Girlfriends are Forever

I Love my Girlfriends and NO not in a Katy Perry "Cherry Chapstik" kind of way. More like a James Taylor "You've Got A Friend" or Dionne Warwick "That's What Friends Are For" way.
I just had a vision of Dionne Warwick sitting around with all her Girlfriends smoking a big fat joint and drinking too much champagne quoting the lyrics to this song. "You know what Whitney, In good times and bad times I'll be on your side! No really I will." Tee hee hee! What, don't you remember when Dionne got caught with marijuana at the airport. Bahhaha, oh my A.D.D. childish mind sometimes. Focus!

Ready to Roll back in the day!

Where would we be in life without our Friends? From the first friends we made at Sunday school or preschool to the friends we made in high school, college or even at work. Friends play a crucial role in my mental well-being.  All the cliches are true when you have wonderful friends in your life.
Friends Love you in spite of your flaws. (Check )
Good Friends are like stars, you don't always see them but they are always there. (Sniff, sniff)
A friend believes in you, when you cease to believe in yourself. (Pass me the tissues Tito!)
They say diamonds are a girls best friend but will your diamonds wipe your tears when you cry? Or will your diamonds offer to dig a hole to bury that SOB in? No and that's why diamonds are not a girls best friend and girlfriends are forever!

Wow, I just don't understand how the perm could go out of style!

I have wicked friends and not like wicked mean, although I guess some of them can be, but wicked cool. The group isn't that large but boy are they a diverse bunch. They are nurses, dental hygienists, entrepreneurs, fashion gurus, librarians, philanthropist, massage therapists, pole dancers, (okay not professionally) teachers, bus drivers, writers, artists, real estate agents, hairstylist, business women and stay at home moms. Each friend fulfills a different need in me. With their unique personality they bring something special to my life. I've got my shopping friends, my holiday friends, my brutally honest friends, my bring out my wild & crazy side friends, my make me immature friends, my oh so serious friends, my revenge friends, my misery loves company friends, my anything you need and I am there friends and my good old known ya forever friends. I have awesome woman in my life.

We look like we have the same haircut.

How is it that a good friend may not see you for months or years but knows exactly when you need that surprise phone call or spontaneous visit. These are my friends. When I think about my friends and friendships there have been times that friends have come and gone in my life.  I think sometimes friends are like the "Littlest Hobo" they come into your life and make a difference and then they move on.

Can you guess what year it is by the hair?
1989

I've had friends I met when I was just a small child and I thought we would be best friends forever. It is amazing to me that you can be friends with someone for 30+ years and then the harshness of life takes you in different directions.  I had a friend whom I love dearly and saw that her life was making her literally sick. No matter what test she had at her doctors they couldn't find what was making her sick. I had my own therory and told her what I thought it was and tried to help change it. Looking back on it maybe I shouldn't have said anything and just told her what she wanted to hear. Unfortunately that was never the way it was in our friendship, we always told each other the truth whether the other one wanted to hear it or not. The truth, I guess she couldn't handle the truth! It really is too bad. We met at Sunday school when we were 4, lived together for many years, worked together, shared clothes, cars and money. We held each others hair when we were sick after drinking too much, and now the friendship is over. It truly is sad, I love her and hope she is living a very happy life. Okay your right, it can't be that great since I am not in it!

Oh speaking of friendships that are over that makes me think of another situation where a "friend" suspected that her husband was having an affair.  She asked me if I had heard anything about it, we lived in a town of 350 people I think everyone had heard something about it. Being a good friend, I told her that yes I had heard the rumors but had not seen anything with my own eyes. She proceeded to confront the other woman whom denied it and then her husband whom confirmed it! Somehow in all of this I ended up being the bad guy! I always thought as a friend, if your girlfriend asks you something like that you must be honest with her. WRONG! Obviously this person really wasn't my friend but I sure learnt some good lessons like don't get involved and I haven't heard a thing.



Flowers & Lace!?!

I actually have some friendships that have worked out! I have a friend that came into my life in high school and saved me. She is beautiful, smart, witty, talented and funny as hell.  She made me feel for the first time like I was okay. She brought me out of my shell.  She is the only person I confided in about my messed up family and she made me laugh about it when I just wanted to run away and hide. I loved how dramatic we were and that we had all these alter egos that we could live vicariously through.  At one point we were actually voted the craziest duo at our school. She is a true inspiration to me. She has had her share of heartache and disappointment but she has over come it and is very successful. It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since we have seen each other in person but I am hoping that 2011 will reunite us. I can't wait to see Carlos and Antonio, Batman & Robin, Rodney & Dr Dreads and everyone else.

