Big Sal

My friend, Big Sal, was honored this weekend. Her husband and family threw her a big, splashing bash for her 60th birthday. 60 is the new 40 and she doesn't even look 40. As usual, I'm surrounded by freaks of nature -- and she's a natural beauty -- no Joan Rivers plan involved.

She's also crazy. She has crashed more cars than I can count. She put the wrong gas (regular instead of diesel) in her husband's company vehicle. She lost some diamond earrings and convinced that one of her dogs may have eaten them, she spent days checking their poop and having them x-rayed. I don't want to know what that cost.

On her actual birthday, she brought tiaras to the pool on Labor Day and girlfriends walked around with crowns. She is the accessory queen. We all got plastic tiaras but she found a great crown in a second hand store, complete with rhinestones. She also provided boas. She is my shopping guru.

The husband and I showed up at the party, ready to salute our friend. We knew most people but I found it interesting that the first person we met at the top of the stairs was our governor.

She may giggle like a schoolgirl or make us all laugh. She's got friends in high places. Mostly, she shows me what it's like to embrace life, embrace friends and family, and show the rest of us how to balance dignity and abandon.

At the pool on Labor Day, Big Sal was flipping and diving off the board. I did too. (It's a rule that I have to do it at least once a year.)

Once I admired a jacket she was wearing. She gave it to me. She bought it at the Goodwill and she'll find another one.

We call her Big Sal although she is tiny. The "Big" part is a reflection of her spirit and her heart.

Pure of Heart

I know lots of good people. I believe most people are inherently good, although evil certainly exists too. I know a few people who are pure of heart. My parents fit this category although my mother has a mean streak.

Here's a pure-of-heart story: One of Houseboy's landscaping employees lost his mother in a tragic car accident last week. There were lots of details to attend to, not to mention that this man has been estranged from his family for quite some time. He mentioned to Houseboy that he needed to go to Goodwill to get something appropriate to wear. Not with Houseboy on the case! They finished their work and then went shopping: outfitted from head to toe, including having the pants altered. Houseboy footed the bill.

I'm occasionally pure of heart but I've got that mean streak too.

Random Memories

Today, I drove up a main steet in my city and I passed the spot where my friend Laurel was killed in a car accident. I gave a little wave.

Today, I made my bed and threw the pillow that Patsy made for me on the covers.

Today, I made fruit salad and I put it in one of Bobbie's bowls.

Today, I dusted the guest room and spent a considerable amount of time thinking about and missing the oldies.

Yesterday, I showed up for a doctor's appointment on the wrong day. I thought about Wild Bill and how easily he was distracted.

My crazy grandma was included. I wore some flip flops in her honor.

Hit By an Oldie

God decided to throw an extra adventure my way. Today, I got hit by a car. (I am fine.)

I'll spare you all of the miscellaneous details but here's the gist: I had a packed grocery cart and was making my way to unload. A car stopped at the stop sign and I thought she gave me the universal hand signal for "Go ahead." It was raining so maybe both of our lines of sight were obscured. As I walked through, she plowed on (thankfully at a very slow speed) and hit my cart, which hit me and knocked me down.

It took her longer to get her seat belt off than it did for me to get myself up and rescue my runaway grocery cart. She was startled and shaking.

Did I tell you that I think she was older than my oldies?

I spent a few minutes with her to make sure she was able to drive. I assured her that no harm was done.

Then I came home to find the oldies' car is gone. They're out and about. I'm staying in. I've already been hit by an oldie once today.