That Lady

so pretty much anyone who has an e-mail account has received one of those poke-your-eyes-out-this-is-so-frigging-sappy-but-send-it-to-everyone-you-know-or-you're-gonna-die e-mails. you know the ones... they're all different topics.... but all the same.


As long as you remember to say hi to your friends every once in a while, that being a mother is tough, be kind to others, pretend that every damn person you meet is Jesus in disguise and say "I love you" to the important folks, cause they or you might die tomorrow.... you should be fine. except, of course, if you don't send the e-mail to everyone you know... cause then Hell's damnation is yours. immediately. Oh... and if you don't believe in Jesus, you're screwed too... just ask all the 'Christians' who are starting these e-mails.

But I digress.


This morning, I was thinking about one of those e-mails that talks about how different people come and go in your life, and how each serves a purpose, and each is important... so pass along or have horrible luck for ever, right?


so I was thinking this morning about my cousin Rachel. Rachie Poo... Snort-Giggle (or was it Giggle-Snort??)... whatever you may or may not know her as.... today is her birthday.


Now Rachel was my best friend from like BIRTH through I'd definitely say middle school. Partners in crime, teamsters against the world (or at least against my older brother and our older cousin) terrors to her little brother and just plain wholesome dorks.

No birthday party was complete without us pairing up, disappearing and breaking SOMETHING. I'd imagine I was more of an instigator than she.... I mean.. it WAS ME, afterall, who blurted out that I knew what a stripper was when we were five, and proceeded to give her a show. and I'll take the blame for convincing her that my parents would never ever ever know if we sipped the bottle of banana liquor in the basement... (who would have known that very night my dad would offer some to company and be pissed that the bottle was already opened??) and frankly... dozens of other things.

The fact remains though... she was my sister by all senses of the word... except she lived in a different house.

Now as we got older, we each made different friends (despite only being 3 1/2 months different in age... she was in an older grade) and sort of drifted a little. There were still shenanigans to be had, though... clubs to go to... brothers to fight with... and she is still one of the only people in the world who know what REALLY happened to me on the hockey field in East Brunswick before a playoff game. Shit like that bonds people... let me tell you!

Now decades have gone by, and I'm sad to say that I don't talk to my Rachie Poo as often as we did as little girls. granted, I don't think I talk to my HUSBAND as much as she and I talked as little girls... but you get the idea.

We both have our own lives now... including husbands and daughters, and all the daily drama that comes with that. I think the last time I actually even TALKED to Rachel was at Rhena's Christening. but despite the time and distance... I still love her, and will never forget the important role she played in my life growing up. what's more... I don't need a stupid e-mail to remind me of this... just her birthday.


So happy Birthday, Rachie.... you're old!!!! hah! (at least for the next three and a half months... then you're back to being the perfect age.....) But seriously--- I love you. always have... always will.

as for you, dear readers..... you should know that if you don't recommend someone to this blog within the next 6 hours, you will have weeks and weeks of bad entries from me, horrible gas pains, financial disaster and an eternity with nothing but dry, boring blogs with bad fonts to read.





today's title brought to you by the Isley Brothers,