Saying Goodbye

WARNING:  THIS IS A VERY WORDY POST...

YOU'VE BEEN FOREWARNED...

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!  :)

The goodbyes have begun...I'm trying to spend time with as many friends as I can in the remaining days I have in CO ~ tears are definitely hovering under the surface, just waiting to spill over (and may have in some cases).  I'm still very excited about what's to come ~ and know that these last couple of weeks will be a whirlwind ~ but I'm realizing just how many people I'm leaving behind...it makes me so thankful for the many special friendships I have in my life.

For the past 5 years or so, I have volunteered at my local library.  Tonight was my last night going in as a volunteer.  As I've mentioned before, I LOVE to read...books have always been a big part of my life.  Several years ago I responded to an ad in the local Parker paper looking for volunteers to help in the library for what turned out to be a temporary volunteer project...I enjoyed doing it and was a little disappointed that there wasn't an on-going volunteer opportunity...but a few weeks later I received a call from the volunteer coordinator asking if I'd like to come in on a regular basis.  And I've been doing it ever since.  I've done a variety of different tasks while I was there, but for the past year or so my primary responsibility was keeping up the used 'bookstore' within the library ~ it's called "The Second Chapter" (isn't that a great name for a used bookstore)?  People donate books they no longer want and the library sells them for $.50 (for kids and some paperbacks) up to $2.00 (for hard covers) and the money goes back to the library ~ it's the best deal around in my opinion.  I've always loved the movie "You've Got Mail", partially because I love the children's bookstore Meg Ryan's character owns and runs in the movie...I've always thought it would be SO fun to have a shop like that, but I know there's just no way to compete with the Borders, Barnes & Nobles, Amazon and Costcos out there.  But working in "The Second Chapter" kind of felt like my own little bookstore.

Tonight the volunteer coordinator put together a good-bye party for me ~ she's so thoughtful, clever and sweet.  She MADE a table full of goodies...chocolate truffle pie, lemon glazed bundt cake, banana bread, brownies and HOMEMADE strawberry ice cream (everything was SO good, but ESPECIALLY the ice cream...I REALLY want to get an ice cream maker now...I don't CARE that I'm moving to the Arctic circle) :)

I didn't have my camera with me to get any pictures of the table spread, but I came home and snapped a coupe of shots of some of the goodies she used to decorate the table...

And not only is Sylvia a wonderful baker, cook, friend, grandma (she has a set of Quintuplet grandchildren among others) and volunteer coordinator, she is also a creative, crafty jewelry maker as well ~ she made this beautiful tree necklace for me and snuck it in among my things tonight...

Isn't it so cool?  I'm proud to own a Sylvia original! :)

Thank you Sylvia for the very thoughtful send-off this evening...I will really miss seeing you all each week...I hope to find another opportunity to do something similar in Anchorage....but I know it won't be the same because you won't be there!