365 Days to 30/365 People Who Were Along for the Ride

Day #102 - Skip P

Skip was the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma - where I held my first "big girl job" post college graduation. Skip, like Neil, took a chance on me, and I hope felt rewarded in the end. He was the type of boss who when he walked into the room, you sat up a bit straighter, grabbed your pen, and got ready to take notes. I learned a lot from Skip, about how to lead, how not to lead, and how to inspire. We had our differences, but I had a lot of respect for this man.

The funny thing that I remember most about Skip was that his office was so nicely decorated (by his wife), and he was the first person that I really learned how important it was to have a comfortable work space (it didn't hurt that he had his own private bathroom, of which I was strangely envious). I also left working for "Skip" to go and work for "Skid" at the Naval Academy. Confusing? Slightly.

Day #101 - Anilu M

Anilu is a fellow scrapbooker and a beautiful jewelry maker. She is so nice and so talented and I am lucky to know her. (I borrowed this photo from her facebook page.)

Anilu has always been so supportive of me and my scrapbooking - I like to call her my "biggest fan." When I think I have forgotten how to scrapbook or feel like every page is starting to look the same, Anilu is always there with a kind word. And I'm so thankful for her!

Day #100 - Charlotte the Dog

Charlotte, next to my aunt Debbie's golden Kelly and my uncle's golden Bella, was one of my first dog loves. She was the dog of one of the pairs skaters at our rink, and we frequently got to dog sit her when her owner would be gone for competitions.

I remember how much I loved it when Charlotte would come to visit. She was such a good dog and because we were caring for her, I think she was the first to teach me about what owning a dog can do to you as a person. I loved her!

My brother took a great picture of Charlotte and I running down the driveway that eventually won him a prize in the Unionville Chadds Ford Fair. Big time!

And please, notice my french cuffed jeans (painfully high), pink socks, and moccasins. (Which my cousin Devin tells me are coming back this year. I was clearly fashion forward.)

Day #99 - Kristin N

Kristin was a friend of mine during the skating years. She was a good skater and very diligent, and was often rewarded with medals (see picture!)

Kristin's family was a hardworking Philadelphia family. I was always so amazed that her mom lived such a city life that she never learned to drive! I loved Kristin's father's Philly accent (I can still hear it to this day!) Kristin and I had many sleepovers in our days. There's one in particular I remember where we gussied ourselves up, curled our hair, spread out a sheet like a backdrop, and took modeling pictures. I think we were both awkward, thirteen, and had braces. Oye.

I hadn't seen Kristin for many years, but had kept in touch with what she was doing through other friends. It was a sad day when our old skating group reunited for Kristin's mom's funeral a few years ago, but it was good to see my teenage friend all grown up. I hope she is well.

Day #98 - John C

John is husband to my good friend Laura, and father to my godson Jack and his sister Claire.

John was my first connection to Oklahoma before Ken and I even got married. You see, John was Ken's "second class" at the academy - basically he was the one who kept Ken in line during plebe summer. Somewhere, we have a letter Ken wrote to John during plebe summer which detailed everything he ate at the Orioles game (an enormous amount of food for the then approximately 130-pound Ken.) When Ken arrived in Oklahoma, he said, "You'll never believe who's in my squadron."

I joined Ken a few months later and we became fast friends with John and Laura. And Laura and I were lucky enough that the two guys got on the same deployment schedule. I'm so thankful that John and Ken met during the summer of 1995 and brought Laura and I together six years later.

Day #97 - Howard B

I was a pretty sick baby. I was colicky, prone to serious ear infections, but at least I was cute, right? (Right, mom?)

One day when I was a baby, my parents, brother, and I were driving down from our home in Connecticut to Delaware to visit my mom's family. The exchange went something like this, "Mom?" my brother asked. "Why is Laura blue?"

Well, I wasn't breathing. On the New Jersey turnpike. I had spiked a high fever due to a raging ear infection. I had a guardian angel that day, in the form of a trucker who pulled over and called 911 and a nurse that pulled over and performed infant CPR on me. I wish I knew their names and could add them to this list.

But a name I do know is Howard Borin, the doctor who my parents took me to in Delaware that diagnosed my ear infections. Mom, maybe you can fill in a little more about his involvement. But I believe he met my parents at the hospital? Mom, how did we know about Howard?

Howard went on to become my pediatrician when my family later moved to Pennsylvania. He was there for lots of things - my first skating injuries, my vaccines, my tonsil issues, and eventually he was there to see me off to college when I drove myself to his office for the last time.

Doctors like Howard are rare. He cared for me, but I never felt like a patient. I never felt scared of being there, of being with him.

I don't like to put Howard in the "those I simply knew" category, and I'm realizing I need one for "those that made my life better."

Day #96 - Heidi P

Heidi is one of my scrapbooking buddies from Maryland who is now just my buddy from Maryland with very little scrapbooking involved. :) She is on the far right in this photo.

Heidi is smart. And thoughtful. And creative. A pretty mean combination. She also took it on herself to become a healthier person and is truly an inspiration. I can't tell you how proud I am of Heidi for the changes she made in her life and the life it has opened up for her. I love to hear about her journey.

She lives out in the country with her husband and their assortment of wild animals. She is the mother to ducks. Yes, ducks. She is a gardener and a reader. She is a great scrapbooker and card maker. She is also a loyal blog reader. :) (I am tired and I just typed that out readerer. Der. I write good English).

So happy to introduce you to my friend Heidi. :)

Day #95 - FB

Day #95 brings us to perhaps my most internet-shy friend, FB. I won't even use his real name. Or his real initials. So maybe the woman he is with and the dog give him away. But that can be our little secret.

FB is genuine, and sweet, and humorous, and fun to be around. He is a good husband, a good dog dad, a good friend. He has better fashion sense than I do, which is a good thing because that wife of his likes nice things. :)

FB is one of the people on my list that I know when I redo this list at 60 or 90, he will still be on it, because he and his beautiful wife will always be on my list. I am lucky to have them both in my life.

Day #94 - Trish W

Trish was my little-little at Pi Phi. This picture is from my last formal before graduating from Lehigh and getting married. Michelle (my little sister on the far left) had beer tears (I think about me leaving, ha) and I have a lovely face (far right). Oh well, at least Trish looks good.

She was a sweet girl. I remember Michelle pointing her out to me during rush. We had an awesome family, and we wanted that to continue (which it has, we have our own Facebook group!) I haven't seen Trish in more than eight years, but from the looks of her pictures on Facebook she still knows how to have a good time. Do the family proud, Trish.

I think it's time for you to plan a family reunion, young lady!

Day #93 - Rocky M

I skated with Rocky back in the day. He was a pairs skater with my coach Jay's wife, Calla. They went to the Olympics in 1992 (I thought it was so cool because Jay brought me back an actual sweatshirt from the games). Rocky and Call were nicknamed "The Waitress and the Truckdriver" because that's what they did to make money! He was sooo cute and all the little girls at the rink had a crush on him (yours truly included - does that surprise you?)

This photo is Rocky and Calla at an exhibition at the University of Delaware.