Garfield Girls

     Summertime. School is out. The Loving Roommate Society of Garfield Street has by necessity dissolved and will, alas, never be quite the same again.

     It is always strange being here when the other 4 girls are away, and I'm going to be here all summer while they are gone or will soon be taking off on their varied and restful and exciting lives. I shall miss their lovely persons, all their delightful quirks, our funny conversations, our movies while we're all crammed onto one ordinary-sized couch, and the crazy moments in my car when accidents seem inevitable but are always avoided.
     I'll miss waking up to Tali putting away dishes in the morning, and when we gang up on a huge pile of pots and pans and plates and cups and wine glasses after an epic weekend. I'll miss the rommmate dinners and the hospitality dinners, crowding too many people around our tables and asking the smallest person to sit on the high wooden stool, and passing the food and laughing at Emma's salting techniques and the ever-present problem of the water filter pitchers falling apart as you pour your water. I'll miss the after-dinner festivities: playing with the candles, snacking from the last piece on the serving dish, messing with the guitar and the mandolin, newspaper and seven pencils games, watching the fire and re-stoking it, or going out into the grass in the nice weather. I'll miss the walks at midnight, the pumpkin pie at midnight, the peanut butter cookies at midnight, watching House far past midnight, and laughing until we are almost sick at many of those crazy hours.
     I'll miss Emma's beautiful voice coming from the bathroom, Maria's Italian playlist coming on when she needs a perk, Becki's singing along with her country music while she has her earbuds in, and Tali's loud sunshine music on Saturday morning cleaning sprees.
     I'll miss the mountain trips, the Winco trips, and going to church together. I'll miss how we keep our food in separate cupboards but share something at least once a day. I'll miss asking for help with hair and what to wear to a dance. I'll even miss the little pregnant squaw and her legacy.
     I'll miss reading the funny-page together. I'll miss talking about guys. And talking about church services. And talking about our families. I'll miss Emma's generosity with MnM's and with the hilarious frosted mini-wheats. And Becki's sudden urges to make pudding or elaborate dinners when she is stressed. I'll miss Ria's snark, and Tali's scandalousness and obsession with putting pepper into things.
     I'll miss pretty much everything about the last nine months with these lovely ladies. It has been one of the best years of my life, and probably mostly because of who I spent it with. God has used these servants of His to sanctify and gladden me time and time again. What a gift, our year in the corner house together.