Daisy, Iris, Violet and Christmas Rose Plan Their Vacation . . .

   by Maxine Davis

I saw them coming up the steps, and I practically ran out on the porch to greet them.  “Hello!  Did everybody ride together?”   Lucky them:  they had ridden together and had, therefore, already started the “party.”

“Great!” And the hugs began.  The four of us started talking at the same time.

I knew that I’d have to corral them, so I announced, “Y’all, come on inside.  I’ve got the Bloody Marys ready by the fire place!”   Now the start of the party would be official.

“Did you use fresh limes?”

“Of course I did, Rose.  I knew you were coming.”  Snorts and eye-rolls from the others.  If we had heard it once….  Rose, as usual, ignored them.

We don’t get together all that often anymore, but after over 30 years as close friends, it takes about 10 seconds to feel as if we had just seen each other last week.   The occasion for this particular get-together was to plan our yearly vacation, and, once again, we’ll go to the mountains.

We will drink champagne and Bloody Marys, eat wonderful finger-food, have delightful late dinners and sit in front of the fire—inside and outside—and talk.  The steadfast rule:  What happens in the mountains, stays in the mountains, and for that reason, when I introduce you to this close group of friends, you still won’t know our names.  We are:  Daisy, Iris, Violet and Christmas Rose.

We have shared happiness, tears, weddings, births, deaths and a big load of griping.

The point is–we are all Girlfriends.  I see young girls getting married.  My unsolicited advice:  keep your girlfriends.  You will need them.  They will be there for you, forever.  A husband, a partner, a boyfriend—they are all wonderful.  You share their love and their life, but I am talking friendships of a lifetime.  These are friends who, with one phone call, will all drop whatever they are doing and be right there with you when you need them.

Do you have true Girlfriends?  There’s nothing like it.