Today I'm bringing Jessie a home-cooked meal (Vegetable Beef Soup) for us to enjoy after she gets off of work. At 9:30 this morning, I went down to Mike's Meats and got eight pounds of beef bones. Jose quartered them for me to make it easier to handle, roast, cook, and extract the delicious nutrients from. You can see what I did with all those bones here. This post is about friendship, three friendships. While cooking this soup for Jessie, I couldn't resist the poetry of seeing an ancient recipe (tell me what's older than meat and vegetable soup) as a symbol of our very long journey as friends.
 Isis (left) and I on our first day of school at Homestead Elementary. | Actually, this picture (left) was taken on the exact same day we met. Despite the calm and confident swagger that is projected in this picture (check out those overall shorts), I recall a very turbulent first day of fourth grade. The moment that Mrs. Bradley directed her students to get ready to write, I was horrified by the fact that I forgot my pencils, binder, and lunch (I think I was distracted by my awesome pants). Scolded for not being prepared, I was relieved when Jessie let me borrow a pencil and later asked me to play with her on the playground at lunch.  |
In those early days we would write letters back and forth to each other (sending them in the mail). They read with the hilarity and sometimes, heavy drama of growing up, and I'm glad that I still have a few.
| What I couldn't possibly tell was that I was getting a package deal with Jessie. I was lucky enough to become close friends with her two amazing sisters. We girls grew and grew. We grew together and apart too many times to count. Somehow, by some magnetic pull, we never lost our bond. |  Poker and peppermint "cigars" sleep over. We were pretty BA. |
A Short History of Friendship
Just like a good home-made meal, the more time and love you put into a thing, the richer and more nutrituous it becomes.
We are some damn lucky women to have each other, have this history.
And now, Laura, you're getting married to your best friend.
We are some damn lucky women to have each other, have this history.
And now, Laura, you're getting married to your best friend.
