201. Jack

Considered the only stable one in the family, reminding me we are only related by marriage. I couldn’t have more admiration and love for him if we were in fact genetically linked. A humble hero. A true soul. He really IS perfect! (I don’t care how many tissues he leaves in the laundry)

200. My Kitchen Table

It doesn’t inhale oxygen. It does inhale sorrow-woes-grief-pain-joy-happiness-love. It doesn’t exhale carbon dioxide. It does exhale support-reason-advice-tears-laughter-love-life. Everything happens sitting-standing-argueing-debating-discussing-kneeling-weeping-laughing-sharing-praying around that table. The shape-size-color-location may have changed but that piece of furniture will always be a huge part of my world.

(Someone asked my if I could be any piece of furniture, what would I be? The answer has never changed. My Kitchen Table. Sorry for my absence. I have gotten so far behind. Fortunately, life happens. Unfortunately sometimes writing takes a back seat. I am hoping to get caught up... In life and writing)

199. Feather

A troubled kid turned beautiful woman raising a family of her own. Came to live with us as a child. Left a beloved mature daughter. Now, going through personal adversity. My hope is that she always remembers I am here for her.

198. Eleanor

My mom’s friend. Beautiful, funny, colorful and a little naïve for a woman in her late 40’s. She was there to hold my mother’s hand whenever I couldn’t be. I do not recall a time in her presence I didn’t laugh hysterically.

197. Dr. Jackie

Those cigarettes are gonna kill you. ‘Nough said about that. Now let’s talk about your diet, lack of exercise and all around general health. Is there anything you do that’s actually “good” for your body? Well at least you don’t do drugs.

196. Mr. Bell

High-School-Substitute-Teacher, back-up career in the automotive-department of a chain-store. Explained to 5-truant kids that changing the oil wouldn’t fix what ailed the brokedown car. “Are you sure you have gas?” Then lent us money for gas to get home. Damn Broken Gas-Gauge!

195. Donnie

With such vast experience in areas of the heart, I knew I loved you. Definitely Richie Cunningham-ish with a deviant side. If you didn’t love her, I would have loved you forever. Or at least another week. Sometimes being 14 can suck!

194. Bobby and David

A plethora of color, Bobby and David are as vivid as the bouquets they piece together. Their arrangements are like no others, as is their love for life, their sheepdogs and each other. Their friendship is more precious a gift than WildOrchids.

189. - 193. The Farm (Part 2)

189. Big Kenny – Rough farm-boy and big teddy-bear. He was always making you laugh with his antics. All the fun and games never hindered his desire to care for and protect his family. Reminder - If you’re under 18 DO NOT ENTER THE TROPHEY ROOM!

190. Tina – Ruled her kingdom with a loud voice and a big stick. I suppose you must when raising 10kids. She still exposed her soft-side regularly, especially to me. Warned me never to join her kids in the annual burning of the town out-house. (Yes, there was an outhouse in the center of town, which consisted of a post office and a pay phone at the “Y” in the road. The outhouse was on an island in the road. The kids burnt it every year before Halloween and the locals rebuilt it. After all it was for the comfort of the few who took a wrong turn and accidentally ended up in there.)

191. David – Same age as me and as willing to find trouble. Not as attractive or charming as his older brothers causing him to put forth more effort to gain recognition. Once through his rebellious youth, he took a much straighter path into adulthood.

192. Tracy – When we met she was still in diapers. I, just out of them. We spent years perfecting the imagine we felt was appropriate for our shared name. For a couple years we even spelt it the same. We’re Traci with an “I”.

193. Christopher, Todd and Jed – In a family so large standing out was not an easy task. As fun as they were to run through fields, climb trees and hunt with they seemed to be one united soul. I’m sure they have since found their individual spirits.

183. - 188. The Farm

183. The Farm - “What a great way to raise kids?” my stepfather commented while relaxing under the Maine sun on the working-farm owned by his cousin. Mom agreed. Adults leave for dinner, 10kids uncover shopping-bags of pot to be sorted, dried and bagged for sale.

