Category Archives: Friends: Family.

"Sure, get off the bus at MY house!"

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This is a line I once uttered to my friend Lauren when our bus driver forgot her bus stop (AGAIN!) and I decided she could make it to gymnastics if she got off at my house and my mom dropped her at her house. This was before cell phones. And, obviously, before we were 16. In fact, I think we were 13.

When I was 14, Brittany and I were both on the soccer teams, and even though she was on varsity and I wasn’t, we would always, always sit on the bus together.

When I was 16, and Kelly was 15, she asked if she could back my car up in my driveway. I said, “Sure!” She ran over a solar light. Whoops.

Every few years, my girlfriends and I try to convene somewhere and hang out. Lately, it’s been in my neck of the woods — whether those woods be Boston or LA! Lauren (see below) is already here, and my other ladies Kelly and Brittany get here tonight. Our other girls, Alex and Erin, will be SORELY missed.

Here are some photographs from our previous escapades — I am so excited and so blessed to be having friends who I’ve known and loved for over a DECADE coming to visit me.

I don’t know what is happening in this photo.

But this is what happened next.


The last time these girls came to see me, I lived in Boston. We went out to dinner, and I forgot my pen in the restaurant. The waiter (who dealt with our loud and ridiculous behavior) ran after us, saying, “Excuse me, ma’am, I think you left your pen.” A minute later, he came out again, with Britty’s purse, and said, “Excuse me, ma’am, I think you left your purse.” We. are. a. mess.

I cannot wait for all three of you to be here, all together, again. I love you oodles. đŸ™‚

Lilith 2010…

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3 o’clock. hot. hot hot. sunglasses. so hot you can’t stand in the sun. tampon tent, lily pad. friends, family. picking up where you left off. hugs all around. moist towel, rewetting. water, popcorn, pistachios, snacks. laughing so hard i might pee, corey breen where have you been all my life? collectively not drinking. hot. so many woman, and my father. family. 4 o’clock. rushing past everyone to get the shade, because my dad is a stand up guy. someone buying me a hot dog, because again i’m eleven. water, water, water, and water. 5 o’clock. kate nash, you are peculiar. but i love foundations. 6 o’clock, hey sistas, your project is my new favorite thing. i will always remember Coast is about Texas. going to the men’s bathroom, because it’s Lilith. 7 o’clock, and Heart, oh baby, you’ve stole mine. Nikki, we’re definitely behind on this sister-traveling-act thing, but so are Corey and Ky, so I don’t feel left out. Belting it out. sun going down, behind the pillars, because my dad rocks. Jen being part of the family. Not being the adult. The family being together. Having two moms around to watch out for me. (And later, Maribeth asking me, “Does he have health insurance?”) Sun behind the clouds. Sing it to me, Barracuda. 8 o’clock. “It’s a valid life choice.” 9 o’clock, Mary J Blige, Stairway to Heaven, you’re an angel. 10 o’clock. Sarah, I have missed you so. But, I will remember you. And, alternatively, Loving You is Easy. 2011, here we come.

The fourth of July is…

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clouds at six forty five. no fire pits open. A Christmas Miracle: a fire pit on the often-forgotten RV side of the park. 7:10 and on the beach, emailing. still cloudy. gluten-free granola and yogurt. on the blanket. under the umbrella. with my bff, and a crossword. 7, 8, 9. Three crosswords, cranberry bread. Coffee from our newly purchased 28 ounce Thermos. Cloudy, cloudy. Multiple trips to the clean (but only by Corelyn and Jennie beach-appropriate stance) bathroom. Cannot fall asleep. Quiet ocean. Hanson, The Fray. Inappropriate friend music, because Cor and I can. crazy creek chairs. More coffee. Reading, reading, book club book to be finished. 9:30. “Marco” and 11 am and friends. Sun peaking, peaking. Laying under blankets. Curling up. Now sweatshirts off. Sun peaking, peaking out.Sunshine. Time flying: snacks. chocolate cake. Wardrobe change number 1: bathing suits, cover ups. Sunscreen. 11 to 12. Sandwiches, turkey cheese and lettuce. Cheese-its. Jeff, bike, table, food, cooler. More friends. Snacking, snacking, Scrabble. Travel scrabble. Sun peaked, out and open. sunscreen. Bare legs, blanket spread. Umbrella flying, flying away, and caught. Digging a hole, and reburied. Flying away again, digging a second hole. Stay. put. please. Skipping the Hanson song, new playlist. New iPod. Jay’s, because his music diversifies all. Sunscreen. Scrabble, more friends, twenty strong. Laughing, sunshine, waves huge against the shore. Solar noon, one o’clock. Calls from friends, packing it in, parking miles away. Parking far, along the beach trail, sitting on the beach, waiting for friends. Coolers everywhere, chips, bags of chips. Pretzels. Cousins arriving. Ocean, swimming to the breaking point. “Don’t worry, I’m a certified lifeguard.” Swimming, ocean throwing us back to shore, saying “thank you very much, but I’d rather be alone, today.” Sandy, to the showers. Warm shower, unlike Rocky Neck, warming my body and soul. Back to the blanket fortress. Those are our friends. We bring the party: we bring the funk. Twenty six strong. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Should we grill? Paper plates, reorganization of the table: chips, dessert, coolers. Corn? Who brought the corn? Charcoal ready, orders taken: fifteen hot dogs, fifteen hamburgers, cheese on most burgers, veggie burgers, corn, kabobs. “Last call for the grill” twice, two more burgers, finish off the hot dogs. Bun me. Bun me. Ketchup, mustard, bun me. Lighting the grill twice to cook all that burger, kabobs. “Who wants veggies?” Log cabin fire pit, and seven pm. “Look at all the boys, trying to start the fire!” Wardrobe change number 2. Trouble starting the fire. “Hey, do you need some help starting your fire?” Fire dancers, performing for us, two strong, boom box out. Fire finally, finally started. Grill off, burgers made, everyone full. Sun setting. Catch phrase. “Ponies!” told again. Accusations of conspiracy, and replaced by others to move onto another circle of friends. Lovely, lovely castle girls. Four of us together again. Fire started, moving towards with all friends surrounding me. S’mores, s’more sticks, because Becca rocks. Mallow. Graham. Chocolate. friends. Laughing, smiling, talking. Fireworks on the beach. Fireworks far off, Malibu, Marina del Ray, Santa Monica. Fireworks on the RV park beach. Dockweiler, you crazy thing you. Fireworks everywhere, quiet noise sweeping across the ocean. Some good byes. Laughing, hugging, taking photos. Smell that ocean, smell that fire. Singing patriotic songs, fireworks. Some more good byes. Some more singing, mallows, chocolate. Fire, add the logs…fire. Sing that Smash Mouth, because everyone knows the words. New friends, old friends. Dying down, number minimized to the original group – because we bring the party. Packing up. Hold on, I need my headlamp. Bike to the car, because he can. Breaking down our fort. Headlamp, lantern. Loads to the car. Sand, everywhere. Packing it up, packing it in, packing it home. Friends say good bye, final time that night. Hugs, all around, between us all, more than 30 by the time we were done. See you soon, see you soon, see you tomorrow, see you later, see you at book club, see you at the movies, see you Wednesday, see you when you return, see you when I cook you dinner, please come over soon.

Car. quiet. fireworks about the city. Sleep, tired. Sun, sunburn, sun down, sun gone, good night. Light up the night sky, say goodbye. sleep.

Jeff: ok
I just don’t want it to spread too far too fast. I guess we should have ED take a look at that as well when he comes.