My soul is a little smaller today. I lost a piece of it in a train derailment in Montana.
When you have Best Friends it is like your soul grows. They accept and deal with all your good and annoying peccadillos. But do understand that they will still talk behind your back about those traits. You may even end up with nicknames - I am "No Filter Katie" (OK, Yes I also need to listen better, stop doing the squirrel thing and interrupting, stop wandering off and I am sure there are more but I want to end this parenthaesis with some dignity left.) Paula is obviously 'Pushy Paula". Mimi is "Worrying Mother Mimi". Judy always has her hilarious "Embarassing Stories" to tell. "Gardener Marcia" was always picking up dead, stinky things for her class or some other project. What makes them Best Friends is that with all our flaws they are still there to unconditionally love and support you. I believe that their love and support builds our souls.
Margie definitely inherited her mom's Home Ec skills - she was always impressing us with bread and beautiful handmade things. One Riverhouse weekend, she tried to teach us how to crochet - it was hilarious - I think only "Determined Maria" finished a project. Left-handed Paula never got pass the cussing stage, I probably got distracted by something else, Marcia probably drove her truck to Folkston to get some dirt, and Mimi got back to reading the book she brought.
Did you know that during the peak of the CoVid lockdown Margie bought a CASE of 5 pound bread flour. I know - I got a few of her yummy loaves - who else? I predict that there are many relatives or friends that probably got a Margie-made quilt for their baby. I also know that after our Kenya trip she sent a bunch of quilts to an AIDS orphanage in Kenya.
Our group will really miss losing a good travel partner- besides the yearly Riverhouse and Lake Hartwell weekends - we really did a lot of traveling together - some with our group and sometimes just Margie and I. China, Egypt, Bali, Africa, Iceland, Sapalo Island, a National Park Tour, along with a few road trips to TX, NM and upperstate New York. A few of the travel photos are linked in my Flickr account here....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/katiea48/albums/72157719923062797/with/51719228387/
Margie was truly spiritual which helps me accept her taking a piece of my soul with her. All her other family and friends that have lost a piece of their soul please be aware that she will make bread to feed them and quilts to keep them cozy.
