rainy days and thursdays

Yesterday it rained and rained. From sunup until sundown it just kept coming, and do you want to know why? Because Ibby had a field trip planned and boy oh boy was she excited. She had been talking about for weeks. "The field trip is on Thursday. Is that tomorrow?" No, not this Thursday, it is in like four Thursdays. Ach! Can we wait that long? They were going to go on a hay ride and pick pumpkins, feed baby cows from a bottle and see how cheese is made. A six year old girls dream... She woke up this morning and put on about fifty layers of clothes so that she wouldn't get too cold, but it was cancelled. She came home and I thought she would be all depressed, but instead she enthusiastically explained that they would go to the farm on the 23rd and would I please tell her when it was the night before that day so that she could put on her very most special undershirt again for that? Okay! That girl exudes exuberance. I need a little bit to rub off on me.

It was also raining because there was a funeral. Maybe it wasn't raining in Utah, but raining all day here seemed appropriate for my mood. My best friend's mother died. Long ago Kristin and I figured out that we were born 1 month, 6 days, 1 hour, and 3 minutes apart. We don't remember meeting each other for the first time we were just always friends. And her mom was like a mom to me. I was always at their house across the street and not once was I made to feel not welcome.

She always sang "Hel-lo Ma-ry" to me when I walked in the door.

And she let us do science experiments in her kitchen.

And she cared about the environment before it was trendy.

And she would take me along to the health food store and buy us honey candy.

And she never used chemicals in her shampoo, detergent, etc.

And she made crazy healthy dinners that always tasted good (and was happy to set an extra place).

And they drank real milk.

And she slept in on the weekends.

And they had a tulip table and chairs that we loved to spin in with a Nelson lamp above. Cool.

And they didn't mind us staying up until all hours at that table working on homework and other time consuming projects.

And she had a lovely garden (it's the one I picture whenever someone asks me how my garden is growing...)

And every Christmas we made stained glass cookies and gingerbread houses.

And her tree always looked perfect with nesting birds and a village around the base.

And we would sing along to Amahl and the Night Visitors.

And her dad was Lorin Wheelwright and we would go to his and Ila's house to gather around the piano singing Star Bright.

And she made amazing Christmas cards with photos and poems.

And she taught me piano for over 10 years.

And she always had Smarties.

And they had two pianos so we could play four person duets.

And she had us compose music every year and I even one a prize!

And she helped me love to sing always pulling things out for Kristin and I to work on together.

And she hosted doll tea parties with little boxes of chocolates.

And they always invited us to SLC to attend the symphony and concerts at Temple Square.

And they gave out Bit o' Honey every Halloween.

And she bought Kristin a make-up set that kept us quite occupied for years.

And she cheerfully took care of her mother-in-law.

And she was always learning new things.

And she couldn't wait to read us some interesting article out of the newspaper.

And they took us camping to Lake Powell and Capitol Reef.

And on a lot of other trips.

And she would tell us shocking things like how they had once slept naked on the rocks

And she knew the names of all the plants.

And she knew the sounds of all the birds.

And she loved sunsets.

And she never said a mean thing about anybody ~~ or was even negative about anything.

And she had the most amazing vibrant laugh. Ever.

And she shared it liberally.

And she was named Sylvia.