Friday, October 4, 2013

Adieu to a Special Friend

Today it is snowing in Castle Pines, Colorado.  The hummingbirds left two days ago, and yesterday was the funeral of a special friend.

It was a beautiful fall day, leaves just starting to change to yellow, crisp air, blue skies – a day my friend would have enjoyed.

As we walked into the church, saying a sad hello to some of her family, we found our seats.  Oh it was hard to keep the tears back as a wave of memories of my special friend came back.

Special friends are those who you do not see every day or call often, but they are the friends that somehow stay in your life for years, through Christmas cards and occasional calls.  Sometimes you don’t see them for years, but then you reconnect when you are in the same city and it is like you saw them yesterday.  But because of their presence, they enhance your life.

Robin was a Francophile; she admired France, its people and its culture.  And so when her family was grown and gone, she was able to indulge her passion, polishing her French taking lessons over the years,  and traveling, especially to France.  One way that the traveling was made easier was to arrange a house exchange, which she did over the years, not just to France but the UK and other countries.

We were able to share in one of her exchanges.  When I remarried, she, her husband and youngest daughter were staying at the Loire Valley in a remodeled French farmhouse and since, for my wedding trip, my husband, my son, and I were visiting the UK and France, we were invited to come down to the Loire valley and visit them.

In my wedding album, I have a letter from Robin, on lined notebook paper, giving us specific instructions to the place, complete with a little sketch.  I was so excited, so after sightseeing in Paris, we were on our way to the Loire Valley and a farmhouse named “Louvignan,” Could we manage to find our way out of Paris to our destination?



My new husband, who is also a light plane pilot with a pilot’s sure sense of direction, did find “Louvignan” in spite of the many road signs with what seemed like arrows pointing in every direction.

The highlight was a dinner in a nearby village which Robin had arranged.  In my mind all the romantic images of France came together that evening – we ate upstairs in a special room overlooking a cobblestone courtyard.  Robin ordered in French, of course, and even though I do not remember the menu, I remember the feeling I had, of a calm bliss, that here I was a new bride, albeit a second time, in a story-book place.  And of course, when we left, the courtyard was bathed in moonlight.  A magic evening made possible by a very special friend.

So adieu, my friend.  I shall miss you, more than I can say or write.

10 comments:

  1. What a nice tribute to a very special friend! From your description, I can picture the evening you spent with her outside Paris. And the great film clip with music makes me want to visit Paris again. Thoughts and prayers are with you and Robin's family.

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    1. Thank you, CQ. Perhaps we can do a sister trip together to Paris. I do want to see it again for many reasons, because our father was there as well. I am in such a nostalgic, sad mood.

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  2. There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will.

    Very sorry for your loss. Friends are irreplaceable.

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    1. So well said, Wendy. Aren't we lucky to have those special friends in our lives?

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  3. Sad to lose a special friend sorry to hear of your loss. This was a nice tribute. I always loved France and spent a lot of time there as a young woman.

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  4. Jo, another idea for a post or two about your time in France? Thank you for your comment.

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  5. Hi, thanks for your visit to my blog. In answer to your question i sell the Cabbage Patch dolls on eBay. I want someone else to enjoy them and hopefully prevent them from needing rescuing again.

    Gill x

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  6. i am very sorry for your loss---what beautiful memories you paint <3

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  7. HI Tasha .. great tribute - love the music ... my uncle went at this time of year and I wrote a blog-post tribute about him ... but his niece didn't want me to post - so I haven't ... it was just the general description of their lives and the time of year - how it all slotted together. Still I have the article to remember them by ...

    I loved reading your thoughts here and remembrances of your special times together - what a lovely part of a honeymoon trip - possibly all the better being the 2nd marraige - more freedom and understanding of what's important etc ... the setting and meal sounds gorgeous - love France too ...

    So sorry for her loss ... to you and her family - with thoughts - Hilary

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    1. Thank you, Hilary. Special friends are treasures, like little jewels in your jewel box, not to be worn every day, but still enjoyed when the occasion arises.

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