My girlfriend D’Anne had a planned visit with us the Friday before last; she was in Florida for work, arrived to our place on Friday afternoon and was scheduled to depart on Monday afternoon, but the Dallas weather had other plans. I think they call it Winter?
I spent a long weekend with her around this time last year in Orlando, before that she and her family were here eight years ago and before that it was eighteen years since our last visit. If you recall, D lost her son Kelly last year; she and I are good at commiserating together about such a huge loss, but we also laugh our biscuits off; it’s a balance.
She is traveling a path that I can’t imagine surviving, but she is doing it with grace, love and humor.
Easy Friendships are the Only Kind I Subscribe to.
I had only scheduled a Comedy Club visit (Linds and her BF joined us) and virtually nothing else while D was here. No worries. She and I have a good time sitting outside, chatting it up by the pool, walking the property with Peanut looking for different varieties of caterpillars, marveling at our Florida birds and orchids; we never run out of things to talk about or laugh about. We’re No Fuss, No Muss.
We did end up visiting the Botanical Garden, (it was very hot, Thanks Florida!) we had lunch at the marina, I took her by the Condo which looks like a scene from Beirut and I let her hop out of the car, go put her feet in the sand at the Beach. (I’ve yet to get a parking sticker on my car, so I didn’t park-also, the water part of the gulf is closed since we have so much damage/crap/bacteria from hurricane Ian)
Another afternoon, I shared with her our favorite Mom & Pop Grocery store and you would have thought I took her across the world on the Concord; she’s easy like Sunday Morning!
Peanut wasn’t complaining about having another Mama all week.
By Wednesday I realized I had let the laundry go. I mean grow.
Granted, our hamper isn’t huge, but still, this is unprecedented! I lost Peanut for a minute and thought I might have to dump the clothes….alas, she was under the bed and the laundry could wait another day because Fun needed to be had.
The Weather in TX finally calmed it’s tit’s and D flew home on Thursday afternoon, but I was so thankful for the extra time together. While D was here, we got to see Linds three times and Lolo once; that’s what I call WINNING!
Friday afternoon our friends Don and Kelly arrived with Peanut’s boyfriend Louie and much fun ensued. It was two and a half days of this:
Mind you, we have a large house and yard, but they like an Up Close And Personal audience for all the shenanigans.
We had a lovely dinner that night at one of our favorite places.
Saturday brought us to a concert/fundraiser for our local Wolf Sanctuary.
And by Sunday afternoon, the three of us were exhausted.
Did you even realize I was MIA?
Do you have friends in your life where they require nothing in the Entertainment Department?
XOXO
Busy Bee Suz 
We never have overnight guests (besides family) so I’m not sure how needy my friends are! But I’d totally hang with you for a few days!
Wolf sanctuary? This needs its own post! And yes, you were missed. But girl, get a bigger hamper!
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I know. The hamper situation needs to be dealt with!
Our wolf sanctuary does so much good work! They take in so many Wolf Dogs or Wolves that people think they can make as pets, and they do not make good pets. If you ever come to SWFL, I’ll take you on a tour. They also have a Florida Panther, some raccoons, foxes, and New Guinea singing dogs. It’s so interesting to see them all. Most are incapable of living in a home and can’t be released or are injured.
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I did notice you were missing! It sounds like it was for a very fun reasons – or several of them. We tried to visit a wolf sanctuary last here while travelling from Canada to Florida but it was closed on the day we passed through. I was so disappointed.
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Was the wolf sanctuary in Florida or Canada?
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the wolf sanctuary was somewhere near Raleigh; Lancaster perhaps?
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Oh!! Cool to know there are more of them around.
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A bigger hamper, or maybe decide you’re creating a work of art and let it grow 😁
As I was reading what you do for your friends, and your question at the end, I see you as someone who meets Eleanor Roosevelt’s description of a friend “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” Even your virtual friendship, your blog, leaves footprints in our hearts. You were missed.
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That may the best compliment I’ve ever received, and I thank you for making my day!! Remember the old adage, Make New Friends, But Keep The old? I love that and it holds true!!
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You are wonderful, and it is well deserved. So there.
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So good you could spend time with time with your bereaved friend.
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No matter how good a time you had, looks like Peanut had an even better time! Poor exhausted puppy!
