The Golden Girls!

(OK, so it's three golden and one silver...)

From left - Judy (63), Connie(62), me (63), and Patty (61)

Judy and I went all through school together, from first grade through highschool graduation. Her little sis, Patty, was right there with us. Connie came in a little later in our school life, and left before graduation, to graduate in Idaho.

We grew up together in our small town, which was safe and kid-friendly in those days. Only 5 blocks total, separated the three families. So yes, we spent a lot of time together, with a lot of memories attatched. Judy ended up in California soon after graduation , I went north to Washington, Connie stayed in Idaho, and Patty remained in Oregon. Time marched on. Two of us are widows now. Three experienced divorce. Two remarried. We all have grandpunks.

On October 28, we ALL got together for the first time in - well, I hadn't seen Connie for 46 years! Judy's husband managed to sneak me in for her surpise 60th birthday party a few years back, and we hadn't seen each other for about 35 years at that time. Patty lives in Salem, close enough to get in a visit and enjoy her cute little home.

Judy called to let me know her family was gathering in Tillamook for her brother Bob's 80th birthday, and she had found out Connie was going to be in Bay City the same weekend, visiting her mom (who, like my mom, still lives in her same home here in town). So of course we HAD to have a reunion!! Meeting at ArtSpace Cafe here in Bay City for lunch, we shared photos of family, kids, grandkids. We talked for 2 1/2 hours. And could have gone on that much longer.

Wonderful memories flowed - we remembered things like the peanutbutter and honey spread Mrs Mapes, the school cook, made for us to spread on bread. We were all kitchen helpers at one time or another - it hath it's priviledges, like thickly spreading your own bread slices! Mrs. Mapes also introduced us to vinegar taffy and taffy pulling. (Patty had just made some the night before we got together!) Judy's mom generously let us stuff ourselves with her famous doughnuts - Connie says she always made sure she went home from school with Judy on Mom McVay's weekly baking day! Singing songs from the Everly Brothers. Wearing our dads' longsleeved white shirts, tails out and sleeves rolled to elbows, over jeans rolled to the knee (quite the style then, so don't snicker!).

We talked about our lives, the ups and downs, the happiness and heartaches. We talked about perspectives and hopes, travels and adventures. Our "Bucket Lists". And friendship.

Friends you grow up with are always friends of the heart. You don't really change that much. Inside, at least. And that's the part that counts!