#184 - JEB

#184 is one of my oldest friends.  We were never best friends, but we were always good friends.  We have known each other all of our lives and whenever we get together, our conversations always make me smile...and usually laugh.  She has always been a clown.  She takes after her dad who you may remember from here.  As kids, we were together a whole lot.  Our parents are close friends and as the kids of close friends are...we were close too.  Here are some of my memories of my times with #184.

Lots of sleepovers.  Usually with late night movies (usually scary to my horror!), popcorn, and games that we did not play at the family home like flash-light tag...at night...outside...in the cane fields behind her house without parents! 

Trips to her family's camp in Grand Isle.  Lots of fun "pullin the Seine" and catching some crabs with her sister "the crab lady".

#184 was a grade behind me and went to a different elementary school, but I met a lot of fun friends through her once we were all at VC together.  She was on my softball team and was the statistician (I think) for the volleyball team.  I'm not sure of her roll, I just remember lots of fun bus rides with #184 cracking us up the entire way there and back.

When I was around 12, #184 and me attended our very first two week sleep-over camp in Alexandria.  Camp Windy Wood!  I remember driving for what seemed like hours to get there.  I really don't think our parents stopped to let us stretch our legs because the only thing I remember is getting a drive through hamburger from McDonalds.  At the time I was a really, really picky eater and I only wanted mayo on my burger.  I remember her dad ordered it and it was delivered to me in the backseat with mustard and onions!  Yuck!!!!  The parents dropped us off a camp and hit the road for their long drive home.  (Remember - this was prior to a 70 mph speed limit and cell phones).  About an hour after they left...#184 and I were racing back from the mess hall to our cabin when I tripped on the shuffleboard/tennis court and landed on my arm.  I had to make an emergency trip to the Alex ER, get a cast on my broken humerus, and then bunk-in with the camp nurse for the night.  My parents were contacted after all the excitement was over since they were on the road.  I remember talking to my mom and her saying, "Oh baby...do you want dad and I to come back and get you?"  I also remember hearing my dad in the background saying, "Mary, are you crazy?  Do you know how far that it and how much traffic we will be in???"  (Sorry Dad, but your neurosis about traffic has a long history!)  But...I told them I was fine (once I was able to get back to my own cabin) and I did not miss a beat.  By the time I got back with my cabin, #184 had already made all the friends and they all welcomed me with open arms.  It turned out to be a wonderful two weeks of learning how to ride a horse, paddle a canoe, and shoot a bow and arrow...all with one hand.  We went back again the following year with a lot more friends, some of whom are pictured below.

#184 was also a tennis partner/opponent back in the day.  Check out this funny picture I recently received.  Please note - that was my favorite sweatshirt!!! (note the feathered sides :)

Can anyone pick out #184 and name the others????

In high school, she continued to make me and many others laugh by being the school mascot.  She even went on a few dates with my beloved before I stole his heart. 

Since I included the one above, it was only right that I included the next picture from the next year with me and my brace face.  I know you cannot tell from this angle, but I am totally sporting a banana clip!

She followed me to college in Lafayette for a semester or so and then we kinda went in different directions.  She explored various career choices.  She worked as an OT assistant for a long time and travelled around the country working prn.  She went back to school to work on a Masters' degree in counselling and to be honest, I'm not sure how that turned out.  She has not lived here for over twenty years, but will turn up occasionally for a holiday visit.  She is always welcome and will always be a good friend.

One of many funny stories - one time, when #184 was still on her job-quest, she showed up out of the blue one morning at my office with a box of donuts.  She comes in with a sales pitch to try to sell me Internet.  I don't really know exactly what she was selling and I'm not sure she really knew either.  She just kept making me laugh and told me that she thought that people would buy anything from people who showed up with donuts.  I don't think that job lasted all that long. 

The fact that I don't have any more recent pictures must mean it has been a long time since I have seen her. 

I miss you #184 - come visit us!!!!!!!