SassyBlonde

In spite of having a great night last night, I'm sad again today, but for a different reason. My friend moved away this morning, to the other side of the country.

This isn't a shock-- we all knew and watched him go through the process of selling the house, packing up, cleaning out. We even dedicated our yearly neighborhood block party to him a couple of weeks ago, then helped him sort and stack and pack and move. And granted, he was here a couple of days longer than we thought we'd have him, so that was good. I said my goodbyes two days ago when he came down and bequeathed to me his garden supplies, scratched his intrepid canine companion (the best dog in the free world), and hugged him goodbye, so I was prepared. What I wasn't prepared for was how much I cried when I woke up this morning just in time to peek out my window and serendipitously see him drive his truck up the street and off into the wide world, away from here, with the world's best dog peeking out the passenger side window.

It's amazing how friends creep into your life in small silent ways. He was the first one to welcome us to the neighborhood here, and I could always count on seeing him when I was knee-deep in dirt wearing my floppy hat. I always knew if I had a question of problem with some esoteric plant or garden situation he would have an answer, or advice, or at least a laugh at my predicament. He would always stop and talk when he walked by, at the very least stopping for a minute so you could scratch the pup's ears before he moved on, and he never failed to ask and remember what was going on in your everyday life, whether you'd seen him every day or once in the past month. His friendship over the past four years grew to be an expected presence, and it makes me sad to think of going outside to dig without being greeted by a wet dog nose and a smile.

I know I shouldn't be sad, because he's off on a grand adventure across the country to be closer to family and other friends, bet let's face it... I'm selfish. So I'm going to go repot some plants on the potting bench he gave me, and cry, and wish for him an amazing trip, and hope I'll see him again.