Memories

As I sit here looking at the pictures, I am flooded with memories. Memories that bring sobs and memories that bring laughter.

When we were about 8 and 5, a kid said he was going to hit me with his toy pistol and I told him, no you're not! And picked up the milk bottle by the door and hit him over the head with it. You were an innocent bystander and glass hit you in the nose and the folks had to take you for a stitch or two! I got in trouble!!

You were about 3 or 4 and were running through the upstairs apartment in Richmond, California with a pencil in your mouth - lead end inside. You hit the window and started screaming. Mom and Dad were frantic - they couldn't find the pencil and thought it had gone down your throat. After a lot of searching, they found it outside - it had flipped out the open window. You were ok.

When you were about 6 or so, you had a hernia operation. You got out of the hospital on Halloween day. We dressed up and went trick or treating - even though you had just got out of the hospital.

When you and I were just little kids, maybe 10 & 7 - we'd put on shows for Mom & Dad. We'd sing "I'd walk for miles, cry or smile, for my mama and daddy, I want them to know I love them sooooooooo!" An old, old, country song. It would bring tears to Mom's eyes and sometimes, Daddy's, too!! (Maybe from laughter!)

The times Mom told me that one day you'd be bigger than me and then I'd be sorry I picked on you so. One day, you chased me under the old blonde tv set and parked yourself there daring me to come out. The time had come!!! You were bigger and stronger.

The time we were walking down 2nd Ave. and the lady who became my piano teacher asked us if we were twins. We were about the same size then.

The time I had a blind date with a sailor friend of a friend of mine! He showed up in full Navy uniform and he was almost as tall as me. Poor thing had a great big nose and you and Dad took to calling him Eagle Beak!! Not to his face, of course, but you guys really gave me a bad time about that guy. I guess I was about 18 then - you would have been about 15!!

On Santa Lucia, when you would be the posted "watch" for the parents when my girlfriends and I were hanging out in the downstairs room - we had a code when one of them would start downstairs! You never forgot that!! lol

In Haughton one Saturday night when you and Mike Stuck tried to get on the horses after having a few too many - you two were soooo funny! You'd climb up one side and fall down the other.

The time you two got in trouble for, ummmm, slashing the sheriff's tires! I'll never forget that!!

The night Daddy passed away and the four of us went to IHOP at 2a.m. We were all drained and so tired, but we had such fun even though that was one of the saddest times for all of us.

When we'd just sit around the table talking about everything and nothing in particular.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving when we took our grandbabies to Jefferson to ride the train - we just had Shawn David and Savannah then. And the plans to take all our grandkids every year - your car actually filled up quicker than mine!!

The week we vacationed at Lake 'o the Pines in Jefferson, Texas. We had so much fun!!! The four of us playing in the lake like high school kids! We always had plans to do that again, but never did.

There are so many memories. I miss you so much. What I would give to just have one hour back. I'd say all the things I should have said - about how much you and your friendship meant to me down through the years. I had friends that came and went, but you were always there.

I love you.

L