Our friendship has always been a study in contrasts.
When I moved to rural Tennessee, Julie was moving up the ladder in a white shoe firm in Mobile. When Julie decided to quit her job to be at home with her babies, I decided to hire a nanny and practice law. It is an inside joke that we can NEVER do anything simultaneously…except have babies. Yes, we did manage to get pregnant and have our babies around the same time…and this was totally unplanned.
Take homeschooling, for instance.
Julie talked me into homeschooling. Seriously. I was thinking about it, but she helped push me over the edge. Julie was supposed to start school at the same time I was. This was our chance to be doing this thing (homeschooling) at the same time. We both are unemployed (by choice) and are doing something (other than having babies) at the same dang time. Right? Right?
Wrong.
This is my first day of school:
We get up, have breakfast, start on the lessons assigned to each child.
We go through our calendar. We are singing the “Days of the Week” song. We do it all…
This is when I am looking at the calendar and once again remind myself that Julie’s birthday is this weekend.
You’d think I had ESP. Suddenly, I get a text from Julie:
“Hey. My husband has whisked me away for my birthday. I don’t know where I am going. Will talk to you later.”
Say, what?! I text back:
“Hey. Weren’t you supposed to be wrangling kids today?”
Julie: “Uhhhh. Well, we are starting school next week. Guess where I am?”
Me: “I don’t know. On a slow boat to China. Give me a clue.”
She sends me this picture:
Apparently, Julie is in NEW YORK CITY.
We agree to talk later. I’m helping George sort blocks by color and Will is finishing his math work. Jack has had his first reading lesson and we are coasting right along. We end our school day and call it a success. It’s time for a nature walk.
A nature walk down to the neighborhood pond to feed the ducks is very educational. (of course, we stop at the playground for some fun, too)
Suddenly, my phone buzzes. Another text from Julie:
“Crossing Mulberry Street. Met with friends for lunch that I haven’t seen since Italy eight years ago. Will text later with details of tonight’s plan.”
I send Julie a picture….
Kim to Julie: “Glad you are having fun in NYC. School work? Done. Playground? Done. Nature Walk? So over it. Will return home to make kids take nap. Text later with details of your awesome trip. Not jealous. Not at all. Really. I mean it.”
We go home to our own surprise. My husband has planned a night out on the town in Memphis to celebrate our first night of homeschooling. And what could be more ”homeschoolish” than a viewing of The Sound Of Music at the Orpheum theater. Right?
So….later in the evening we head downtown. We all catch a trolley…
and we get off at the Orpheum.
I decide to text Julie: “Hi. Guess where I am?”
Julie: “Where?”
Me: “At the Sound of Music…Orpheum theater with the kids and hubs.”
Julie: “Well, this is so homeschool-like.”
Me: “Definitely. And you?”
Julie: “I’m here….”
Julie...getting ready to see Harry Connick, Jr. in NYC
Me: “Wow! Well, I’m getting ready to belt out “The hills are ALIVE….”
So, we go into the theater. We find our seats and buy a gazillion dollars worth of snacks, drinks, etc.
As soon as we sit down…Julie sends me this text:
Clearly, she is ecstatic!
So, even though we are miles apart, Julie is watching her show and I am watching mine.
Julie texts me: “Guess who I just saw?”
I reply: “Who?”
Julie: “Barbara Walters….”
I text: “Oh, yeah! Well, I saw a bunch of hardcore Sound of Music fans dressed up like the Von Trapps. You can’t top that….”
Kim with random people who are clearly hardcore SOM fans. Rocky Horror? Not for these people. It's all about the nuns, baby.
It’s been a fun day of texting between yours truly and the other half of Mommy, Esquire. I’m tired. We left at Intermission because the boys were falling asleep. Plus, we’re making pottery tomorrow and reading the rest of Robin Hood. Julie will probably be having Eggs Benedict and drinking Mimosas from the luxury of her bed at the Plaza. She deserves it. It’s not every day you turn….uh…..ah hem…..32. Yeah, that’s it. 32 years old. We’re friends, you see.
Happy Birthday, Julie!!!!!! I love you bunches, dear friend.
….and next week you get to start school, too. hahahahahahahahahahaha
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Julie, I am so jealous of your trip to see Harry Connick Jr.! How much fun?!
What a delightful friendship – although miles apart!