Today was a YaYa day. Thank goodness! I was really needing a day of crafting, potlucking, and most of all story-telling. When my well is in danger of running dry, the YaYas refill it.
This has been a particularly horrible week. So bad that I took a vacation day Friday just to recover. The details are pretty private, but let me just say that I'm seriously rethinking my...career path. Anyway, when I'm wounded, I tend to withdraw. I say, "I need to get in the back of the closet and close the door." And that's not too far from literal truth. I don't want to answer the phone or the door. I don't even want to get dressed. So it was with a great deal of effort that I showed up at Annie's today for a YaYa get-together. I am so glad I did.
As soon as I arrived, Annie had a story from the lips of Petite YaYa Olivia (her 4-year-old daughter) that just cracked me up and melted my heart. (She also posted a brief version on her blog, making me momentarily famous.) Young Livvie Lou knows my soul and made me feel recognized in the world. Thank you, precious little friend.
Then Janna arrived and silently handed me a baggie of green dryer lint! Yea! I'm too cheap to buy cotton fibers to use in my handmade papers. I discovered years ago that dryer lint works great. I have a constant supply of gray lint from my own laundry. But my friends, who are as OC as I am, now save batches of colored lint from beachtowels and such for recycling into colored paper. Every time I see Janna, she has a wonderful new batch for me. (She must have fabulous towels.) I love it!
The taco/nacho potluck was heavenly. Lisa always cooks--I mean real cooking, as opposed to just heating things, which is my style of cooking. So we had her to thank for the delicious taco meat. And with the YaYas on hand, there was every other taco fixin' you can imagine. (I caught myself giving another little satisfied sigh, just now, thinking about it.)
And then there were the stories. New stories from Nataki, who we're just getting to know. Old stories from me--told 100 times before, but still laughed at enthusiastically by my kind sisters. Charming stories about toddlers. Shocking stories about teenagers. The word "panties" got bandied about a lot. And "firetruck." It was a day full of the laughter that happens when women who love and enjoy one another are together.
Being with the YaYas reminded me that I have a place in the world, and it's a good place. I love every one of you, from the most mature, Aunt Toots, to the youngest, Olivia. And I am one lucky woman to know you.
2 comments:
Oh Denise!! I'm sending you a ton of cyber hugs! Shitty weeks are the worst, but I'm glad you have the sense to take a day off and the Ya-Yas to keep you sane. :)
We need a NW Ya Ya Club!
Denise, I found tears welling up in my eyes after reading such a beautiful description of our little sisterhood. Your words capture the warmth, support, and hilarity of each of our "meetings." Thank you!!!
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