Momentous Friends

TA DA! Lo, Marianne, & kj
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I am not someone who has many close friends. I am well liked, hopefully for good reason, but I don't allow myself to be vulnerable with many people, and I know that being willing to be vulnerable makes a friendship a close friendship.

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My darling friend Liz, Marianne's darling son, and my darling JB

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Last Thursday, Liz came to Ptown for our annual vacation here. JB, Liz and I have the best time, often doing very little. We fall into each day as we wish, and we enjoy every moment. Sometimes we go out for breakfast, we go to the beach, we shop, we read, we take naps. We talk a lot. Liz is my Sister-Friend. She and I made that term up years ago, and she is the only person I use it with.

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Liz is a 'real' friend. I met her through JB's work and I am quite happy to be myself in her presence.
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As Liz prepared to head out, Lo and Marianne arrived. This was an event to be forever cherished, because Marianne has come from the Netherlands and three blog friends met in person for the first time.

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Lo is a 'real friend. She started out a blog friend and that was plenty wonderful, but over time we have become close friends in real place and time.
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Marianne is a blog friend. Except that changed as of Monday.
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She and Lo and Marianne's twelve year old son arrived here in Provincetown. It was spectacular.

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First of all, just meeting and hugging Marianne was pretty spectacular.

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She is very beautiful, fashionable, lovely, wonderful. I am not exaggerating.

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Her son is very adorable, sweet, fantastic and charming. He is a total delight to be with.

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I am talking about friends who are great to be with.
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What did we do together? Ah, along with Liz for a bit of time and JB throughout, we witnessed magic. Not ordinary magic, mind you: this was the special astonishing magic of friendship.

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Marianne is a real friend too.

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I now know how her hands move, how wonderfully she and her boy laugh together, how clearly she adores Lolo, how trim and well dressed she is, how wise and loose and thoughtful she is.
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JB was an incredible co-hostess. She volunteered to take this charming boy to the pool so Lo, Marianne and I could walk along Commercial Street and visit galleries, stop for a seaside drink. She was her kind thoughtful self from beginning to end. I am always so thankful and proud of who JB is. She is as loving and kind to me as I have ever known.

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Marianne brought abundant gifts for both of us, from China and Holland and from her own hand.

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She also had painted birth mandalas for JB and me, and each is incredibly amazingly vibrantly beautiful. I will cherish mine forever. Both will be hung in a blessed spot in our home.

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It's pretty obvious the three of us are pretty damn knock down gorgeous, don't you think so?

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Marianne, friend to Lolo and kj, new friend to JB, terrific Mother and amazing artist, and her sweet darling boy are heading back to New York tomorrow and flying home. Safe travels, dear friend. You can bet We'll do it again.
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Love
kj