Friendships

Our good friend, Steve, had a birthday and par for him – he is giving us gifts!  He had two awesome reclining lawn chairs that he felt would be perfect either at the Harvey House or at the cabin. As it turns out, the chairs are perfect for either locations!   He’s the kind of friend that everyone should have, and the kind of friend everyone should be.

Holly is well aware of friendships, especially with Kendra visiting her grandparents this month.  Anytime Holly is outside, she parks herself by the fence holding her soccer ball and staring at Donna, Diane & John’s back porch door.  Waiting, waiting, and waiting for her friend to come outside.  When Kendra appears, Holly is standing on all fours in a flash and her tail is doing wide, quick sweeps back & forth, back & forth.  If a wagging tail represents a smile, Holly is grinning ear to ear!   Initially Kendra had said her family was leaving town at 10:00 a.m.  I made sure Holly was home for a proper good-bye.  Kendra came running out, smiling saying she had good news – they weren’t leaving until 1:00 p.m.  She knew she had the full morning with Holly, and she took nearly every minute of it!  After playing some soccer and Find It, Kendra worked on Holly on ‘take a bow’.  Little progress was made but the effort was earnest.   Being Kendra was in training mode, I pulled out the jump Lana had given us this spring.  Holly continues to have reservations at Rally class with doing jumps.  Kendra came up agains the same reservations however with repeated trials, Holly did not want to disappoint her friend – she jumped the bar about five times.  Since then, Holly has been jumping her jumps at Rally Class with far less reservation, if any.  I should have used the ‘Phone a Friend’ tactic long ago! 

Kendra’s good bye with Holly was short and quick, just how she wanted it to be.  I too was grateful.  She confidently told her ‘I’ll see you in December.  That’s not long.’   Off she runs to the gate, thanking me for letting her play with Holly and hurrying away avoiding any further eye contact.  Saying good bye to friends is hard at any age.  Kendra has the added heartbreak knowing that Holly will be looking and longing for her for days after she leaves.   She’s also learned that Holly does not forget her and as soon as she runs into the yard again, Holly will be just as smitten with her as ever!   Exactly the kind of friend everyone should have, and kind everyone should be!