The Grand Lady has taken her leave.

    You never know how chance meetings can change your life.  I had to attend the funeral of a friend this week.  More than a friend actually.  I cannot find the words to describe how much she meant to me.  I met her at a horse show some thirty odd years ago and started giving her daughter riding lessons.  Our friendship grew from there.   We have gotten to share many things over the years.  She has been there for me through good and bad relationships, moving to California, then Phoenix.   We have both lost the ones we love.  She took me into her family and I found myself with an huge extended family.  Another grandmother, older brother and sister and aunts and uncles.  I've stayed with them during horse shows.  Been there to celebrate holidays, and she has come to horse shows with me.  We've been to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.  Up the CA coast to San Francisco and spent the day at the Wharf.  We've even camped on the beach at Pismo dunes and sat up by the campfire all night watching the waves and enjoying each others company.  She loved my partner Mark.  They were fast crazy friends from the start.

     I have the best memories of the times we spent together.  Thankfully there are a lot of them.  Watching her show her driving horse Fancy at the Pinto Nationals.The times she and Brenda came to the house to stay and ride.   Sharing a nice cigar with our friend Doris while sitting in the barn aisle with upside down buckets for chairs at Tulsa.  Flying into Fresno and going to Temecula CA for a horse show over mothers day.  Dinners with Megan and Stephanie and Sue.  A flood of memories bring a flood of tears.  She never demanded anything of me. Just expected me to do my best.  She loved to watch  her daughter Brenda show.  Those were her proudest moments.  I started calling her mom years ago and she called me her son.  She was tough as nails.  Never complained much.  Battled RA,  had a heart attack, battled throat cancer, and eventually lost her battle with Cancer.  Always hanging in there strong, complaining very little.  I on the other hand would call her whenever I needed to vent, cry, or needed her to pick me up and tell me everything would be alright and that she loved me.  At a time like this I would call her and cry and she would make me feel better.

    This summer she spent with her daughter and son in law and her grandsons.  She was very happy when I talked to her last.  She got to do her life her way.  The Grand Lady has taken her leave.