Don't Say Good-Bye, Say "See You Soon"

This is what I am interpreting as Maurice looking at me with eyes of love. She seemed to be very glad I was back and even took to Terry who spent the night with me because her flight home was today. And that gave us another 24 hours to visit and be together which was just about the most precious gift I could ever imagine. When Terry and I were in nursing school, I was twenty-eight and she was eighteen. And we bonded like Elmer's mixed with Gorilla Glue. I still remember the exact moment I first saw her and thought, "I want to be her friend."

All the girls used to come over to my house because I HAD a house with a coffee pot, and a table to put our notes and books on, and there was generally food in the refrigerator due to the fact that I had children and children must be fed. And we studied together many, many nights and we drank pots and pots of coffee and we talked and we laughed and sometimes when the moon and sun were in favorable positions and I could get a baby-sitter, we'd put it all aside and gussie-up, again at my house, do our make-up, change clothes fifty times apiece until we were satisfied (or at least reasonably so) with our appearances, and we'd go to a local college dive called Bullwinkles that had the best bands and we would dance and dance and dance and flirt and literally let down our hair and those nights were joyous. 
And that is how we got through nursing school. 
Occasionally, someone would spend the night at my house if we were studying late and before long, it seemed that my Terry had just about moved in which suited me fine. I loved that girl to pieces and she needed some love, her upbringing not being the most loving. I mothered her along with my own kids and although she was the toughest of all of us and vastly more experienced than all of us in taking care of actual people in a medical situation due to very early employment, she let me mother her. 
And this weekend she let me do that again and it felt just like it had when she was eighteen and I was twenty-eight. The room we shared on St. George has two teeny-tiny beds and it's a teeny-tiny room and we'd turn out the light and fall asleep as unselfconsciously and as comfortably as could be. 
And having her here last night was just a sort of continuation of that. She is now the mother of three and quite possibly the best mother in the world, and she has a beautiful granddaughter whom she is besotted with but dammit, I needed to mother her some more and we slipped into our old roles. I cooked her a terrific supper and by then we were both worn out and she got into her bed in the guest room that I'd made up to be as cozy and comfortable as possible, and I got in my bed where Maurice joined me and gave me those looks of love. 

And then, sigh, that damn cat left the bed and I do believe went outside and came back into the room making her "I have brought you meat, my little kitten!" squeaky noises and there was something going on with the closet door and I just laid there going, "Oh my Jesus. No."
I almost turned on the light but I couldn't see what in the world that would help. Best to ignore the whole situation and finally, she got back in bed and went back to sleep. I had no idea if she'd brought me a living animal or a dead one but I wasn't going to worry about it then. 
This morning I did look and found nothing but if she'd brought in a living critter, it could be hiding in the closet and please god, no. 

I am so mad that I didn't get any pictures of Terry in my house. SO mad. And then later on we went into town and stopped by Lily's work so they could see each other. Terry was at Lily's birth. I didn't get a picture of the two of them, either. And then we went to Kool Beanz, the best restaurant in Tallahassee, as far as I'm concerned, with Jessie. Terry had met Jessie and Vergil when they were first dating as they had stayed with Terry and her family in Denver. So that was a sweet reunion catch-up. And I kept thinking, "Get a picture. Get a picture of Terry and Jessie" and I did not remember and I could slap myself for the missed opportunities.  

Off to the airport we drove, Terry and I, and I dropped her off and cried like a baby and just thinking about it makes me cry again. 
She is one of mine and she is a sister and she is a friend of over forty years, and I not only love her, I admire her in every way. She holds a place in my heart that no one else ever has or ever will. It is eternally hers. 

*************

It has been absolutely cold here today. Cold like where Terry, from Colorado, was saying, "It's so cold!" She talked to one of her sons who told her it was 76 F there or something and it didn't get above 57 F here today and I swear to you- it has felt much colder. It's supposed to get down to 29 degrees by six tomorrow morning and you know what that means- do something to protect the plants! 
First thing I did this morning was to cut a bunch of stems of the firespike. 

It's in peak full bloom but probably won't be after tomorrow. I put the cut stems in vases of water and they will reward me by early spring by having grown lovely, lovely roots and I will have that many more of them to plant. 
NOT INVASIVE! 
But what about all of my other tender porch plants and my Roseland mango and Roseland palms and Roseland sea grapes and Roseland coconut palm? 
I wrapped the ones too big to bring in and am hoping that will save them. It probably will. I did the same for the porch plants but the smaller ones that I could carry, I brought in and then Jessie and the boys came out to get the meat grinder and helped me with some of the heavier ones. 

There are others, tucked here and there but those are the hallway plants. Mostly. 

I got a few pictures of the boys while they were here. 

Yesterday was Levon's 8th birthday although I've been saying he was turning 7 which is absurd. Why do I keep understating or overstating birthday years? I hadn't gotten him a present yet because I wasn't doing my grandmother job so I found a card I already had that was almost appropriate and tucked a bit of money in it. He liked that. August asked me if I'd read them a book and I certainly liked that. He picked a Richard Scarry book I used to read to them when they were little guys. It is way too young for them now but they still love it. 

One of the presents Levon got for his birthday was a necklace Jessie and I found at T.J. Maxx. Levon loves to wear bling. 

And as we all know, he loves basketball with all his heart.

Is that a cool necklace or what? 
He also got a basketball hoop for his birthday and I think that's his favorite present. He can practice shooting hoops for hours. 

Mr. Moon seems to be having a fine time. There is snow up in Canada where he is. 

Tomorrow is a full day at home and I plan on doing laundry, getting things tidied up, and making a curried squash, sweet potato, and cashew soup. I am looking forward to all of that. 

I feel the absence of Terry but the thought of her being reunited with her kids, her husband, and her darling granddaughter makes me happy. She promised me she'd be back. We ladies will NOT let four years go by again without getting together. They are all my sisters and my love for them surpasses understanding. 
And of course I miss my own husband but knowing that he's doing something that brings him happiness makes it all worthwhile. And of course, I have Maurice who loves me so much that she will murder for me. 

Who could ask for more than that?

Love...Ms. Moon