It's after midnight, and I'm trying to lessen some of the stresses I brought home tonight. Plowing into some Dreyer's Grand rich and creamy chocolate ice cream didn't help, so I switched to Real Strawberry instead.

Any excuse to pig out with ice cream that good will do. But mostly I just need to sit here, and remember some things. When Barb posted earlier today about Mandy's quick thinking when her jeep was wrecked,my heart just about scaled the ditch it flew over, I was so scared for her being O.K., But after I put myself back together, I thought how like Mandy it was to keep the wreck from being worse. Such an example that what we do affects more than only ourselves.

Earlier this week one of my sons learned that a good friend of his died. Only about fifty years old, it's thought he had a heart attack. That in itself is a less than gentle reminder that my son is getting older. But when we talked about it, the whole focus wasn't about dying, but the years that they shared.

In those years I didn't realize how dangerous life and a raging war was. Stormy times hovered as Vietnam seemed to never end.

This son and his buddy hitchiked to Texas. For many years he retold experiences of that desperate trip that became a favored story of their lives. He thought it a grand way to travel, hitching a ride with a Bible Belt preacher driving a big Caddy, who delivered them right up to the front door of Texas relatives.

Not often, maybe only once or twice, one of them may have pointed out a fault of the other, but at death the one left behind stood up to the test of being his friend, by remembering his most shining moments, even if it was only about the two of them roasting dried up onions on the side of the road, because that's all they had to eat on their way to Texas.

The dying, and the danger of it makes me remember how important it is, not just to live, but to be part of someone's life. I've known Mandy since she was only a few days old, and today I relived times I spent with her as she grew. Over and over at work this evening I thanked God for protecting her. He obviously has more living in mind for her to do.

My son told me that another buddy from his youthful days flew all the way from Florida to be at his childhood friend's funeral. As I looked at all the pictures Barb posted of Mandy and Aaron's wedding, I thought how wonderful that so many of his friends celebrated their day with them.

Tomorrow, I think I should tell my daughter, Bev how thankful I am they made it home safely, and the excellent job Barb did posting Mandy and Aaron's wedding pics deserves special praise. I've often told her she's creative and quite talented, but she pleads that she's just good at following directions. Barb, it is much more than that. If you'll forgive my spelling of this, Yogi Bera said, "If it's true, then you aren't bragging". You ARE artistic and very talented!

I should tell my son again how much I appreciate all he's helping with the house. And a friend I've become very close with, I must set work down a while, and take time to be with her. In a few weeks we'll start again with a new year. One I think I need to use more wisely.