BFF

OK yes, I admit that I am officially the laziest blogger ever, but I’m not going to get into that here. I feel like writing today, so I am. Enjoy if you’re bored at work or something.

Anyway, yesterday I spend the day with one of my best friends from high school and her husband. Jamie and I have been very close friends since we were 13, and she was one of my very best friends in the world senior year of high school. Our senior trip to Waikiki was awesome and we managed to visit each other several times my first quarter of college. However, Jamie joined the Air Force shortly after, and moved to Arizona. I missed her so much, but we kept in touch through email, although sporadically, because I tend to procrastinate when it comes to returning emails. Especially when they are from people I don’t see often. Do you ever notice that it just takes SO much effort to fill someone in on your life when they are not involved on a daily basis? It’s always a NOVEL of an email, or a three hour-long phone conversation. Not that the friendship isn’t worth the time, but let’s just admit that effort must be made, more so than those quick emails I exchange all day long with the friends I see every freaking day. OK, end of tangent.

SO, I spent the day with Jamie and Clint, all the while in the back of my head doing cartwheels because I was still getting paid! (You gotta love paid vaca!) First we headed off to Pike Place Market, because Clint, being from Iowa, had never seen any of the typical Seattle landmarks. We first paid a visit to Starbucks, where I was appalled to see Jamie order an iced black coffee, ick! Made me appreciate my grande nonfat almond mocha with whipped cream! After wandering through the market, we decided to stop at the restaurant where part of Sleepless in Seattle was filmed… I believe it’s called the Athenian Inn. Although my stomach was sloshing with chocolate coffee (the only thing I’d had to eat yet that day) We had to order some frosty mug beers, which this restaurant is supposedly famous for. Well let me tell you, if you ever want a great beer and are in the market’s general area, go to the Athenian Inn. GREAT huge icy mugs of beer, it was a great way to start the afternoon, along with some chicken strips and fries.

After that we headed to another landmark, Gasworks Park, which Jamie was determined to see after watching the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” (Part of the movie is filmed at the park.) We took a few photos with the city background (I know, how cliché) and hiked to the top of the hill to check out our horoscopes. At this point we still had a few hours before the Mariner’s game, so decided to head for Pyramid Brewery for some beers and maybe dinner. Being a big drinker, this was the highlight of Clint’s day, and I just couldn’t wait to sit down and chat with my best friend and her husband. This was actually my first time meeting him, because I missed their wedding due to college finals. And the fact that they have been stationed in England for the past few years hasn’t helped our communication at all! Anyway, Apricot Ales for me and Jamie, and a sampler platter for Clint started off the drinking. We sat and chatted and I was amazed at how personable Clint was. It was so much fun to see my friend, someone I care about so much, so happy with someone who obviously loves her so much. Of course this resulted in some surfacing feelings of self-pity at the fact that I am so perpetually single, but I tried to keep that to myself. (Sort of!) We never did get around to dinner because our bellies were so full of beer, so we paid up and headed off to the game.

Of course at Gasworks sitting in the mid-afternoon sun, it hadn’t occurred to us that T-shirts and flip flops were not appropriate for an outdoor sporting even in Washington State! We tried to warm up by buying ridiculously expensive beers, but Clint was forced to buy an XXL sweatshirt that Jamie and I both huddled in together. Well, our $10 seats were logically not that great, and we were starting to get the beer munchies, so around the bottom of the 5th we decided to head back across the street for some food. Jamie and I devoured a plate of nachos while Clint attempted to eat a plate of the spiciest buffalo wings he had ever eaten! I swear he was going to cry, poor guy!

To finish off the night, we went back to my apartment and showed Clint videos of Jamie and I in middle school and high school. It was so much fun to laugh with her again! They had to get going to get back to Olympia, where they had left their beautiful daughter, Taylor. I fell asleep only to wake up at about 1:30 with a horrible pain in my stomach. Let’s just say those nachos didn’t taste quite as good coming back up! Ick.

Anyway, I had a fabulous day with two fabulous people, who I can’t wait to go visit in England in October. I am so thrilled that my friend found happiness, and that I got to share in it for one day. I know I am going to work harder at doing the little things to better maintain this friendship from now on. You just can’t ever erase the bond you have with the people you grew up with. It’s very comforting that friendships can stand the test of time.