Spent most of the day learning how to use new software on my computer. Would like you to know that the older you get the slower and HIGHER the learning curve gets. Not to mention I can’t find my eyeglasses. Sitting in front of the computer all day is not good for mid-century eyes!
Today I searched the local paper in Melbourne to see if I could find my friends Grandmothers obituary. I did not find it but I did find an obituary for a friend of mine who I lost contact with in 2007. Mary Ellen Hennesey died October 2nd, 2008 at the age of 73. Ironically, her funeral and burial were held on my birthday October 8th. We had a roller-coaster friendship, like most friendships but we both loved each other.
Mary Ellen and I met at Yola’s World Travel, JEEEESUS (an inside joke between M.E. and I), back in 1989. Turned out she moved to Cocoa Beach, from the Tampa Bay area, on Mother’s Day 1989. Ironically, this was the exact same day my Mother and I moved to Indialantic also from the Tampa Bay area. Then we both ended up working at the same travel agency. It was as though all the stars aligned to bring us together!
One of my favorite times in West Virginia was the Fall of 1993 when I was working at the airport in Beckley (Beaver). Mary Ellen came up to stay a week with me on one of my buddy passes. We had a wonderful time shopping thrift stores, garage sales, visiting parks and simply enjoying all the majesty of the beautiful foliage. I tried to find the pictures from that time but I’m not sure they survived the hurricanes. So I pulled out one of my most treasured possessions, a Christmas ornament Mary Ellen gave me years ago. Above is a photo of a gift that I will cherish ever so much more. We had some wonderful times together. I will forever cherish her intelligence, wit and ability to give unconditionally. She helped me find the confidence in myself to excel in college. M.E., R.E. here and I miss you! You were truly one-in-a-million.
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