Tuesday? Too Bad . . . I Just Gotta.

 
Back to our musings about Friends for a moment this Tuesday, Dear Reader -- unusual to find something new on Small Works on a Tuesday, I know,  but sometimes there are things to say that don't fall exactly on the regularly scheduled days. (Which does not necessarily mean that you will not also find Small Works here "same Bat-Time . . . same Bat-Channel".)

The purpose of this Terrific Tidbit of Tuesday-ness is that the mail has been SO KIND lately, that I needed some extra time just to show off. 

Who knew I had three (3!) friends?

You may recall I was musing about 
the wonders of Facebook the other day . . .
One of the re-connections I've been enjoying is with a Dear Old Friend from way back in 8th grade.  Very old friends are indeed gold, as the ditty says, but they can also be perilous.

(Remember what a dork you were in Jr. High?  So do they.)

This particular DOF and I parted, not on the BEST of terms, since the first thing he informed me of (in his friend request -- thanks for being so brave!) was that the last time we spoke I wrote I HATE YOU 14 times in his yearbook.

14 times?!

Oops!  Ahem.  

(Sorry about that.)

Not wanting him to think I grew up to be THAT kind of person (actually, wanting to assure him I actually GREW UP,) I accepted the request and it has been a happy reunion.  Which I should have expected, because you must have really liked someone in the first place to care enough to later write I HATE YOU 14 times, right? So it's worth taking a chance that you had something in common to begin with.


Then with Friday's mail, a package arrived at my door.  This particular DOF obviously grew up to be particularly perceptive, since he picked this peace offering so very well.  First was a book --

gift enough and one I am looking forward to reading, of course.  In all the art/craft realm, about the only thing I haven't tried is pottery, although I love looking at it.  I think I'm drawn to it because of the relationship between the hand and the creation of the object.  Potters must love the feel of clay taking shape the way I love the feel of fabric.

The book would have been enough, but there were other treats as well.

There was this tile:

 

EXACTLY  the kind of crack he's always liked to make and the kind of thing that can drive an 8th grade girl to reply, "And I hate you!  Times 14!!"  (At this more mature age, of course, it just made me smile and found its way immediately to the studio wall.)


The remaining treasure was better still --

a pottery bowl that not only looks FANTASTIC on my coffee table next to my stack of New Mexico Magazines, but also holds a little piece of NM landscape for these weary MN eyes . . . because of course I couldn't be reacquainted with him for more than 30 seconds before I started blabbing about the glories of New Mexico.

Best of all is that the two pieces of pottery are by the author of the book!  

I know!  TOO MUCH GOODNESS FOR ONE BOX.

(Oh yes -- and chocolate. Sorry, girls. He's married.)
Thank you, thank you, DOF.

However, we aren't done yet . . .

On the same day, another kind of wonderful friend, of the Friend-You-Didn't-Know-You-Had variety, also sent a wonderful package!

The fabulous Julie of San Diego, who has become my most beloved personal garage sale shopper since she popped up out of nowhere and sent me those unbelievably good vintage fortune-telling cards awhile back, sent me another great FYDKYH package!

It contained two books:

both of which are just delightful and full of illustrations (such as the postman at the beginning of this post!) and which will find a happy home not only on my shelf, but also in my future work.

(And when Julie needs to enclose a note in a package, it's likely to be on something nifty like the back of an old playing card.)

Thank you, Julie! I am always deeper in your debt. 
You continue to be the best friend a girl could not know she even had.


Then Monday arrived and just as I had finally thrown out the packaging from Friday's mail bonanza, I was greeted with another treat-by-post, this time from BF (blog friend) Leenie, whose talents I admire and respect (and sigh over) almost daily on her delightful blog, Side Trips. If you haven't visited Leenie's blog, it's worth a visit today and every day.

Leenie can do EVERYTHING and does EVERYTHING VERY WELL, as near as I can tell.  Including being a BF.

This package contained a beautiful framed watercolor ATC, just perfect for someone who used to live in Seattle but now finds she doesn't.  There was also some artistic encouragement in the form of pencils and a notebook.

How I became worthy of  such a gift from a BF remains a mystery to me, as do most of the wonders of the blog world, and I only hope I can in some small way repay the many kindnesses I experience almost daily in the form of lovely comments and even your generous, lurking presences (which I can sense, and stats can confirm.)

Thank you, thank you, to all of my friends,

old and new -- you DOF's, FYDKYH's, and BF's who make my blog
-- and most especially, my ACTUAL --
life worth living and so much richer and more meaningful.

And thanks for allowing me to be me, and liking me anyway. 

(Especially if I once wrote hateful things in your yearbook.)