Life Moving Forward

It's been over six months since I've posted. I suppose in the blogosphere, fortymama is toast. But I've been feeling like picking it up again, so here I am. It's completely overwhelming to consider recounting everything  since July, and that also seems really boring, but allow me one look back.

I can't move forward without a nod to my sweet, sweet Palo. My first baby.  I love this picture. It intimately shows the tenderness and trust he was capable of. Traits that German Shepherds are known for with their families. But he wasn't perfect by any means. He was unpredictable around other dogs, and sometimes he scared people (although at times that came in handy). But he came through on the most important task of all: being trustworthy with our children. He survived twin toddlers without ever snapping, always just slowly rising on those aching joints and walking away when he was fed up with yet another pink sunhat.

This sensitive dog named after Pablo Neruda left this world on December 3rd. It's still hard to believe, he's been in my life for so long. His ashes are still at the vet. Yes, I've been procrastinating picking them up. But it's time. Time to hold them, honor him, then let them fly into the sea air.

Safeway...aaaargh!

C'mon, I spent eight bucks. Do I really need all this paper?

My First Best Friend

This week I received a Facebook 'friend' request from a girl who was my absolute bestest friend in grade school. Her initial message was really an inquiry....asking my maiden name, did I go to St. B's, etc... I was so excited to hear from her that I immediately responded with a lengthy, two paragraph email, giving her the highlights of my life. (As if you can do that in two paragraphs and email emoticons.)

We enjoyed years of young girl best friendness: sleep overs, passing notes, prank calls, imitating Ann & Nancy Wilson (you know, the band Heart), Disco roller skating, swooning over the Bay City Rollers and writing screenplays with 70s celebs like John Travolta and Leif Garrett. As we grew older, our friendship was occasionally challenged: she made out with a guy I had a crush on for over a year, but it turned out OK since I got together with a guy I had a crush on during the years before that. (Ahem, small school, you couldn't be too choosy)

We broke off our friendship in ninth grade, she stayed on the straight and narrow and I became a party girl (not necessarily a good thing). When I think back now to our last fight, I can't even remember the details of what happened. I only remember her pain, yelling how much she had trusted me, and my adolescent way of shrugging it off while dying inside. I almost want to ask her what she remembers...but I'm chicken, since I was probably a total jerk.

We'll see what happens, she's already responded back to me,and I know I'll send her at least another paragraph or two. It's refreshing to actually get a meaningful email from someone on Facebook. And who knows? Maybe I'll even get the courage to ask her why we broke up, and maybe I'll share it, maybe not. ;-)