Lucky future

Saturday evening I got together with my gal pals: Danna, Debbi and Wendy. My 17 year old niece was there and a new friend. We gorged ourselves on cheese fondue and then on chocolate fondue for dessert. There were also adult beverages available except to the Harley, my niece. We had a great time, but then we always do. We played dominoes and Crainium.

We caught up on each others’ jobs, families, and interests. We’re a varied group in some ways, and remarkably the same in others. Debbi and Wendy are bankers. Debbi does something with internal services to bank departments and other banks. Wendy is a loan officer of some kind. Danna is a sign language teacher in high school, and a freelance interpreter. I, of course am in community relations. We have all been divorced at least once, Wendy and I twice. All of us have been married at least twice, except Debbi. Danna is the only one married at the moment, and Debbi has a steady guy. Danna and I are sisters and grew up in Texas. Wendy grew up in California, and Debbi grew up here in southwest Washington. We all have children. Debbi has two girls, Danna has one boy, Wendy has one girl and I have a boy and a girl. Our children range in age from 9 – 28. So far I’m the only grandmother, but one of Debbi’s daughters is married. We are all the major bread winners in our households. We are all involved in community service through our neighborhood, local school, and church, but of course not all the same things, but we do support one another’s programs and activities. We all live in the same neighborhood, Debbi, Danna and Wendy all on the same street and I’m a block over.

Now throw all this together and you get a hilarious mix for playing something like Crainium. I can’t sing or hum and I’m hopeless at guessing songs, and I can’t spell forwards, much less backwards. But I’m great at factoids and any kind of drawing or clue giving. Wendy knows nothing about geography or science, but is a wiz at numbers, and horses. She’s a great guesser and she has the most infectious laugh on the planet. Debbi is our pop diva and knows everything about pop culture, 80’s music and food. Danna is a spelling champ, great actor and good at general knowledge. If we could all play on the same team we’d be unbeatable, except when we have to spell as a group. I’d screw that up. Playing against one another we’re just crazy.

My niece was having a good time with us, and we were enjoying her company. At one point Danna turns to her and says, “This is your future!” waving her arm to indicate us all. Harley looked a little shell shocked, and then Debbi adds, “Yeah, this is your future if you’re lucky!” Poor Harley didn’t know what to think about that. We knew it was a very true and profound statement, but we also knew that if we had heard that 17 we would have been horrified.

Here’s to good times, great friends and knowing when you’re in the midst of both!!