Today Valerie (Chase) Barrett drove down from Seattle with her three boys to meet and walk the goats and have an outdoor weenie roast -- although I was advised not to call what we cooked "weenies" in front of the boys. (It's not easy changing one's vernacular when one is used to having all girl children around, but I managed.)
It was frigid outside. I don't think the temperature lifted above 43 degrees and it was quite windy, so that brought the temperature down to "freezin' our buns off" COLD! Only we "old folks" noticed or cared. Her kids were so busy running around with my "kids" (BAAAA!) that they peeled their jackets off after a while as Val and I just shook our heads and shuddered at the idea...
I kept looking at Val and thinking, "No way can she be almost 60." I wonder if she thought the same thing about me. Hope so!!!
It blew me away to contemplate that. Being almost 60 doesn't faze me in the least, but thinking about classmates being 60 floors me! They sure don't look 60. At least, Val doesn't.
It was terrific to reconnect again. We'll do it more often, now that she knows how well her boys respond to a visit here. WOO HOO! That does my heart good. Jackie will love seeing her again when she gets her chance. (Jackie was working today; missed seeing everyone.)
The little girl from across the street came over to spend the day, too. Her name is Malia. Her dad lives in Hawaii. She fit right in.
Malia often walks the goats with Casey, Jamie and me, so when I told her I would be hosting a goat walk and weenie roast for friends from Seattle, I invited her to come along. She jumped at the chance.
She's an only child and there are few other kids on this block her age. She may even go to church with me whenever I kid sit there so she can hang around with Jamie some more. She's going to ask her mom for permission. (They worship at another church.) Malia is on a week-long school break; Casey and Jamie aren't.
After the Barrett family headed back to Seattle, Malia came into my office where I was working. I told her she could hang out with the "puppies" in my living room while I worked until her mom or grandma came over to claim her (both had gone into town) but every so often she wandered in to see me and talk or ask questions while I worked.
She was flabbergasted to see photos of me with "famous people" lying around in various nooks and crannies (she's a curious kid) -- V.P. Joe Biden, Senator Patty Murray, DeForest Kelley. She just couldn't get over it. She was over the moon about it!
Then she decided, "You must be famous, too!"
I laughed and said, "Only in very small circles."
She said, "What does that mean?"
I said, "It means I can go to any store and someone will know who I am only about once every ten years. The last time I was recognized in a store I heard, 'There's the goat lady!'" She thought that was very cool. (So do I, truth be told.)
I don't need my next door neighbor's child thinking I'm anyone other than "the goat lady." That's fame enough for me in this neck of the woods!
I was amazed Malia knew who De Kelley was. She must have a Trekkie or two somewhere in her family...
I told Malia she would probably meet plenty of famous people herself during her lifetime. (She's only eight years old.) That seemed to perk her up--even though she's already pretty perky!
I said, "Famous people like these ones enjoy meeting people. Not all famous people do, but our country's leaders and some actors do. It's how they find out what we're thinking about them, because how we're thinking about them is important to keeping their jobs. We can vote them in or vote them out."
But if she ever asks me to take her to meet her Senator or Congressman or woman, or a V.P. or President, you'd better believe I will think at least a dozen times about it, after what happened to Congresswoman Giffords' and her littlest "fan" in Tucson in January.
And that is very, every sad.
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