Old friends are the best friends!

Another wonderful day on the Conniepalooza trail!!!    It's rare that I visit a friend or family member who keeps the same schedule as I do, but turns out Cathy and I are kindred spirits in many ways - not the least of which is liking to sleep in a bit!  After a leisurely morning and breakfast, we headed out to the Botanical Garden here in Springfield with her dog Sadie and did some walking.  It's actually a great garden and it's all done by volunteers I am told.  They have done a wonderful job and even with the changing season there were some pretty things to see - a few trees still in all their glory, a vegetable garden with a bounty yet to harvest and flowers here and there.   Much cooler and gloomier today so I am sure that won't last long, but I was thankful to get a day to see it!  (AND fun fact of the day ..... right next to the Botanical Garden is one of the only Federal prison maximum security hospitals for terminal inmates!    They had John Gotti and the muslim cleric there at one point!)

Then home for lunch and a relaxing afternoon, looking over our old senior yearbook and just catching up on all of the people we went to school with and life in general. Some happy moments and some sad when I found out a friend I had played basketball with died a few years ago and I had no idea. The big adventure for the afternoon was taking Cathy to the Habitat ReStore here in town.  It was right by the Botanical Garden and she said she had never been, so we HAD to go check it out.  For any of you not familiar with this store, it's a resale store owned by Habitat for Humanity and all of the proceeds to back to Habitat for use on their projects.   Some things are used, some are new - you never know what you will find but it's fun to explore.  We walked away without a purchase but there is something I am going to sleep on and maybe go back for in the morning.... more on that if it happens!

Went out for dinner at the Springfield Brewing Company.  Good food, huge portions and good beer!   What more can I say!

I must say it's been a real joy to reconnect with my old friend and I can only hope that the rest of my encounters with old acquantances on this trip go as wonderfully as this one did!   My husband Brad sent me a link to an article in the Salt Lake City Tribune today, where one of the local columnists wrote an article about going on an elk hunt with friends he hadn't seen in 40 years.   I love this columnist as he always writes with great humor and great insight.   It seems as though in one sense his adventure mirrored mine here in Springfield.    He finished off his article by saying:

"Driving out of the mountains, I reflected on the enduring nature of friendship. No one is really his or her own creation. We’re all composites of the people we allow into our hearts.

At the end of “Stand By Me,” actor Richard Dreyfuss’ character ponders the enduring nature of friendships formed early by the tides of hormones and insecurity. He writes: “I never had any friends later on like I had when I was 12. … Does anyone?”

I do. I just had to go find them again."

I think this is so true and that each person we spend time with helps form who we are.   So thank you Cathy (and Jeff) for letting me be a part of your life back then and letting me find you again!

The song of the day also comes from Brad!  (I think he is having fun with this song thing too, since he sends me suggestions sometimes!)   It's a song called "We are Going to be Friends" by the White Stripes.   And while I only moved to Pittsburg in 9th grade, I like to think that if I have had moved there earlier, the song would have rang true then too.

Off to bed and tomorrow off to see Mom!!