Friends

Posted Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 12:00 AM

In this age of 50 something, I've come to appreciate the importance of friends, as I guess so many our age have. They celebrated with us the best of times and brought us through the worst of times. Through bad choices in men and good choices in wine, from tips on haircolor to vacation spots and burial plots, from cracked heel prevention products to solutions for mildew, we have called upon a friend.

I'd like to think that I've been called upon as a friend more often than I have been the caller. It's much more rewarding to be a friend than to need one, I've learned through experience, and important also to realize that to "overuse" a good friend is to chance losing that friendship. Don't call a friend about a choice in nail color when you know that time is not at her disposal. But, be at her disposal if her only "little black dress" is found to have shrunk two sizes over the winter months. They do that, you know.

I've learned to be at a friend's side through thick and thin. Literally, that translates being there through sizes six through 18. I know.

Friendship means having one show up at one's doorstep at midnight in need of a shoulder to cry on or a slap of reality. Been there too. I've needed and I've granted.

And when times are good, as most often they are these days, aren't friends just the most wonderful asset in life? Never knew breakfast out could be such fun till I experienced it with a bunch of women on a Saturday morning with coffee cups and saucers clanging in a café's kitchen that's way too close to the tables. And certainly never knew breakfast could last till brunch. Been there as well.

Just fun they are, these late life friends. Blessings indeed and blessed indeed.

Minnie o'

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Girl, I think I can catch your blog as soon as it hits the press!!

So true about friends! When I was younger, I had no idea just how important they would be later in life. No matter where you move or how many years it's been since you've seen them, the really good friends are there with you for life!

Good friends are the balm that takes the sting out of life's setbacks!

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Aug 1, 2007, at 7:04 AM
Truer words were never spoken. Friends are truly a blessing. Long ago I read that a woman should concentrate on making really good girlfriends because they are the ones who will sustain her through all of life's trials. A spouse can come or go, but girlfriends are always there. Experience has shown me this is true. Of course, I am lucky to have a sister who's my best friend. I can also include a few male friends who surpass the gender boundary in the girlfriend category. Thank God for friends.

-- Posted by Ducky on Thu, Aug 2, 2007, at 12:36 PM
But really that "bunch" of friends gathered around the tables might not be the closest of "friends", but rather just acquaintances. I consider my dearest friends to be the "chosen" ones because they are limited perhaps to a small handful in number. They are the ones who don't even understand the concept of being overused. That elite group doesn't care about the wrinkles covered with Preperation H or the size of your clothes. They are "chosen" for the best of reasons. They are the blessed....and I know what I'm talking about, right Minnie o'?

-- Posted by gawker on Thu, Aug 2, 2007, at 9:11 PM

Minne O'Pausal's response:
Well said, oh gawking one and welcome! I especially love the "no concept of being overused" thought...and yes, you DO know much of which you "speak," be it ever so "cyber."

minnie o'
Wow, gawker - first time I've seen your moniker on the blogs, but you've obviously been keeping up if you know about Preparation H as a facial creme!!

I know I've read studies about how girlfriends lengthen your life significantly. And I see why! Who else would know about chapel veils, and duck tail haircuts, and plastering your face with spackle??

Girlfriends are like a world-wide system of sisters!

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Aug 2, 2007, at 9:43 PM
Amen, gt...

You can take my Ben and Jerry's and even my Skinny Cows and hormones (although you'd regret it), but don't take my friends!

-- Posted by Noreenmhyslop on Thu, Aug 2, 2007, at 9:53 PM
Those hormones..........the internal radiator. The "chosen ones" immediately understand sudden changes in their dearest friends like the flushing neck, the rosy red cheeks, the dripping brow......and so kindly offer a make-shift paper as a fan without even asking. They are the precious ones!!

-- Posted by gawker on Thu, Aug 2, 2007, at 11:45 PM
I don't miss the hot flashes, among other things..

-- Posted by goat lady on Fri, Aug 3, 2007, at 10:04 PM
I love this blog. I think of y'all as my older,dear cyber pals.

I know that our places in life are really different,but I feel like you have already been where I am now,and you can relate.My mom says" I've been young little girl,but you've never been old,so listen to me"!

I hope when I am at your stage of life they have a cure for hot flashes,like they work on one for erectile dysfunction.

Meet Bob's(from the commercial) wife Sweatty Betty!

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Sat, Aug 4, 2007, at 4:54 PM
Your mother sounds like a Very Wise Woman. You definitely need to listen to her!

Too bad about the hot flashes, now that we can't take estrogen. What are they giving you younger girls (Minnie and etc.) to keep you cool?? Cold showers? Baths in red jello?

As you can tell, I've already gone through the hot flashes and come out on the other side. Big improvement. Not easy to teach junior high students in the middle of a hot flash..

-- Posted by goat lady on Sat, Aug 4, 2007, at 8:33 PM
Don't think of them as "Hot Flashes". Think of them as your inner child playing with matches.

If it weren't for my family I could sell my furnace at a garage sale.

Blog on ---- I love you guys.

-- Posted by Ducky on Sun, Aug 5, 2007, at 7:35 PM
Hahahaha!! I can just SEE my "inner child" playing with matches!!

Hey, girls.....good blog idea -- "What to do when your inner child takes over.." No, that's not it -- "Games my inner child plays..." No..how about "Disciplining your inner child..."

Mmmmm...gotta be an angle there...

Maybe Minnie can think of something when she comes back from the beach, all tanned and ointmented up...

-- Posted by goat lady on Sun, Aug 5, 2007, at 9:34 PM
When she comes back??? Oh Goat person, think of the opportunity! The honors...the experience...the money!!! The NEW BLOG!!! Let's see...the GOAT LADY/CAKE BLOG...the DUCKY, CAKE LADY BLOG...naaa let's just name it CAKE!!! Now - how to subliminally get the publisher to "make a little mistake" and send the check to Cake O'Pausal...

let's hear it...cake, cake, cake, cake...

-- Posted by letseatcake633 on Mon, Aug 6, 2007, at 7:57 AM
Just keep trying cake lady. Sounds good to me. I'd give you half of anything they paid me. Hahahahaha.

-- Posted by Ducky on Mon, Aug 6, 2007, at 12:01 PM
Never fear, Ducky, I'm counting on you and Goat Lady to head up the pet department at the new Minnie Mart...I'm sure we will all be on the payroll soon.

-- Posted by letseatcake633 on Mon, Aug 6, 2007, at 1:25 PM
Cake, cake, cake, cake.... Let's hear it girls! We have found a new leader of impeccable qualities, just like our dearly beloved Minnie O' Pausal!

Clones to the bone!!

Yes, indeedy do, Cake, I shall be glad to take a turn in the pet department of the new Minnie Mart! I shall do background checks on all purchasers of each precious animal -- from the orangutangs to the smallest fish!

If they've had even so much as an overdue library book, I shall never let them purchase one of our dear animals!

Wait a minute....I myself have several overdue library books....Mmmm... Better rethink this and get back to you later!

-- Posted by goat lady on Mon, Aug 6, 2007, at 6:14 PM

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