I.Am.Not.Going.On.A.Blind.Date

My friend, Jean and I, go way back.

Here we are graduating from high school. I'm the blonde, back row, second from left...yes, it was once real! Jean's in the front on the right. Also in the back row, is my sister-in-law, Leslie, second from the right and my friend, Ann, on the right. The other gals, were good friends, too, but we've lost touch over the years.

Jean and I became friends in 7th grade. We double- dated in high school and remain close friends today.

Bart and Mike met and became friends sophomore year of college. A few weeks before our wedding in St. Louis, Mike decided to visit Bart for a weekend. An idea hatched...since Jean is a bridesmaid and Mike is a groomsmen, let's all go out together. I think you can guess the response. We had to do some fast talking to convince them both, it was NOT a blind date. We all went out Friday evening. We then spent the day together on Sunday.

Mike called shortly after the weekend to ask if he could stay with Bart again. Not to see Bart, of course. He then kept calling! Bart and I had the pleasure of being in the wedding party for THEIR wedding a little more than a year later! Moving back to Bart's hometown has made it possible for us see each other every few months as they live sorta, kinda, nearby.

Mike and Jean have two great kids: Allie and Nicholas.

Nicholas with Abbey tucked in his robe and Allie holding Daisy.

Dane, Allie, Spencer, Mason and Nicholas at the Old Town Brewery in Wichita for lunch.

Putt Putt Golf in June, 2007.

We somehow added Abbey to the family on our most recent visit. On their last visit here, Jean and I dragged out my old notes from high school. You just may remember the kind- written and passed in class. I have a shoebox full. We laughed, we gasped, we groaned and then we laughed some more. Oh, mercy.

Sharing a friendship with someone who knows your history - lived a lot of your history with you is something special. To think they've seen the good, the bad and the ugly and they still want to be your friend!

Our house is next for the Member/Guest Golf Tournament. Bart and Mike are the foundation of a team. They stack, I mean, fill in their team with other golfing friends. They are both PASSIONATE about golf and usually place well, if not win, the tournaments they play in. Jean and I, well, we play with the kids, lounge, read high school notes and laugh, laugh, laugh.