Throwback Tuesday....

I've been mentioning that my BFF (best friend forever) and her husband are coming for a visit this week.  They will arrive tomorrow, from Illinois.

Elaine and I became friends when my family moved across the street from her's when I was starting 6th grade and she was starting 7th grade.  She is six months older than me, having her birthday in July to mine in December. Both of us were in Jr. High Band. I played trumpet and she played flute.  We were both tomboys and enjoyed the same books, having a secret club (the Bobwhites) with a secret bird call (Bobwhite!), camping in the backyard, and we also climbed trees and built snowmen!!  Junior High became high school.

We were still in the band together and had some mutual friends. A couple of our summers, we both worked at Weldon's Ice Cream Factory, dipping ice cream across from the Millersport Marina.  She went off to Ohio State, where she graduated with a nursing degree.  I did visit a couple of times on campus!  That was fun!  She met her Jim at OSU.  I went to Business College and got married to my high school sweetheart who was a Marine just home from Viet Nam the summer after I graduated from high school.  (That's another story for another time perhaps.)

Anyway, she was in my wedding and I was later in hers (need to find photos!).  Miles have separated us for years, but we still get together every few years. She and Jim have three boys (young men!). Our friendship has remained.  I still call her mom "mom".  Her folks were my second set of parents and mine were hers.  We ran freely between the houses. Lots of great memories and a wonderful way to grow up. Our younger sisters were also friends.

Some of you have seen these photos before, but they will be new to a few of you.  So many good memories!

Elaine and I on summer vacation with our families, in Canada. Summer between my sophomore and junior year, and her junior and senior year.

That's her house in the background and she is leaning on the snowman we built in the vacant lot, where my grandparents later built their house.

We went on an airboat ride on one of their visits here (2009!).

Us at St. Pete beach, just last year (February 2015).

The three Steele girls and the four Kelly kids at Elaine's parent's 50th Anniversary Party.

Judy, Peggy, Elaine, Me, Tammy, Patti, and my brother Randy in front.

Back Row: Peggy, Elaine, Judy, Mom & Dad Steele (their anniversary)

Front row:  Elaine & Jim's boys: Jon, Chris, Ryan

I'm not sure what year this was, but since my brother is still living, it had to be more than 10 years ago...more like 12-15 years.  Elaine will tell me!

This is an aerial shot of my little hometown.  If you click on it, I have tagged Elaine's house (bottom left), my house, my grandma's house our school and our Buckeye Lake playground.  It was a great place to grow up. We didn't need to lock doors. Keys could stay in the car's ignition. Everyone knew everyone. I was blessed....

So blessed to have such rich, rich memories, and such dear friends.  Thanks for indulging me with this walk down memory lane!!  Peace & hugs!