But my friends made it fun and easy, thank you!
Today was a day of laughter, almost tears, smiles, photos and goodbyes. It’s really coming together, every day gets a little closer to the day I leave the place I’ve called home for NINETEEN years! I left the day after Mother’s Day 1994 and I’ve been here ever since. I know, I know, you’re saying, it not possible, you’re only 25! Ha ha! Ok, those of you who don’t know me, could think I was 25, so thank you, but I’m happy being 41, besides, I don’t think 25 was great for me, so I’m good here.
I went into the office for our monthly Anniversary/Birthday celebration. It’s a group that you can join at work, we all contribute $15-20 for the year, someone hosts each month and we honor/celebrate all the birthdays and anniversaries with the company. Everyone takes turns hosting, I’ve done it a few times, it’s fun, thinking of themes and getting food and decorating accordingly. I volunteered for May, what? Well, I am leaving at the end of the month and I won’t be here to participate, so I thought, why not? I started stressing last night when I still didn’t have food until I realized what I would get and it worked out perfectly!
I got a cake from Publix, I had them out “Happy May Everything!”, some Neapolitan ice cream and a fruit salad, it was a hit! Who doesn’t like cake and ice cream
We also had our ladies lunch, that was fun, we went to The Rose & Crown Pub, quite tasty and the company was great! We caught up, we laughed, had a good time all around, I’m going to miss those lunches.
After work, I headed to Violette, a lovely French restaurant I had never been to, I enjoyed it immensely. A few weeks ago, CKM asked me about doing something with “the gang” before I left, I said absolutely and what’s the next step? She said nothing, just pick a date! I didn’t have to plan? Awesome, thank you!
She went through and emailed just about everyone who had been on one of my past emails! There was a great crowd, most of my favorite people, not all, it was kind of tough, being in the middle of the week, I’m heading out of town tomorrow, so this weekend was out.
I really appreciate everyone who came out. CTS, I’ve gotten to eat two meals with her in less than a month, I think that was a record. I was so touched she came out, it meant a lot. BG and JT drove together, it was great having them both there! Two of my closest friends, I met JT at BG’s house and CKM at one of JT’s Super Bowl parties, small world! I’ve known BG since 1999, when I started working for Harbinger, when I mentioned Harbinger, DL said she knew it! speaking of…DL and her husband, ML, were there. I’ve only known DL for a little over a year, but we’ve grown quite close and I value her friendship.
RS was there (she goes by B, but I can’t refer to her as BS, which she would probably laugh at, so she’s RS. She looked great I a vintage jacket a friend fond for her and she was giving up watching American Idol for me tonight, I was definitely flattered!
My dear sweet friend, MB came! We don’t get to see each other very often and we worked together about two years ago and she’s one of the few people I am still in contact with from that job and I don’t think it took us five minutes to become fast friends. You know how everyone says we’ll stay in touch…that doesn’t always happen, does it? MB is still with me, just like BG and I know DL will be too. Makes me happy.
SDL and Miss A were there, it would not have been a party without them, color coordinated and all! It’s not going to be easy leaving them. SDL and I will talk, email, send pictures and have a Skype or FaceTime date, when we reconnected all those years ago, it brought or friendship back I know we will never lose that, she’s one of my besties! How am I going to leave my munchkin? Right now, I get to see her just about every other week, sometimes more than others and now, even though FaceTime is great, it’s not in person. I will miss the hugs, the squeezes, the kisses, walking together, see her in person. I know they’ll visit and I’ll visit, but I can’t tickle her tummy to get that great laugh that of her through a piece of technology, as good as it is!
CKM was there, of course! She was so wonderful to set this dinner up and find a place she knew I would love, I’m such a Francophile! She got the best card, it was touching funny and just right, got everyone to sign it and make me laugh. As odd as this might sound, it feels like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz “I think I’m going to miss you most of all!” We talk almost every day, sometimes several times a day. We’ve even spent a few hours together and then talk on the way home! So knew we had so much to talk about! Who are we kidding?
Thank you to CKM for putting this evening together, thank you to my friends who were able to join us and thank you to the friends who wanted to come, but life got in the way, you were there in spirit and if you were wondering what that hysterical laughter and snorting was…yours truly!
I value each and every one of you and I am so honored to say I know you, let alone be lucky enough to call you a friend. Thank you for allowing me to be your friend, my life is truly richer for it.
Peaches Prattlings 