Friends . . .

"Once in awhile a friend is found who's a
friend right from the start
Once in awhile a friendship's made that
really warms the heart
Once in awhile a friendship's found to
have a lifetime through
It really does happen, just once in a while -
it happened to me and you."
~Author Unknown

Yesterday I had the most wonderful experience of being able to talk to a very special lady via the telephone. Lura of Grammy's News . I was so excited to finally be able to talk to her and her husband John, that I was doing the happy dance all over the kitchen afterwards. She was just as lovely on the telephone and had such a sweet voice, exactly as I had imagined. Every once in a while you meet someone, either real or an invisible friend, like I like to call you all on here, and you just connect in a very special way. So it has been with Lura since she first left a comment here on my page. It was so very nice to be able to connect with her now in real life instead of just the written word.



I've made ever so many wonderful friends through this medium we call the Internet. Real women, with wonderful soul . . . women who touch me daily with their hearts and their words, who are not afraid to share that which means the most to them in their lives . . . with me and with the world. It's really special, this online relationship, this special connection we feel with one another.

I live a pretty isolated life here at Oak Cottage. We are quite separate from the village up here, and in fact I can say with all honesty that in all of the five years I have been living here I have not met one person from the village, so there have been no friendships made. It is somewhat of a bedroom town. Most who live here work elsewhere and in truth we all lead such busy lives today there is not a lot of time for standing around and making each other's acquaintance. I work long hours and so I don't really get out and about much anyways. My main social time is early in the morning when I get up and come on here and pen these words, write and answer e-mails, chat a bit with my family and friends.



I have church friends of course, dear ladies that mean the world to me. We don't get to see each other very often though. Mostly on Sunday's I'd say, unless we make special arrangements to see each other at other times. Because of the hours I work, I don't often get to go to Enrichment evenings or activities. For some reason, most of them are held on the nights I have to work, or during the daytime when I am at work as well. Our church Ward covers a really large area and so we are also quite spread apart distance wise and it's not that easy to get together during the week unless it's for something special. It's not like we all live in the same community within an arms reach of each other. On Sunday mornings though, that church hall is full of chatter and friendly faces and welcoming arms. It's pretty special.

“We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance.” ~Marjorie Pay Hinckley



I cannot remember my mother having very many friends when I was growing up. I expect that she was too busy taking care of the home and us children, until she started back to work again, and then it was her job that took up most of her time. I have always surrounded myself with friends. I am a woman who enjoys the company and companionship of other women. I’ve had many good friends through the years, some younger, some older, all dearly loved by myself. When I make a friend, I make them for life and I cherish each one of them for what they are and who they are. Friends are indeed family you get to pick for yourself.

I have often heard it said that in order to have a friend, one must first be a friend, and that is so very true. There is nothing less satisfying than having a relationship with someone who only takes and never gives anything back. There is something very special about the easy camaraderie of two people, who know each other well, and can give and take with the ease of knowing the other’s faults and yet loving the other anyways, despite their shortcomings. I expect people to take me as I am, and so, I accept them for who they are in return.



I look upon other women as fellow sisters and companions in this great adventure we call life. We are not in this to compete with each other, but instead to uphold, cherish and love each other. When we see one of us beginning to falter and fall back along the way, we have a duty as a beloved sister to grab hold and help the other to come forward and to support and uphold her in every way possible. You never know when you might need the favour in return. At the end of the day, I could live without the companionship of a man, but I would dreadfully miss the companionship, understanding and friendship of other women. We’re really are all in this together. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give, and I thank each one of you for all that you give to me each day with your lovely comments and caring words. They truly do mean the world to me.



I did a little Christmas Painting late yesterday afternoon. I have in mind to do a whole series of nativity paintings. This is the first boy I have done. What do you all think of him? I'm not sure what I am going to do with him yet. Perhaps turn him into a Christmas ornament?

I made the most delicious little mouthful's the other day. I have always been a fan of Amaretti Biscuits. I just love almonds and these are truly an Almond Lover's delight. Slightly soft and crumbly these are not like the crisp amaretti biscuits you can get which are also very good. They're also very easy to make. I'll never buy amaretti again . . . these will definitely be on my Christmas Baking trays this year!



*Soft Amaretti*
Makes about 36

Slightly crisp on the outsides with a soft and crumbly interior these are full of delicious almond flavour. Little bites of almond pleasure . . .

1 1/2 pounds of ground almonds
(Make sure they are ground as fine as possible without becoming paste)
2 cups fine white sugar (440g)
(not powdered)
pinch of salt
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp of pure almond essence
(Make sure it's pure and not the artificial)
icing sugar for dredging the finished biscuits in

Pre-heat the oven to 350*F/180*C. Line two flat baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Make sure your oven rack is on it's lowest level.

Check to see if your almonds are fine enough by passing them through a sieve. If not, give them a quick whirl in the blender. You don't want an almond paste, but you do want them very finely ground.

Place the almonds into a large mixing bowl along with the sugar and a healthy pinch of salt. Whisk together well. Mix together the eggs and the almond essence and add it all at once.

Using two teaspoons, scoop out balls of the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheets. They will be somewhat irregular in shape, but that's ok. It only adds to their charm. Leave about an inch between each.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Raise the oven rack to the middle position. Return the biscuits and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for another 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the other baking sheet.

Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and dredge each cooled biscuit completely in it. Store in an airtight container. If anything, these taste better as the days pass.