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I’m that friend. And I have those friends.
Time together is the First Priority. Where we spend it is unimportant.
Apparently, Peanut feels the same way.
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I would have guessed that You were also that type of friend; they’re the best!
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Of course you were missed, but I knew there’d be a great story when you returned. The visit with D sounds lovely and refreshing. How fun. Followed by another fun visit? Just what February needed. I’m dying at the picutre of Peanut. We’ve all felt like that.
I have friends like that, too. Just pick up where you left off. Enjoy getting caught up and laughing. My Dallas friends who I used to babysit for come to mind. Maybe it’s a Dallas thing?
I took 8 tots to the zoo on Monday (insert image of Peanut here, and then you know how I felt afterwards). At the wolf enclosure, a wolf walked right up to the fence – so rare. I was like YOU GUYS, LOOK! The kids were like, DOGGIE. Um, not exactly. 😉
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Those are the best types of friends; you can pick up any time, and there is never any obligation or drama.
EIGHT toddlers at the zoo? Are you ok? Nevermind, I know the answer…
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I have a couple of questions. I hope you’ll indulge my curiosity.
1. Is it easy to reattach your biscuits once they’ve been laughed off?
2. Is it better to be easy like a Sunday morning or, instead, a brick house – mighty-mighty, just lettin’ it all hang out?
Like Bijoux, the only overnight guests I ever see are family. And yes, they can be pretty needy, come to think of it…
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1) Sadly, the biscuits grow back at an alarming rate.
2) Brick House on Saturday. Easy on Sunday morning. 😉
Not sure how we’ve managed, but we don’t have needy family or friends. Perhaps they’ve already been weeded out at this point.
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I did notice you were missing! I’m glad to hear you had a good time with your friends. You are fortunate to have each other.
I am also a low-maintenance friend/guest, so I believe I would fit in nicely if I came to visit. To be honest, I enjoy those kinds of visits. It’s satisfying to simply spend time together and talk. ❤️
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It was a great time.
You are welcome to come sit on the lanai with me and shoot the shit anytime; let me know and I’ll chill the wine.
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That sounds so wonderful. I will take you up on that sometime. ❤️
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Those types of friends are rare and precious. Time spent with friends like that are WAY more important than laundry. Peanut looks in absolute heaven in that picture with your friend.
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You are so right; housework will always be there, but your friends visiting doesn’t happen every day. Peanut loves a good massage. (me too!)
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Good friends are good for the soul. But so are good biscuits, so be careful with those.
Love little Peanut. Wonder if the heart of a wolf lies inside that little body…
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She has moments where I wonder if Cujo isn’t living inside her! HAHA
Maybe that’s why my soul is always at ease; it’s all my lovely friends.
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Well, that sounds very lovely! I have a couple of friends who are like that and they are absolute gold!
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Golden gems!!
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I did realize you were MIA but I don’t blame you because you were having too much fun! That Wolf Sanctuary sounds amazing! Can you believe I once had an overflowing hamper, sorted it all out to wash and then had it overflowing again before I actually did the wash! That was when I worked full time and had teenagers at home! What fun!!!!
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I remember the days of constant hamper unloading only to have it fill up so quickly. Much easier with only two humans, but still work.
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Yes! In order to be defined as a friend in my world, you must be easily amused and require no entertainment…amongst other things.
Glad you got to enjoy extra time with your friend, Suz.
My Barbados buddy had to fly home early today due to a family medical emergency and she wouldn’t hear of me flying home with her…I tried, but lost that battle. So my last week here will be sans friend…although she promised to keep me up to date with the situation she has to deal with. We both joked we will probably talk more via text than we would if we were still sharing the same hotel room…we both love to read, you see…and require no entertainment 😉.
Deb
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The very best friends never require entertainment. I’m glad you got to spend time together!
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I wish I did have relaxed friends but most are busy, busy extroverts who don’t groove on my mellow, mellow introvertedness. Not saying I’m jealous of you, but you are fortunate.
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Most of our friends are pretty chill, which I my personal choice most of the time too.
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Oh, how wonderful to have good friends! My childhood bestie is like that — you don’t need any plans, just a bottle of wine and a nice place to sit and chat. I miss her.
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