It's Copacetic Everything's Jake: For My Friend Joan ...

I have blogged about lots of friends and family ... I have blogged in the past to share pictures of my garden with my friend Joan ... but I have never really talked in depth about Joan. My friend Joan is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She is one of those people that I believe God put in my path for reasons that at the time I didn't understand ... but years later it became very clear. Joan is someone that I love with all my heart ... and would be truly lost without. I love Joan for more reasons than I can list ... but I will try to list just a few...

Several years ago I had a panic attack ... I had them before but nothing like this ... late one night during a bad snow storm panic swept over me and I thought I was going to die ... I ran outside thinking the fresh air would make me breathe ... but it just got worse ... I came back in the house and had no idea what to do ... I thought I was dying ... (if you have never had a panic attack you won't understand) ... I called Joan ... and she talked me off the ledge ...her calm, soothing, mothering voice and good advice got me through ... what I believe was one of the most frightening moment of my life.

My animals or the strays that I try to care for ... through the years have sometimes needed more than I was capable of ... Joan always gives me the best advise ... I can call her all hours of the day or night and she is always willing to listen ... offer suggestions and promise to do research (and she always calls back with answers) ... animals are her love and life!

We have spent many hours crying and laughing over our mutual children that are not ours ... children born to others and yet we love as though we gave birth to them ourselves ... each of us knowing that one gives to one what the other cannot and just happy that we as a whole fill in the gap when we are needed ...

When my marriage of 20 years came to a sudden halt ... I showed up on Joan's doorstep crying and asking for wisdom ... wisdom is what I got ... she told me only I could decide what was right for me ... no one else could live my life ... take care of me ... she hugged me and assured me I would be OK .. and I was ...

There have been many time I have asked Joan if what I was feeling was normal and she always tells me I am just fine ... even when I feel the craziest.

I am lucky and honored that Joan calls me friend ...

and now a few pictures for Joan ...