dona's 365

George, Tim ’s friend from Columbia, Maryland , must have often worn clothes that matched because I called him color-coordinated. He replied: everyone who lived in that planned community was color-coordinated – it was a rule. I now live about thirty minutes from Columbia and, still think of it as Color Coordinated Columbia.

Tim was “the one that got away”. We had something for three months in London, but didn’t pick it up when we were both back in the States. I thought he found someone better, but recently discovered he went back to an old love. And that makes all the difference.

Diane and I worked together for a couple of years. She’d moved around a lot – her husband worked for the VOA . For a while she and I tried, unsuccessfully, to tame Don . Then Don was fired, I chose to telecommute and Diane moved to Manila. Were we really even there?

When Betsy showed up at our junior high lunch table wearing a wig, I remarked loudly - unkindly, that her real hair looked better. The following year the newspaper ran a 2-page story about a local teenager living with Leukemia. Unkind remarks about Betsy’s wig figured prominently in the article.

Janet and Diane were best friends unless they were enemies. They were enemies at Marcia ’s birthday sleepover. Janet became my best friend for the night. Diane chose Marcia and because it was Marcia’s party they got the head of the twin bed. Janet and I shared the foot, with Chris .

Cheerleader, homecoming queen nominee, all-round popular girl, Diane intimidated me throughout my middle and high school years. I thought it was over after graduation, but at our ten-year reunion, one disdainful glance from her cold blue eyes turned me back into a shy, skinny teenager. No more reunions for me.

Kenny and Carolyn lived next-door to my parents. Whenever I'd see the two of them, I'd think of the Jack Spratt nursery rhyme . He was skinny and she obese. They had no children, only a series of identical German Shepards that barked if a child stepped on their mammoth lawn.

Mom and Dad ’s current neighbor, Ron, is a nice fellow. I taught him to text message. He now texts me to update me his life, my folks, his love life, his kids, his politics, his opinions, his ex-wife, his job... It’s like an RSS feed of his stream of consciousness.

“Pop and popcorn! Pop and popcorn!” We’d scream as we jumped up and down. Visiting Kim and her brother Mark was always a treat. Things changed the year Kim advanced an extra year in school, and Mark and I were retained . We’d switched "ages" and with that, childhood pecking order.

At college parties you’d always find Jon surrounded by beautiful co-eds as he recounted ribald tales of ancient Rome. More recently his stories are less lewd, involve art theft and his audiences are like-minded netizens . I thought it was all BS, but apparently USAtoday and MSNBC don’t agree. Go figure.

When our principal, Sister Joan, announced she was leaving the school and the convent because she’d recently recovered memories of abuse from her childhood, the staff was split in two. Either you allied yourself with Joan or the pastor . I chose Joan. What was once a sanctuary became a battlefield.

Sweet, young and energetic, Sheila taught first grade at St. Ann’s. Her sudden, tragic death brought the school community together more than any retreat or staff development activity ever could. Her favorite hymn, Color the World with Song still makes me cry. I’d rather have had the staff development retreat.

Sister John Kennon showed me how to make good popcorn the year I taught in the convent basement. Although she burned the first batch, the second was perfect. Shortly thereafter, diagnosed with breast cancer, she was whisked away by the Diocese. She died on her favorite holiday: Saint Valentine’s Day.

When Jill married Gordon less than a year after Larry died some folks were shocked, but Gordon was exactly what she needed. He’s smart, quiet, gentle and kind. He was the high school nerd when he attended classes with the Twins who called him “high pockets”. They respect him now.

Jill got pregnant in college, dropped out and had three more children after that. Always upbeat, the only time I ever saw her upset was when her plans to return to school were ruined when her husband lost his job. She’s now remarried to a great guy and raises alpacas.

I never remember my mom ’s best friend’s husband, Larry, serious. Even early in the morning he was the “life of the party”, and when he lost his third job he laughed about it. I thought he was just a fun grown-up until he was diagnosed with cirrhosis. Then I understood.

My (twin) brothers-in-law, Danny and Dennis have been farming just outside Elgin, Illinois all their adult life. Before that their father farmed some of the same land . In less than two years most of the land they farm will become a subdivision for the rich. Their landlords are selling out.

IM-buddy and Naval enlistee, Richard readily accepted my mostly insincere invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. He and his young family arrived on our doorstep at 9:00 am (after a 4-hour drive from Virginia Beach). Even though I’ve yet to live down the Thanksgiving with the Internet Strangers, I’m glad they came.

My mom ’s youngest sister and my favorite aunt, Ginny’s been a huge part of my life. More like an older sister than an aunt she has been my friend, confidant and ally. She told me that when I was born she thought of me as her real, live dress-up doll.

The night I babysat for Mike and Karen * and he screamed at her because I left the bathroom light on made me vow to make him uncomfortable each time we ended up in the same room. Luckily we rarely meet anymore; the older I get, the meaner I can be. *Honestly - this is a different Mike and Karen than the ones I wrote about before .