This is my friend Debbie. She was my friend since I was 8. Last September she found out she had lung cancer. In December she moved to Atlanta to live with her sister who is a nurse, so she could care for her. She passed away two days after my birthday. They flew her home and we celebrated her life. A line at her wake had people waiting two hours to say their goodbyes, but everyone made the wait. A repast meal that lasted from 11:30am to 2:30am gave her a send off she must have been very happy to see.

Debbie was an extrovert with a warm soul and caring nature. She never shied away from telling people the way it was. She was always there for you when you needed her. She lived life with gusto and laughter was never at a minimum.

Last year a group of us attended a tricky tray together, it was to raise funds for a local senior center. There was one basket that had the ugliest vinyl outdoor table cloth with large Yellow orange and brown flowers in a pattern that was a throw back to the 70’s (the kind that zips down one side to fit snug around the umbrella) and candle rings made with similar plastic flowers. My friend Barbara dared Debbie to put one ticket in… much to her dismay, and many laughs, she won it.

She wore it. She unzipped it and wore it like a skirt and I am not gonna mention the various places she tried out the candle holders. They ended up Princess Lea style in her hair. LOL you more than likely had to be there but those of us that were, were hysterical.

Last Thursday a group of us went again. And in honor of Debbie’s memory we each put a ticket in the basket we thought was the ugliest. When we all sat down at the table we realized we all chose the same item LOL We bid on a fiber optic velvet poinsettia decoration. *blink* when it came up we all held our breaths and listened as the number of the winning ticket was read. And exhaled with peels of laughter as Barbara won it…total paybacks from beyond!

It will be hard to say she will be missed because she will always be present in our hearts.

May love and laughter fill your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all lifes passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours.

Off to blow out my candles!!

HUGS

Mo

Last night was the annual Laughs for Ladies Tricky Tray fund raiser for our Church and school. I went with a group of friends, and purchased tickets for chances to win various donations. I have several brain cells that are still trying to recover due to a bartender who decided a friend and I would be his guinea pigs and keep sampling his Chocolate Martinis until he got them right *blink*

Eric O'Shea was the comedian who had to stand before 500 women and a Priest and tell jokes. Brave man! It felt good to have a night out with the gals and to laugh. It felt really good to laugh, I really need it!

I also won a signed copy of Mary Higgins Clark's I Heard That Song Before. I was psyched. I enjoy her books and this one is set in NJ and yes it was a ladies night out so I should be thrilled I won something for me! but I was more dispointed I didn't win the American Girl Doll, Julie or the Basket full of Webkinz for my daughter, Or the digital camera and ipod speakers for my sons or the basket of Black and Decker tools for my hubby.

Yes, it was ladies night but most of my tickets went into items for my family the people I was taking the night off from. LOL Go Figure!