone. I always refer to her as the Jetty to my Frannie. (I'm sure you will recognize the Practical Magic reference )
    She only just recently announced that her husband is going back over the raid and she, not desiring to stay in the gods forsaken wasteland that is her particular portion of Kansas, is currently searching for rental property back home, and more specifically, in the same town as me this time!I could not be more exiticated (a word I made up that she and I oft like to use) and I am just in a sappy sentimental mood about old friends at the moment. This story really touched my heart <3

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    1. Yay for returning friends! Alas, Kathy isn't likely to come back to live until her grandchildren are much older, and since her kids keep making more, that isn't going to happen for some time :-)

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  3. Awww! Three cheers for old friends! I have a friend whom I always refer to as my sun,moon, and stars,who has been absent from my life (and state) for over 4 years now. I've only seen her for a fee brief hours on thrips where she was passing through this way, and it has been very hard only having my nearest and dearest only over the telephone. I always refer to her as the Jetty to my Frannie. (I'm sure you will recognize the Practical Magic reference )
    She only just recently announced that her husband is going back over the raid and she, not desiring to stay in the gods forsaken wasteland that is her particular portion of Kansas, is currently searching for rental property back home, and more specifically, in the same town as me this time!I could not be more exiticated (a word I made up that she and I oft like to use) and I am just in a sappy sentimental mood about old friends at the moment. This story really touched my heart <3

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  4. So glad you got to spend time with Kathy and catch up! It's good to slow down sometimes and enjoy life because it's way too short. The work can wait . <3

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    1. That's what I kept telling myself. It is something that has gotten lost in the shuffle all too often during the last two years, and I am working on correcting that.

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  5. And you Deb were the perfect hostess! Missing very much coffee on the deck, morning political roundup and of course the nightly glass of wine. Blue Moon Circle are the sisters of my heart and I miss you all so much.

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  6. There is nothing better then to catch up with old friends that have been absent from our lives for a long while. Just yesterday I meet up with my sister I haven't seen in nearly 20 years now she lives an hour away.

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    1. One of my sisters lives a little further than that from me, and we rarely see each other. I hope to catch up with her soon. Yay for meeting up with yours!

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  7. Sounds like a great fun read! Congratulations and good luck on the duo book, I for one think it's a fabulous idea!

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