I got to spend a day with Mummy’s friends from high school and hear lots of funny stories.

He said

Well, for the first weekend in some time, our plans on the weekend did not involved going to the trailer. And, officially next weekend camping season will come to an end as we pull Wolfie III out for good for the season. It’s bitter sweet for sure, but with the weather progressively (and faster than we want) getting colder these days it seems more of a reality anyway. So, next Saturday we head up to Auburn and will pack up the trailer and bring it back to put it in storage for the winter.

So that means we will have time to focus on stuff around the house that goes to the back burner, come summer. Stuff like replacing our stupid dishwasher that has decided to start leaking every load. And while I know that sounds like we are going from the fun of camping every weekend to the even-more-fun of chores & grownup responsibilities, and I am here to tell you it is! So, yes that is an inexplicably fun thing we get to look forward to as a way to celebrate the end of camp season.

The good news for Emelia is the Cheer Comp season is starting to really take form. This week we got the email that outlines the competition season and we’re so happy that Emelia will get a much better version than the virtual one she experienced last year. The competitions were the one thing that she really looked forward to for Gymnastics, so in her first year of Cheer, having it happen during a worldwide pandemic, it sucked to put it bluntly. She is so excited to see that there are six competitions total that they will be taking part in. And the first one comes up quick—it’s the first weekend in December.

She said

This weekend was a hard one for sure. One of my best friends from high school Christine lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack on Thanksgiving Monday. It was shocking and heartbreaking. Over the last week my best friends from growing up have been working out the details of getting together to support our friend. Throughout the week we reconnected, shared stories and remembered why our friendship has been 30+ years strong.

Saturday morning Emelia and I got up early and headed to Chatham to say our final good-byes to Ben. Ben was one of a kind—an amazing husband, dedicated father and incredible friend. He and Christine were high school sweetheart and as much in love this year as they were when they got married 27 years ago. The funeral was touching and heartbreaking, seeing my friend in so much pain was gut wrenching. Most of the group of high school best friends were there for Christine yesterday. We shared stories, remembered all the fun we had together and held our friend up when she needed it the most. Those women through high school were everything for me, through some of the hardest times in my life they were there. They opened their homes when I needed a place.

It was the worst reason in the world that brought us together for the first time all of us in 25 years but we reconnected and promised that we would never let a horrible tragedy happen to bring us together again. We are already planning a big weekend next year for our joint 50th birthdays. Emelia loved meeting my friends and they adored her. The girls have adopted her as one of their own. It was a long day yesterday, full of tears but joy as well. And I am glad that Emelia got to see where her mom came from and who the people were my best friends all the way through high school. Love you my girls!