Happy Day #6 (slightly late)

My friends make me happy, and contribute so much to my life. I feel blessed to have many truly good friends, some of whom are as close as family could ever be.

There are many who I could describe here, but I'm going to describe a day with just two friends from work today. Claudia and Geri work on the nursing unit where I worked until about 5 years ago. I still work at the same hospital, but in a different capacity. I'm still close to them, and interact with them at work frequently still. We also do things together sometimes on weekends from time to time, and I've even recently gotten Claudia started scrapbooking.

Another friend of ours, Mary, had been ill for quite a few years, and recently had had many new health problems which really discouraged her, including ongoing dialysis and then an amputation of one leg, with an impending probable second amputation. She was very tired, and I think that final loss of her independence was just more than she could take. She decided several months ago to stop dialysis and let nature take its course; she entered an inpatient hospice unit in April and within two weeks had died a peaceful and serene death.

Claudia, Geri and I visited with her after she entered hospice. We reminisced about many fun times, and laughed and cried together. One memory was Mary's favorite--the time she took Claudia and Geri to The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach for her favorite meal, their lobster specialty. (I couldn't go that day, since I'm the only one of us with a Monday through Friday work schedule.) When we were talking that day at her bedside, she held my hand and told me that I must go there, that I would love it. We promised her that we three

would go to The Crab Cooker for lunch one day soon for my birthday, and we would think of Mary while we were there. Well today was the day, and we did it!

It's little more than a shack on a busy corner near the beach. An interesting place, though. This huge shark is hanging from the ceiling (it was caught in the ocean across the street!).

It was a beautiful Newport Beach day--perfect weather. We ate lunch, and then went across the street to the ocean. We got a chocolate covered banana for dessert at a little stand across from the ocean (also on Mary's agenda for us), and ate it while we sat and watched the sailboats and kids playing in the surf.

Some more pictures from today. Come to think of it, beautiful days like today make me happy too! Especially when I am not at work and can be out enjoying them!

Thanks, Claudia and Geri, for a great birthday lunch and a fun time. And thanks, Mary--we remember you!