A Day Spent With A Friend

From 5/27/2007
Yesterday, I spent the day with one of my dear friends. We went on our traditional trek to a small Oregon community up in the mountains, where they hold a huge flea market on Memorial Day weekend, the 4th of July, and Labor Day weekend. This entire community (probably only a population of 100) fills up with vendors and shoppers. The streets and empty lots/fields are packed. This year was particularly great! In fact, over all the years I've been traveling up there, I've never seen so many booths and tents. The day was beautiful! I even got a bit sunburned.

The time with my friend was well spent. Yesterday, during the 1 1/2 hour drive there, I noticed she was quite jabbery -- which is usually my role! I, on the other hand, was a bit more quiet. I think I was just enjoying the beauty of the outdoors, the pine trees, the lakes and rivers, and the music I had playing on my MP3 player. At some points I actually wanted to shhhhush her jabbering (you can tell we've been friends for a long time because some of the politeness has faded!), but I didn't.

The two of us are pretty opposite in our tastes. But we know each other well. As we shopped, she knew that I always stopped to look at homemade jewelry, hippie/bohemian type stuff, art/home decor, and antiques; I knew that she would stop to look at tools, old musical instruments, sunglasses, and to buy kettle corn.

We have been friends for a long time. She is a good "always there, good ol' standby" kind of friend. I know that the "good ol' standby" kind of label doesn't sound very complimentary, but it IS in the sense that she's a stable friend. There are times that I prefer to spend time with other friends who are more exciting, more spontaneous, more "hip". But I always know that she will be there when I need someone of maturity, stability, and a listening ear. And I know that I take her for granted way too often!

1 Comment: Hey Buffy. :0) Sounds like you had a great weekend. My best friend in Alaska should have had her baby the last couple of weeks, I haven't heard from her yet. She's my best friend. I've known her for 20 years, and it doesn't seem to matter how much time goes by, we always pick up where we left off. I love that kind of comfort with another person. (Celia)