This is the story about the Fridnship plate that will soon hang on the wall at our new place. It's been packed for some time now and I miss seeing it.

I met Pearl and Elsie about 8 years ago. We moved into a mobile home down the road from where we're about to move from. Elsie lives the 2nd house down and Pearl lived the next house over. We finally met the next spring and our friendship grew. Elsie was in her late 70's and Pearl, her mid 80's. They were both widowed and had been friends, the dearest of friends, for 20 years.

Pearl had a sense of humor that wouldn't quit and a look on her face to go with it:~] She had a wonderful smile and loved the Lord to the fullest.

Pearl face had no more room for wrinkles, I've never seen so many wrinkles on any one face. She told me the story of her sister. Her sister had prayed not to have wrinkles, she was terrified of them, I guess she just didn't want to look old. Well, the sister died when she was only 43. Once again, be careful what you ask for.

Elsie is a very pretty woman for her years. Her mind is still good. She's a very intelligent woman and still plays piano at the Methodist church just down from where she lives, even thought the arthritis in her hands doesn't want to cooperate. I make violet jelly every year now just for her.

What a wonderful thing to see people care about each other. All the things they shared over the years. Pearl would call Elsie everynight so Elsie wouldn't worry about her. They even shared a cat they found that was in Elsie's John Deere riding mower. Called the cat Trouble for a while then changed it to Tussie cause the cat wouldn't answer to Trouble anymore.

Pearl's house was so small, but so homey. She lived on $200 a month-social security. She didn't have to worry though, everyone looked out for her. People really loved her.

Both Pearl and Elsie taught me lots of things especially about canning and the like. And I loved to hear their stories about how it used to be. They thought me strange because of my love for the way things used to be done.:~}

Pearl took sick in January, about 5 years ago. She just couldn't shake a cough. She got really bad the morning of March 1 and had to be taken to the hospital. Of course, Elsie road in the ambulance with her. Pearl passed away a couple of hours later. March 1 is Elsie birthday.

How hard it is for Elsie, she misses Pearl so much.

Not long after the funeral and all of Pearl's things were divided and moved out, Elsie called me down to her house. She had two friendhsip plates. One was hers and the was Pearl's. She gave me Pearl's so "we'll both have one."

What an honor to have been friends with those two wonderful ladies. Thank you Jesus for the privilege.

Please tell us about special friends in you life. God Bless

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), September 27, 2001

Answers

What a lovely story, Cindy! But oh, I had to laugh at the lady who didn't want wrinkles. Some goat people won't give their goats any vaccinations because they're afraid it might cause lumps. A friend of mine says, "Better a live goat with lumps than a dead goat with no lumps." I never thought of that in relation to wrinkles, but now that I'm on the back side of 40, I'll have to keep that in mind from now on, LOL. (I'm already past 43!)

Thanks for sharing your friends with us. :)

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), September 27, 2001.