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| The sweetest gift from Alice |
What a wild ride it's been the last 10-14 days! Just going back as far as last week, Dave and I were in hyper speed cleaning mode getting the house ready for our housewarming party on Saturday. There were still boxes to unpack, pictures to hang, walls to finish painting, rooms to put together, the backyard to clean and through all of that, we were still both working, Dave is still in school, and a long list of other minutia that sticks it's nose in to be tended to as well. By Friday night I was pooped out and basically set my intention that Saturday would be perfect - those who could come would come, and those who couldn't make it this time would come another time. The house would be great and it didn't matter what didn't get done.
Saturday morning my day started early with last minute errands to pick up flowers from Lisa Pilz at the market, a quick trip to the hardware store and then to the dollar store for balloons. My phone started buzzing with people saying they were coming and bringing friends, while later, another texted saying they drank too much Sangria with their lover through the day and were still too drunk to make it! In any case, our first guest showed up promptly at 11 AM and we had people all day until the last guests left at about 10:45 PM.
What made Saturday so noteworthy is that people showed up to celebrate our new home with us and to tell us how much we mean to them. Every single person who came on Saturday touched me, but there are a few who made a significant impact and think you will agree why. Al and Linda drove from Alameda to see us and celebrate with us. They have been such dear friends through the years and we simply do not see them enough - they made the effort to come to see us. Greg and Heather came with their family and planned the trip to sleep over and go see Mason cook at BerryFest on Sunday. They live a good two hours away as well and it meant the world to us that they finally got to see Mason do a live cooking demo. Not to mention they were also a huge help with dinner and our local friends are in love with all of them! Finally, my friend Alice, who many of you know paid me such a huge compliment years ago when she had been my roommate for 3 or 4 months, she told me, "When I first met you and you were always so positive, I thought, "there's no way that's real" that has to be her office persona. Well, now that I've lived with you, it really is real, you really are that positive and happy all the time!" - that Alice hopped on a plane and flew all the way from Seattle just to come see us and celebrate our house warming with us! SHE GOT ON A PLANE AND LEFT HER 3 YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME TO COME SEE ME ON MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND! How does someone not feel loved to their very core when a friend shows up to say, "I'm so happy for you and want you to know how much you mean to me." WOW! Now this was a big deal, but it was compounded by the other people who showed up after a super long day and really just wanted to stay home and hang out with their family, and the other ones who worked out rides because they can't currently drive at the moment, and the driver who made multiple trips because her car would not hold everyone in a single trip, and the friend who stopped over early to bring more chips and white wine even though she wasn't planning to show up until later...are you getting the message here? I was overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the friend I have been, and the friend I hope I still am.
And then on Sunday, Mother's Day, Mason did two cooking demos at BerryFest and he was showered with accolades that when people were done taking photos with him, they made their way to me to say, "Great job mom!" I just feel so blessed and rich in friendship that I don't think I can ever or will ever snivel about what my bank balance shows, or the thing I don't have. I think I would equate this weekend to what it must feel like to attend one's own funeral after living a life of giving to others, you get to know while still living how loved you really are. I'm just so filled with gratitude, for as long as this post is, the words still don't express the way my heart feels. I hope I can keep being the friend to all of you who came this weekend, and even those of you who couldn't make it the way you made me (and Dave) feel this weekend.
Sunday night, Dave made barbecue crab for dinner as he knows it's my favorite and tonight Mason is making me strawberry funnel cakes. I was just too tired to appreciate it last night. How can I feel anything but pure love? I am loved and it's bliss!
Saturday morning my day started early with last minute errands to pick up flowers from Lisa Pilz at the market, a quick trip to the hardware store and then to the dollar store for balloons. My phone started buzzing with people saying they were coming and bringing friends, while later, another texted saying they drank too much Sangria with their lover through the day and were still too drunk to make it! In any case, our first guest showed up promptly at 11 AM and we had people all day until the last guests left at about 10:45 PM.
What made Saturday so noteworthy is that people showed up to celebrate our new home with us and to tell us how much we mean to them. Every single person who came on Saturday touched me, but there are a few who made a significant impact and think you will agree why. Al and Linda drove from Alameda to see us and celebrate with us. They have been such dear friends through the years and we simply do not see them enough - they made the effort to come to see us. Greg and Heather came with their family and planned the trip to sleep over and go see Mason cook at BerryFest on Sunday. They live a good two hours away as well and it meant the world to us that they finally got to see Mason do a live cooking demo. Not to mention they were also a huge help with dinner and our local friends are in love with all of them! Finally, my friend Alice, who many of you know paid me such a huge compliment years ago when she had been my roommate for 3 or 4 months, she told me, "When I first met you and you were always so positive, I thought, "there's no way that's real" that has to be her office persona. Well, now that I've lived with you, it really is real, you really are that positive and happy all the time!" - that Alice hopped on a plane and flew all the way from Seattle just to come see us and celebrate our house warming with us! SHE GOT ON A PLANE AND LEFT HER 3 YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME TO COME SEE ME ON MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND! How does someone not feel loved to their very core when a friend shows up to say, "I'm so happy for you and want you to know how much you mean to me." WOW! Now this was a big deal, but it was compounded by the other people who showed up after a super long day and really just wanted to stay home and hang out with their family, and the other ones who worked out rides because they can't currently drive at the moment, and the driver who made multiple trips because her car would not hold everyone in a single trip, and the friend who stopped over early to bring more chips and white wine even though she wasn't planning to show up until later...are you getting the message here? I was overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the friend I have been, and the friend I hope I still am.
And then on Sunday, Mother's Day, Mason did two cooking demos at BerryFest and he was showered with accolades that when people were done taking photos with him, they made their way to me to say, "Great job mom!" I just feel so blessed and rich in friendship that I don't think I can ever or will ever snivel about what my bank balance shows, or the thing I don't have. I think I would equate this weekend to what it must feel like to attend one's own funeral after living a life of giving to others, you get to know while still living how loved you really are. I'm just so filled with gratitude, for as long as this post is, the words still don't express the way my heart feels. I hope I can keep being the friend to all of you who came this weekend, and even those of you who couldn't make it the way you made me (and Dave) feel this weekend.
Sunday night, Dave made barbecue crab for dinner as he knows it's my favorite and tonight Mason is making me strawberry funnel cakes. I was just too tired to appreciate it last night. How can I feel anything but pure love? I am loved and it's bliss!
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