They picked me up, we went, and I (subconciously deliberately) left my phone at home. You see, I do it all the time. It ran Capt up the wall when I did. My thinking is...what about the whole time prior to whenever it was that cell phones became mainstream (mid 90's? I don't know...something like that)? People went on entire vacations without phones. Weeks at a time! Mom would go to the grocery store, hours worth of errands and the school couldn't get ahold of her. Nurses had cots in their offices. Granted, I had a mild "what if something happens" moment but then remembered...my kids are all grown. They'll figure it out. #4 had been back and forth with me all day because he was making a pot roast, and needed advice. (that reminds me, I need to call and see how it turned out)
So yeah, The Thing....the venue was someone's house way-er out in the country than mine, and I wasn't sure that was possible. The guest list was small enough to not be intimidating...maybe (let's see...)10 people. 3 in costume (Bubba went as Bubba, his wife was a scarecrow, and the hostess was a Bee...and a very cute one she was). I chose to identify at a 57 year old women. The Bee told me I pulled it off well. Hamburgers were grilled, potato salad and that amazing Rotel/Velveeta Dip consumed, much beer flowed, and Bubba made these things out of Fireball whiskey and Rum-Chata, apparently called Cinnamon Toast Crunch...of which I had more than I should have. Moderation shall be my methodology going into the future.
Anyway, I made a couple of new friends. The Bee wants me to teach her how to make marshmallows when we were discussing cakes and decorating and such, and I said something about making them from scratch. Yep, that's a cooking blog I had for a while, and that is my recipe for marshmallows. Maybe I'll go back to doing it, the blog, that is. I still like to cook.
But the point is, I got out there. I almost called and cancelled. Something stopped me. And I made a new friend. No one "oh poor you"d me about being a widow twice over. They were just "huh, ouch" and moved on. I appreciate that. The fire in the pit was fantastic. Their dachshund was super friendly and seemed to like me. The grilled hamburgers and potato salad were delicious. I really enjoyed myself! Bubba said I seemed to like meeting people, and that's true. I'm not shy at all, and the anxiety of social gatherings is always before, never during. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch drink was delicious and I had too many. I didn't get sloppy, but boy did I have indigestion during the night. Oof. One only, going into the future.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
We need friends, people we can call on to share a good time with, or ask for help, or to whom we can offer help when they need it. I didn't realize how much I need friends until Capt was gone. It's easy to get wrapped up in a relationship, just the 2 of us. But now that it's just me and the dog in this house, I'm recognizing that need. And I am very thankful for the people who include me in their lives.
Remember that song...
Make new friends, but keep the old
One is silver and the other gold
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