"BELL BEAUTIES" BIRTHDAY CRUISE

After two  long years of planning and preparation for our cruise on the Carnival Paradise, the big day finally arrived, and there the eight of us stood on the top deck - exuberant and excited, ready to set sail !  Because our first Port of Call was Catalina, it only seemed natural  we swayed  from side to side,  and started  singing the popular 1950's song, " 26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina is A-Waitin for Me".

Since all of us hailed from Bell (yes, the now infamous City of Bell, California), we tagged ourselves the "Bell Beauties", and  rarely separated ourselves from one another  for five days and  four nights, causing some to think we might be be members of an elite softball or bowling team, or some other tight knit women's group.  In fact, during dinner one night a lady approached our table telling us she had a bet with some of her fellow travelers suggesting the eight of us must be nurses !

We laughed out loud. No. Not nurses, just life long friends.  Some of us from early childhood.  All of us through high school days and college days; Weddings, divorce, kids and grand-kids.  We've known each other most  our lives, and share a deep bond of friendship - sometimes miles keeping us apart, but always close in heart. These past many months we've cheered the birth of Sandy's grand-daughter, Josie; Pauline's move to Bend, Susan's sky-diving adventure, Roberta's museum promotion and Sandy L's son safe return from Iraq.  We've mourned the loss of Manya's dad, and the unexpected death of Margaret's brother, Bill; and my brother, Walt. We continue to support each other with prayer and encouragement, to share both laughter and tears. When we say to one another, "I love you, friend", we know it has real meaning because our words  ring true and sincere.

To our amazement, we turn 60 this year!  All agreed we needed to do something really special for our annual get together.  A cruise was the perfect idea.

While the cruise was to celebrate all our birthdays,  September 23 -  the last full day of the cruise  was Margaret's actual birthday.   The gang  planned a surprise cocktail party for Marg in her cabin.  We could hardly wait to greet her, and loudly sing, "Happy Birthday" as she walked through the door.  We knew Margaret was downstairs  in the casino playing slots,  what we didn't know was she was being held captive by one !  As time passed and Margaret didn't show, we still wanted to sing "Happy Birthday" and cheer her, so designated an over sized coconut monkey head to take her place.  Even adding Margaret's bathing suit, her sandal's and sunglasses  making it  more Margaret like. It was a hoot ! As we posed for pictures and sang "Happy Birthday" to the monkey/Margaret, we got the giggles and  couldn't stop laughing. The whole thing kept getting more and more silly.  Then, like a magic poof ,  there she was - the real Margaret sauntering into the room. Each of us quickly rushed to give her a  big hug, lifted our glasses to toast her day, and started singing "Happy Birthday" again, this time even more loudly.

What a swell party it was.

Before departing the ship we discussed where we should meet next.  New York ?  Atlanta? Williamsburg?  Any of those places would be interesting and fun.  However, in the end it doesn't really matter  so much where we go.  What matters  is that  we'll  be together.

Walt and the F-Word (Edited)

September 4. My brother won't be here   to celebrate his birthday. At least not in the usual way. It will be left to us , his  family and friends -  those who hold him dear - to celebrate the day of his birth with flowers on his grave, and a  tiny Sealtest Ice Cream truck; and  special  Masses offered for  Walter Cooney RIP+

We  reminisce about his  life with  love and  laughter and  happy stories; and an occassional bittersweet tear, wishing we could hold him close and touch his hand just one more time.

 A couple years ago Walt told our mother he thought he inherited  her same easy  temperament; that his personality was a lot like hers. I think he was right.   I was the fiery one, more cautious about allowing someone new enter our sphere.

 Recalling Walt's words to mom  made me think back to when he was 15 years old  and  asked  me to   take him and his pal, Jimmy  to the store.  "Sure",  I said, "Let's go!"    We  climbed into my   red  '65  Volkswagen ,  and off we went.

I bet we didn't drive further than  two blocks, maybe three when Jimmy made what I precieved to be an uncouth , off colored, derogatory comment about Walt.  I immediately jerked the car to a stop and told Jimmy to get out, that I didn't appreciate his colorful language , especially in reference to my brother.   Poor  Walt, he  couldn't believe I was actually telling his best  friend  to get out of the car. I'm sure  Walt was mortified.    When Jimmy just sat there, I jumped out of the car, sprint  to the other side, opened the passenger door,  grabbed his arm, and told him  in no uncertain terms to get out.  Guess I shouldn't have been surprised,  not only did Jimmy get out of the car, so did my brother.

A short time later  Walt rushed through the front door  and  yelled  out , "Mom! Mom!  You've got to tell my sister she can't boss my friends!"  As our mother  walked in from the kitchen, he yelled again  "Mom",   then abruptly turned from mom to me,  and  with finger pointing at my nose loudly  roared,   "You! Ffff. Ffff. Ffff.  FROG! "

 There stood  my little brother,   so serious and  angry,   calling me a   'Frog'.   Although,  I was sorry I upset him ,  the whole scene   just made me laugh,  not a haughty, mean  kind of laugh - but a tickled, tears rolling down the cheeks  kind of laughter.   Walt's anger was  so out of character.  It was one of those  funny moments in family life.  Maybe the kind of moment   one   has to be there to appreciate  how silly it was,   because pretty soon Walt  stopped being mad, and  was laughing, too.  Then mom started in.  So there the three of of stood,   like we were a comedy team on stage, laughing out loud at our own joke.

While Walt  may   have  wanted  to let another F-word roll off  the tip of his teen-age  tongue, he exercised self control instead ,   knowing  that  F- word would never be appropriate to use in front of his mother or sister.    For many years  afterward  I would give Walt some kind of decorative frog  for his birthday.  It kept the frog  memory alive, and was always one F-word that made us smile.