Time Flies...47º

Summers in Joseph are always short...Winter hangs on for a very long time, making spring almost non existent and fall seems to arrive anytime after August 1st...This leaves us with a "July Summer," plus a few more day, if we are lucky...I was looking forward to this July for a couple of reasons...Yes I love summer and my friend Pat was coming for a 3 week visit in July, since they have moved back to Maryland full time.

Our friends Pat and Brian have lived in Joseph for about 8 years, going back to their home in Maryland/Florida for the harsh winter months...We met while volunteering at Mule Days...Pat and I have developed a friendship that some people never experience...We were billed as "Two Peas in a Pod," or "The Bobbsey Twins," and usually where you saw one of us the other one was close by...We were alike in many ways, about the same height, same age and same values and we each have one grandchild...We often had the same thoughts and finished each other sentences, sometimes it was spooky!..Different in other ways, I grew up on a farm in McCall, Idaho, she grew up in Hood River, OR, where her family owned a pear orchard...She graduated from college, accepted a job with the CIA, lived in Washington DC, then in Germany for two years, moved back to the US and didn't get married until she was in her 30's and has one son...I on the other hand, graduate from beauty school, never really worked in that occupation, got married and had two kids by the age of 23 and had only traveled in two states...Now many years later we "bonded."

Our friendship is easy, relaxed, we have other friends that we add to the mix, but for the most part, for 8 years we were happy with each other, going to yard sales, local events, book group, write people, whatever was happening in our county...We did some trips, overnighters, doctors appointments, out to lunch, mocha's at Arrowhead Chocolates, walked miles and miles in sunshine/rain/wind...Laughter was always at the forefront of everything we did...Laughter, as in doubled over "belly laughs," giggles moving into hysterics, or just a glimmer of a smile, as we shared a secret.

Over the last year or so, we realized that this was all going to change...We didn't talk about it much, didn't want to say it out loud, maybe it wouldn't really happen...But it did...Pat and Brian now live in Maryland, coming back to Joseph and their cabin at Wallowa Lake for a few weeks each year...Pat and I are moving on, adjusting to our new lives on opposite sides of the US, stay in touch daily on FB and are forever thankful for the years we had and the friendship that continues in a different way.

We had a great time the past 3 weeks, much of it was spent in quiet places, lakeside, at the park, talking, laughing, hugs and it included mocha's, ice-cream and wine...Hugs dear friend...OWAV:)