184. Bruce - I felt so cool. You were the first drug dealer I ever met! More impressed years later when you straightened your life out. We lost touch over years but I pray you are still the happily married family man I last knew.

185. Jamie - I knew you and I could be a match made in Heaven. Even after you married and became a wife-beater. I hoped for the opportunity to change you. Opportunity never came. I’m glad I chose to believe in SantaClaus instead of you. (Not that I had a chance anyway he liked my sister!)

186. Michelle - Loud and crass. Making noise to get attention. It didn’t surprise anyone when you joined the military. But oh the gossip when it was learned you married a black man. Your wedding day, now 20 years past, is still a hot topic.

187. Theresa - A flower among weeds. So out of place on that farm with family (which included 9 siblings) and the strays (persons and animals) that your Mormon-parents took in. Such contrast. Shy and subtle among the hard, callous backdrop of farm-life. Try-as-you-may to blend, your differences made you more noticeable.

188. Little Kenny - An infant when I started spending summers with your family. I watched you evolve into a pesky-diaper-wearing rug rat to a fun-loving teenager to a responsible-caring young man. The only person I know that started filling deer-tags at the age of 2!

*I spent many a summer vacation, holiday and hunting season at "The Farm". Many lessons in life were learned teaching ducks to fly and walking barefoot through cow fields. The physical farm was sold years ago when it's proprietor built his log cabin in the woods and decided to retire. The spirit of The Farm lives on*

182. Toots aka Rebekah

Like magnetic-poetry on the refrigerator, her messages are ever changing and inspiring. Stubborn-quicktempered-moody-pragmatic-unltraistic-dramatic-beautiful-intelligent-trustworthy-loyal-hardworking-responsible-funloving-talentedwriter-fabuloussinger-dedicated-MyHero. This doesn’t even scratch the surface. Draws out things that make me want to be better. (at everything) Destined to be a Modern-Day-Pirate. Knows the difference between pirates, buccaneers and privateers!

181. Beth G.

To obtain credibility (as a pre-teen) I wanted to be your friend. With all of your credentials your popularity was because you were just plain-old-nice. It would’ve been easier if I figured out the “nice” approach as opposed to following you around like a kitten.

180. Mr. Petrianni

To me you were a sadistic bastard. Even if it was my own transgressions that put me in your charge. The punishment didn’t seem to fit the crime. Who the hell says “I want to be an in-school-suspension-monitor when I grow up?” (Decades later I must admit, you weren’t that mean)

179. Kathy from Erie

It HAS Vodka in it! As drunk as she got from that straight- orange-juice her 14year-old body consumed, she never got sick. Unbelievable-stories caused us to attempt teaching lessons. None of us had heart enough to tell her once it was over.

178. Julie C.

People aren’t meant to be monogamous, her argument for staying single. She had many “male friends”. None that could contain her wild-spirit. We came from similar worlds to live our lives out very differently only to end up in the same place.

177. Sandy from Belmont

My hair is falling out! Repeatedly my boss proclaimed. She had more hair than any person I’d known. Long-beautiful-full-dark-hair. Her mane was her husbands pride and joy during their decades of marriage. When he left her she felt her hair did too.

176. Stalker Dave, Tight-pants Dave, Crazy Dave

The nicknames seem appropriate to anyone in his company for minutes. He stalks bartenders and waitresses. Not for sex or the like but for someone to remember his name. Someone to proves he exists. That gives my existence one more important purpose.

175. Bob E.

One man talking the same things over-and-over. Trains, fires, school, police-matters or how he made your world better by a meeting he attended or some selfless act. Most has no bearing on your life; still you politely nod and thank him anyway.

174. Lara and Steve

Zany and fun. I rarely see one without the other. Together they have a gift of offering self-worth to those who believe none exists. Hippies-by-night–Teachers-by-day. They, my friends, are the future of our children. Don’t fret, it could be much worse!

173. The Marketing Genius

There’s little difference between slut and tease. Neither is a good title to hold. Both use the attention of another to fulfill one’s own needs. Whether physical or emotional. Both can cause a person to be dishonest, within more than with others.