Friendship Deep and True

Just a short blog today. I have company, so I have been away from my computer and the Internet quite a bit this week. My friend, Jan, is visiting from South Dakota, and we have not seen each other for twelve years - lots to catch up on.

We have been friends since we were 11 years old, and other than the time I found her kissing the boy I had a huge crush on, we have always been close. Friendships that long and that deep are so special, and we can pick up where we left off as if the years in between just melt away.

Jan is from farm stock, and her parents taught two young teenage girls some of the values of hard work, honesty, frugality, and how to take from nature what nature gives us to eat, and leave the rest alone. The family lived behind the house I grew up in, and it was nothing for me to hop the fence and visit, especially when Jan's mom was making mashed potato donuts.

Perhaps we ought to make some.

Of the many things that Jan and I have had in common, one is a love for cats. I thought I had one or two too many with my four, but she has 16 on her farm - good thing they are barn cats. She does have one that lives in the house, which is something that never happened up until a few years ago. Cats were out in the barn to do a job - keep it free of critters that would get into hay and feed. They did not belong in the house. At least that is what her husband said for many years until he mellowed and said perhaps one or two could come in.

Jan is enjoying my cats a lot during this visit, and Sammy especially loves the attention, as well as the fact that one lady in the house bends a few of the rules about cats near the table.

Sammy likes to come running across the room and leap up on someone. He's not supposed to do that while we are eating, but Jan did not read the rule book and Sammy figured that out right away. I think I may have to re-train my cat when Jan leaves, but that's okay. We are having such a good time, I can ignore this one little indiscretion - from my friend, not the cat. Sammy will just have to get over it when Jan leaves.

Now for some Friday Funnies. This one is from Shoe:

Shoe asks his friend, "So, what did you do yesterday, Cosmo?"

"I took Skyler to the circus."

"Oh, yeah. How was it?"

"Really weird. During their act, two clowns got into an argument. One accused the other of stealing his makeup design… and he threatened to sue. Then the ringmaster yelled, 'I will not have this circus turned into a courtroom."

Hope everyone has a great weekend. And just a reminder that my YA novel, Friends Forever, is still a free read for Kindle and Kindle apps through midnight tonight. If you know a young teen who might like a story about friendships and how they ebb and flow in those Tween years, you might let them know the book is free.