Life Just Outside The 617

CHAPTER 1 - Falling For Someone - Literally and Figuratively

Y/N TXT: Grabbing a few bottles of wine at the packie with my errands I've got to run today. Do you need anything else while I'm there?

I texted my oldest and dearest BFF from childhood.

L TXT: Mango Moscato preferably if you can find it. It's been one hell of a week, and I could probably polish off two bottles all on my own.

She responded back to me.

Y/N TXT: Then four bottles it is. Need me to grab a bottle of aspirin and set a gallon of water next to the guest bed tonight? LOL

L TXT: You know, that isn't a bad idea. I've got to function in the AM, my daughter has gymnastics meet down in Plymouth. And then my son has his baseball game in the early afternoon. Mommy's gotta at least show up to that without a pair of sunglasses on this time. LOL.

Y/N TXT: Sounds rough. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're not too hungover. I got you.

L TXT: Thanks, my friend. I'll text you when I'm OMW, expecting to be in Franklin by 7 PM.

Y/N TXT: Sounds good. See you then.

Tossing my iPhone back onto the kitchen island, I continued to mill about the house to clean and tidy up a bit before I headed out the door.

My BFF, Laurie since we were 12 years old. We met in junior high school and hit it off. She and I first met at a pool party of one of our mutual friends that summer. She had recently lost her Mother to cancer. So young. So unfair. I extended my compassion and friendship to her, and we have been inseparable for many years. Yes, the years go by, and life happens. College years enter most lives and she met and married the love of her life within a few years after business college graduation. We always kept in touch though. Whether it was via letters in the mail (old fashion, not quite the notes we used to pass in class - but there was something about getting a handwritten note/letter from a dear friend that was nice). Eventually over time we emailed and these days. Like everyone else on the planet, we resort to texting or social media.

For a stretch of time, I lived in Florida. Spending time on the West Coast near Tampa Bay (who would've ever thought that this would be the place where Tom Brady would end up?), and naturally I'd do the obligatory vacation to Disney World with friends and family came down to visit. You simply can't go to Florida without going there. A full-fledged member of the Mouseketeer Club I should be by now. But dealing with ridiculous humid and hot weather and high electricity bills from running the air conditioning constantly just wasn't for me anymore. Sure, buying a house down there was a heck of a lot cheaper. More bang for the buck. But my heart always belonged to my home state of Massachusetts. Four seasons of which seemed to blend into one another in a blink of an eye. My favorite? Autumn, always. No question. There's just something about watching the explosive colors on the trees that cover the land. And always with my camera in tow and my iPhone - I'm looking for perfect photo ops to capture the essence of what is and always will be home. 20,000+ pictures I've amassed over the years. Some may say they all look the same, to me they don't. Each one I've taken speaks to me in its own special way. You just have to have grown up and lived around this to appreciate it. If you haven't seen the spectacular splash of colors in this region, then what are you waiting for?

I've had been home now for nearly 10 months. Adapting back into everything I had ever known once again made this native girl much happier. How could it not? I was once again close to my family and friends. And delighted to be more involved in my little niece's lives. