Happy St. Patrick's Day

I've been too lazy or busy or something to write anything lately. It has been a nice few days though in regards to getting to talk with people I don't ordinarily talk to - a couple that I haven't seen for over 40 years.

I have done a few searches for my friends from our freshman year at Troy over the years. Only problem is, I wasn't sure who they married, and it's hard to find someone just looking up Elaine and Beanie. Somehow I found them by remembering a sister's name, so we're just beginning to catch up. One has a daughter's wedding in April, so I don't expect to hear anything out of her for a bit.

I got to visit with my cousin Debby last week. She's the urchin on the front row in the picture. She's better behaved now - but not much. We still laugh at the same things and can tell each other exactly what's on our minds. Her mom, my Aunt Betty, died last fall, and we went to take some spring flowers out to Greenwood Cemetery. I have some pictures of that beautiful afternoon once I get enough energy to find my camera.

I then, through my other cousin Bobby, got reconnected with maybe a step-cousin, Teresa. Her dad married my aunt, so I guess that's a step-cousin. We spent some time together growing up, but I got to know her better my last year of high school when we rode to school together. She's living in Wyoming, and it's so good to chat with her. We're going to try to find time to get together for a bit in May when she comes to Andalusia.

And another old friend called me last weekend. Karen was, I guess, my first real friend. We found each other again about 5 years ago after going our separate ways after high school. She visited me in Greensboro and Columbus, and we took a fun road trip from Columbus to New York where she lives a few years ago. She's promised her red guest house to us if we need a place to live when we retire. Summers only for me though. I don't want to get involved in plowing my way through snow to get to the grocery store.

More about all these good people later. I have to get to work now.