Friday Afternoon, March 13

We shared one of our favorites – the Olive Garden salad.

We had the cutest waitress with a great sense of humor. In this photo she is putting grated cheese on Marcy and Cookie’s entrees.

My Olive Garden favorite – Fettuccini Alfredo and broccoli.

Marcy, Cookie (Emma), and I have been friends for a long time and share the same birthday month – February. Marcy and I have been friends since high school (about 66 or 67 years). Cookie joined us when we were each young mothers (maybe 55-57 years ago). I forget which of our children were babies when we met Gene and Cookie who were neighbors of Mark and Marcy.

We have celebrated our birthday month (not always in February) most of those years. I think we missed a year or two during our busy days of raising teenagers.

At first, we took turns hosting a meal with our husbands and young children. Those years included our friends Gerald and Joanne. Joanne went to be with the Lord in 2013 following a courageous battle with cancer. We continued hosting meals until a few years ago when we started going to a restaurant.

Marcy’s husband, Mark, went to be with the Lord about a year ago – also after a courageous battle with cancer. Cerwin and Gene are okay that we decided to celebrate with just the three of us.

It is delightful and bittersweet as I remember our younger years. So much happened as our children and grandchildren grew up. We have laughed and cried and are now enjoying retirement and great grandchildren.

Marcy offered to buy dessert, so we limited our entree intake by asking for take home boxes. We savored dessert while completing our delightful visit.

Old friends are the best!