Growing up, I had several good friends and some are still good friends and we talk often. Since leaving Louisiana in 1997, I’ve not really had a super close friend til moving here but I have one special friend. She’s the kind of person you wouldn’t think would be my friend. She’s so kind and she never says anything negative. She never says a bad word. I don’t think she even thinks bad words. She’s tall. She’s thin. She exercises. Oh, my goodness . . opposites do attract. Oh . . worse . . she’s so darned organized and you could eat off her floor. It’s risky to eat off plates at our house! 🙂
Anyway, she’s always wanting to help me. It isn’t like she looks at me and says “Poor Judy! Your house is a mess. Your sewing room is a disaster!” She just wants to help me do something. She takes care of my chickens and waters the plants and fruit trees when we’re gone and she is either a very good actress or she doesn’t mind doing it. And she takes care of Cat and Boots while we’re away . . . and any other issues. Last time we were gone, her husband had to come kill a rattlesnake, and he had to come fix a hose connection in the garden.
When we went to MO, I told her the plums were going to get ripe. Pick them, eat them, give them away, stick the in the freezer . . do whatever she wanted to do with them. I told her she could come over and make jelly or whatever. My canner sits on the porch. The propane tank is hooked up to it. She knows how to refill the bottle if needed. There are tons of jars upstairs in the shop. I don’t think she’s ever canned so she was apprehensive about doing that by herself the first time and I understand using someone else’s equipment with them not there.
I’ve been giving her samples of all my freeze dried fruits and onions and jello and marshmallows. I told her today that Vince bought 16 pounds of sweet onions. She said “I can come over and help you slice them!” She’s just always such a good helper.
I told her . . I have a project for you!
Air Conditioner
Tall . . thin . . good physical condition . . she can get on the ladder and fill in those holes and paint above that air conditioner! She’s happy to do it. Vince bought the spackling. I’ll get the paint. I’m going to get her to help me! More like . . I’ll watch while she does the work.
Then I remembered the Red Hot Cinnamon Pickles I made a year or so ago and wanted to make more so I asked her if sometime in the next few weeks, she’d like to make those with me. Yes! She would like to do that too. They’re water bathed so that will be an easy intro into canning for her. I haven’t mentioned it to her yet but I think I’m going to talk her into making CJ’s Fruitcake with the brandy . . that takes about six weeks to make.
This is the same friend who I took a quart jar of cranberry liqueur to her house one night to give to her and she and I drank the entire quart that night. Maybe the brandy and the fruit cake might not be such a good idea! 🙂
I feel very blessed to have such a good friend here and enjoy doing things with her. Maybe if I hang around with her more I’ll be a nicer person – no bad words, no unkind thoughts, maybe I’ll stop seeing bad signs with carrots and figs, maybe I’ll be skinny and exercise more but I’m thinking maybe I’ll just drink more cranberry liqueur! We can’t all be nice, thin and fit, right?
Karen says
A special friend like her is a treasure.
Dotti says
Judy, I’d have you for a friend any day. You are so much nicer than you give yourself credit. Think of all of us in Internet land that get a lift from your blog. You are real, everyone wants that in a friend.
Nelle Coursey says
Don’t kid yourself! You are nice! I don’t think I have heard you say anything bad about anyone except those pesky people on the phone who anger everyone when we call! She really is a good friend though. You are very lucky to have her close to you!
Pat Anderson says
A true friend is a treasure. I have one, too, and I had to move away from her. I miss her dearly. Enjoy every minute!
Penny says
Perhaps Judy your friend has the same wonderful thoughts & value of you? Actually I think she must or she wouldn’t continue to do all those many wonderful & varied things you list that she does for you!
dezertsuz says
What a wonderful post, funny and touching, at the same time. Best friends are in a class all their own, and no one really knows why we feel that way about someone so different from us, I think.
Deb Praus says
It is good to make connections in life with good friends! I suspect if we lived closer, we would make that connection also. You are the friend with a quirky sense of humor, a good heart and passion for things in life! Thanks for a great post!
Twyla Starr says
You are very blessed to have a true good friend. And you are just a special you, funny, kind, generous and sharing all your knowledge of stuff is a blessing to me.
Helen says
Judy, you crack me up!! I used to NEVER say a naughty word…seriously! My husband’s sister-in-law tried to make me feel bad about that (many years ago). THEN…I started working at our local high school. My soon-to-be boss said the big “F” word in my interview to see my reaction. Needless to say, my calm demeanor in that situation got me hired, but the job taught me lots of new — and really bad — words!!! I use several of them on a select basis!!! Hahaha!! I even know how to operate my middle finger, and (in jest, most of the time) I DO use it!! Judy, even though I’ve never met you or given you a real-life hug, I love you.
A good and true friend like you have is one of the great blessings in life.
Sincerely, Helen
Joyce says
A good friend doesn’t bail you out of jail…a good friend is sitting in jail with you! 😉 She sounds like that kind of friend!
Vicky McGee says
Sounds great, Judy! You can exercise more and get thin, but I really don’t think she’ll be able to help you on getting taller! I’m just saying.
Kathleen says
I agree with comments above. I think you would be a wonderful friend. And how great it is for you to have such a special friend.