Hey It's Good to Be Back Home Again

It is so good to be with people who know you so well and love you anyway. Good friendships are like an old pair of fuzzy slippers – the kind that are broken in and have grooves to fit every toe, the shape of your insole and the curve of your heel. Just yours – the fit wouldn’t be right for anyone else.
When we got to WV I saw my friend Jeanette for a brief moment while we dropped off girls and luggage. In just those few moments there were exchanges that have crossed the divides of time and miles to let me know that we know each other. After that it was on to my friend, Carol’s house. It is so good to see her – my big sister, confidant and cheerleader. Her family is our family. We have celebrated many a Christmas, Easter, birthday, backyard BBQ, etc. in her home. We belong there. Going to Carol’s house is like coming home.
We spent this evening with the Dimwhits! That isn’t their real name, but it will suffice for this telling otherwise they will disown us forever, abandon the internet for a hippie commune, never to be seen again for fear that after what I am about to tell you, you will ALL want to meet them. This family is a Bohemian bundle of chaos, love and laughter. Picture the father, barefooted with long hair sitting at the dinner table sipping at a glass of wine while reading food for thought from a “food quotes” book his wife chose as a gift for him one year. The wife is making a spinach and feta omelet for her friend who abandoned her a year ago for the glory that is Texas. Someone threw a goldfish at my chin, and someone else made me laugh until water nearly came out of my nose. The youngest son and I had a lot of catching up to do as he informed me that in 10 years he will be 18. We had an agreement a few years ago that he would never get any older than six, and he likes to rub it in. The oldest son is showing pictures he had taken at a “Hollywood” themed party with a friend who dressed as Marilyn Monroe to his Arthur Miller. We also attempted to assess whether the girl who was riding in the same vehicle (a newly acquired hearse that he is ever so proud of!) with him to the spring formal that is coming up is officially a “date” and I think it boiled down to whether or not he buys said girl flowers of any sort. The middle son and Kullen were in and out of the house in the cool West Virginia evening air. There are puppy dogs – one pug and one Springer Spaniel, kitty cats including Bernie the most uncoordinated un-Siamese cat you have ever met, and a rat. I didn’t do a complete survey but I am sure there are more new animals acquired since I last visited hiding in other various places. Their oldest, a daughter will be coming home from college next week for a long visit. They are all pretty excited about that. The oldest son locked Kendra in the back of the hearse when he was showing it to her, the youngest ones got the dogs all riled up and ran through the house. During all the chaos, dad never missed a beat and kept reading us witty and insightful quotes from his book. Meanwhile, I was eating the best omelet I have ever eaten in my entire life, and wondering how I make do without such friends as these in Texas. I am not going to waste my time worrying about that just now – there is plenty of time to be lonely for them later. But even while I am enjoying them, I miss them so darn much!