I have another friend whom I love dearly and chat with daily. We couldn't be more different. She is a free spirit and that is what I love about her.  She approaches life so different from anyone I ever met and doesn't really let anyone or anything get her down. She is the only person I know that could describe a set of  truck tires as her "horny tires".  What does the even mean! Sometimes I wish I could be more like her in life and let myself go where the wind would take me. Unfortunately I think my husband and kids would think I had completely lost it if I did that. So I will leave the free spirit lifestyle to her since she does it so well.

This could have been our motto back in the day!

I could go on and on about my friends like how one of my girlfriends is so great at reading energy and gives off a glow of positive energy whenever I see her. Or how about the fact that most of my friends have the best sense of humor. Like my one girl friend whom told me that next time she comes over for drinks and scrabble that she promises to curl my hair and have a pillow fight! Now that is funny.

http://www.scraps123.com/

What can I say, I am a lucky woman to have such rockin' women in my life! I wish life didn't take us all in different directions. I wish that we all lived side by side and were able to see each other everyday or at least once a week. Unfortunately that is not the way life works. Most of the time our friendships are kept alive by phone calls, text messages and facebook. I know though if I was really in a crisis these woman would be on my doorstep ready to do whatever was needed of them. I am not going to list anybody by name but you all know who you are. I Love you and thank you for your friendship and always remember, "I will be there, you got a friend!"

I Love My Computer because My Friends Live in it!

Thanksgiving Served American Style

My American folk art house and Paradise Pumpkin Pie.
I am so authentic!

Since I was young I have wanted to experience an American Thanksgiving. The big Family get together, the football games, the Macy's parade and what would Thanksgiving in the States be like without the Black Friday shopping, I want it all. Well this year that dream almost came true, you see my big sister lives in Philly and invited my family to come down for the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately things didn't work out but believe me this dream is still alive and my sister and I have it all planned out for when it does happen. The turkey, the shopping, the family photos, the cocktails we will drink too many of. Let's just say we will being doing it up super sized, American Style! 

I often wondered about why Canada and the States don't celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time. I sort of knew why but I didn't have all the details. For a few hundred years Canada would celebrate Thanksgiving in either late October or early November before it was declared a National Holiday. In 1879 November 6th was declared and set aside as the official Thanksgiving Day . Then January 31, 1957 the Canadian Parliament announced that the second Monday in October would become the new official Thanksgiving holiday. The reason for their decision to changes the holiday date was after the first and second World Wars Remembrance Day was observed on November 11th and thus these two holidays would fall on the same week.

Although Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in pretty much the same way with turkey, stuffing, cranberries and of course pumpkin pie there is a difference.  For Canadians it is a celebration of giving thanks for the harvest season and for the Americans it is a celebration of the arrival of the Pilgrims. Another good reason for Thanksgiving being in October, Canada is located very north and it makes sense to celebrate when the harvest is finished which usually happens in early October. ( But don't quote me on that because I ain't no farmer!!)

As most Americans are getting ready for their Thanksgiving celebrations and family fights, I mean feasts, I would like to share one of the traditional dishes I serve at every Thanksgiving meal I prepare.  It is call Paradise Pumpkin Pie and my kids can't get enough of this pie. My son reminds me that it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving to make pumpkin pie.  I would encourage you to use this link to Martha Stewart for the crust but if you don't have time or just don't want to bother you could use store bought crust.
Pie Crust http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/perfect-pie-and-crust

This pie is like Costco big but taste a whole lot better!

Paradise Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 8oz pkg. cream cheese regular or light softened
• 1/4 cup sugar (organic is best)
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 egg
• **************************************
• 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup/can evaporated milk 2% or fat free
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground/grated nutmeg
• Dash of salt
• Maple Syrup

On lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 12" circle place in 9" pie plate ( you can use a large plate like mine if you like the filling is generous and I use 12" deep dish plate) Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, mix at medium speed until well blended, blend in egg. Spread mixture onto bottom of pastry shell.

Combine all the remaining ingredients except syrup, mix well. Carefully pour over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for around 60 minutes remove from oven and brush with syrup over the entire pie and crust. Cool and serve with a dollop of whip cream.

Look Martha I am serving my pie with a dollop of whip cream on a antique milk glass plate!!
Well you have taught me pie Jedi Master!

I am so thankful for all the blessings in my life. I hope you enjoy this pie and although it is very filling somehow you find away to eat one if not two pieces of it. May all of my American Friends and Family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and I look forward to experiencing it for myself one day, sweet potatoes and all!

My Little Pumpkin Eaters!