Friend

I have a friend!

She's pretty decent. Young, attractive, optimistic, articulate, fun loving and generally happy.

She's well educated, cultured, artistic, creative. She has a great level head on her shoulders and runs her own business, earns a good living. She brings me back to reality when I go off on my diatribes. She calms my temper she soothes my savage breast when I'm hormonal or depressed. She knows more about me than any other person on the planet with perhaps one other exception. She buys me flowers for no reason at all and can read my moods.

We cry together, we laugh together we drink together, we dine together. We holiday together but not all the time. We car pool, we share money and friends. We drink together and have nibbly bits on Friday whilst dangling our feet in the pool. We go to concerts together, and festivals together. We walk the dog, watch soppy chick flicks. We used to ride horses together and in many ways I taught her most of what she knows in terms of respecting others, being compassionate, understanding differences but being hard enough to ask for what you want and to not let people walk over you. She taught me to be more patient, optimistic and grateful. She taught me great love. That big love that makes you feel like bursting. That enduring, unconditional, incredible overwhelming, tear-welling love. But we are not lovers. We are very different.

She reads a lot, parties hard and drives like a maniac. I hardly ever read a book except when on holiday. I'm a bit of a voluntary social recluse and drive like a 'Nana' apparently. She's slim, attractive with lovely fine grained skin and long auburn hair. I'm chubby and ageing and have a bonce loaded with greying frizz. She burps and farts and swears like a trooper a lot, then giggles afterwards. I save most of that for my private time or when I'm hanging washing on the line. She hates to cook, I love it. She adores the beach. I hate getting sand in my crack. She travels constantly . . I travel vicariously.

In many ways we're proof that opposites attract. She's a bit of a slob, I'm anally retentive. She doesn't mind roughing it, I like a hot shower and my bed turned down. She loves desserts and I crave savouries. She drinks beer, I drink wine. She looks stunning in a little black dress, I prefer my yoga pants and a t-shirt. Mess doesn't bother her, it drives me crazy. Her blood group is O, mine's A. Her eyes are hazel, mine are brown, her fingers are slender, mine are stumpy.

I don't have many friends. The ones I have, I treasure and they're loyal even if I am neglectful. I do forget their birthdays, anniversaries, high days and holidays but I never forget the milestones in her life and there have been many, I've been there for them all. She's the sweetest thing on the planet. The most honest and determined soul I know. Indeed an 'old soul' she's been here before I swear!

There is one very important thing that we share . . . she carries my genes. I look at her every day and think she looks nothing like me and wonder from where did such a creature emerge. Yet others see a similarity. She is ying to my yang, black to my white, softness to my brutality. She's the light in my dark and the stars in my sky.

It's her birthday tomorrow and she'll be 25 years old. I am so, so, grateful to have a daughter who is proud to call me friend and a friend that I am proud to call my daughter.

I grew that! Al by my selfses. Erm she's blowing hot soup
while we were sitting around one of our winter bonfires

Happy birthday baby. I love you and I like you . . you are without a shadow of a doubt my best friend.

Ok you can all have a group hug now!

Now that you've either thrown-up or sobbed your hearts out. Check out the other 'Friends' contributing to Theme Thursday.

And for the record. I'm not one of those mother's who mollycoddled their kids and displayed every bloody certificate and trophy they won. I didn't brag about them when they were growing but these days, I find it hard not to share my appreciation and affection for them. They've seen me through an awful year and been bloody awesome. I share more with them than I should but that's what makes us a 'unit'. They even know my pin number! Just as well there's diddly in the account!