Contact of the surprising kind.

When I was a freshman in high school, I used to work at a little nursing home where 2 sisters and a SIL worked. I worked in the kitchen and they were nurses aides. I made a wonderful friend in the kitchen and as well as working together she and I hung out a lot! She was always so perky and cheerful that she always brightened my day. Lori coined the phrase, "You belong in an insane-u-liar!" and I use it to this day. Don't ask me what it means, because I don't know...

She was a bit older than me and was undecided on what she wanted to do with her life after high school so she joined the Navy and became a nurse.These pics were from 1983 her last day at work, so that's why I look like I've been crying...

We wrote each other pretty often. She would address the letters to "My dearest Valentino". Pretty quirky, that one! She was like a sister and I loved her. And then the letters got fewer and fewer as she and I got busier and busier with our lives. As things happen, we lost touch. My sister RuthAnn talked with her once or twice, but gradually they lost touch too. So a few months ago, I happened to stumble on an old high school friend of Ruth Anns and she was so impressed with my stalkerish qualities detective work that she challenged me to find Lori. I already had been trying for some time off and on, but took the challenge anyway. Whenever I had a few minutes to spare I would search the internet for her maiden name and her married name. Dead ends. I emailed a few people that I thought were related to her, but no good. They never emailed back.

Finally found a young man on Facebook with exactly the same four names as her husband. He was much younger, perhaps 20 years old or so. And lived in an area that I hadn't imagined her living. I thought she was way out east and didn't think that she could only be living a few short hours away. So I sent him a message through Facebook and explained how I knew Lori. When I checked my emails yesterday morning, I was surprised to hear from him! Yes, Lori was his mom and he sent me her phone number. He would tell her to expect my call!

Wow...

Yesterday afternoon was kind of quiet, so I called Lori, my old friend. It was such a blast to hear her voice and laugh again! We talked for over 2 hours! Meri kept coming in and giving me a stinky eye like, "HOW can you still be on the phone?! I need to talk to you!". At least that's how I translated it. She wasn't bleeding, so I shooed her away.

After 4 or 5 more of those, I finally had to bring the conversation to a close. My cell phone had already died once during the call from battery loss, so maybe that was a sign too. I do so love the internet and how it brings old friends back together again!