Ode to a Friend

I got a phone call today from my dear friend, Dick. Do you have friends that you may not speak with for months, even a year or more, but after one phone call it's as if you had spoken all the time? Dick is one of those people for me. I met Dick when I was 18 years old. He was the sweet, handsome, suave manager in our department that all the girls had a crush on. Dick and I clicked immediately and would banter back and forth during the work day. He became a good friend to me and I knew he'd always be there for me if I needed him. That was over 25 years ago. Every once in a while, as he did today, he checks on me to make sure I'm OK. I truly appreciate and cherish him.

Rules

Next weekend, my friend, Sexy (I keep linking to her site thinking that she will be shamed into writing more often!), is coming to visit me. She travels as a package deal so this visit includes her husband and 4 kids. Monkey Boy and I are way beyond excited about seeing them again. However, I'm thinking with that many kids in the house I should set some rules. Here's my first draft:

1. Do not play anywhere near the big screen TV. Throwing/slinging things at or near the big screen TV or generally being too near to the big screen TV will result in a time-out in the penalty box otherwise known as the ugly uncomfortable couch.
2. No fires.
3. No actions that could result in bleeding or broken bones.
4. Pants must be worn in the common areas. No nads on my furniture!
5. If you have a problem with someone, deal with it yourself and without inflicting pain. This is a tattletale free zone.
6. DO NOT take my last diet Coke.

I think that pretty much covers it!

Watch out teens and small animals

I have a friend who is endlessly amusing to me named Ellen. She is one of those people who, like me, finds constant amusement in her own life. Every school day morning you'll find us on the beach walking. Yesterday Ellen was a little on the agitated side. She was worried that she had lost her prescription sunglasses. As a matter of fact, she was so worried about it that she called her son's school and had him pulled out of homeroom to take her call so she could ask him if he knew where her sunglasses where!! As you may know, being pulled out of homeroom to take a phone call from your mom is akin to death for a shy 13 year-old male. By the time I got home from my walk, Ellen had left a message on my voice mail: "Um, If I didn't have to work today I don't think I would allow myself to be on the road today. I just ran over and killed a snake, which means not only did I kill something, but now I have snake blood on the loaner car from the dealership." Being a supportive, caring friend, I called her back and asked her what the snake look like. After hearing her description I'm pretty sure that it was a rattlesnake (we have a lot of those around here). I then offered to bring her lunch, telling her that I thought it would be best if she didn't drive anymore than she had to as 13 year-old boys and small animals were not safe from her!