A friend in 'Deed'

What is a true friend?  There a many definitions, by many different people.  Some say a friend is always there when you need them.  Others would say a friend listens when you really need to vent.  Then there's the friend that tells you like it is, when you need to hear it, even if you don't want to hear it. 

I have lots of different kinds of friends, and it's really special knowing that because I can call on a different friend for a different reason.  It allows me respect the best in my friends, and not expect something of them that I know (or suspect) they're not willing to give.   I like friends that have those same considerate (some would say low) expectations of me. 

There are really two ways of looking at your friends.  You can expect everything of them, and wear them out like a pair of  favorite socks that are always the first ones you pull out of the drawer, wear them around the house, even sneak outside with just them on, inconsiderate of the damage you're doing to them.  Or, you can pull them out for both regular and special occasions, not every day, so as to not wear them out, but knowing the smile they bring to your face whenever you see them is that special smile just for those socks.  Yah, you're thinking, okay, is she talking about socks now or friends?

I think that's all I have to say, except this- I had a friend stop by unannounced today.  Well, kind of unannouced.  She told me a earlier this week she'd have a surprise for me in a couple of days, but I didn't know how it would be delivered, or when.  And the big deal is, this is a friend who just doesn't stop by unannounced.  Some people are uncomfortable with that, and they just don't do it, even if they've been told 'stop by', as I have done with this friend several times.  So I was a little surprised when I opened the door and it was her.  And she was bearing a surprise in her hand, thoughtful, cutely packaged, just for me.  Even in the midst of this crud I've been fighting for over 5 weeks, it cheered me up as you can't even imagine.  So I think our friendship has grown, with the whole showing up at the door thing, and I like it.

And I hope that friend likes reading this post, especially when she finds out that the reason it took me so long to get to the door after the 4th time (or was it 5th) she'd knocked was because I was sitting on my feet at the computer playing the 'What Drives Edward' contest at the Volvo website - trying for about the 15th time to wind my way through the red-hooded Italian crowd to save Edward.  When I tried to get up, my left foot was so asleep that I couldn't step on it- I tried and just about sprained it...so I had to crawl to the living room on all fours....(yah, like a DOG!') and then carefully stand up and act normal when I opened the door.

"It is better to be in chains with friends , than to be in a garden with strangers."

-Persian Proverb

Shelby's presentation on Hungary

I'm glad that's over!

Shelby's fourth grade class all did presentations on a country that part of their family heritage is from.  Yesterday was her turn so I went in and took a couple of pictures.  She said she was nervous but she seemed very calm about it!  She even answered a few questions of the teacher and class.  The most interesting part of the presentation was when she talked about how her great-grandfather, John Heineck stowed away on a ship coming to America.  He never went through Ellis Island so he was technically here illegally, but it's thanks to him that the rest of us have grown up as free Americans.

Halloween 2009

Out trick or treating downtown Lebanon...it was a big crowd and it poured part of the time...but luckily we were mostly under awnings during the rain.  Here's our favorite stop...Bi-Rite...Mark makes a perfect Frankenstein and Kathy his perfect bride!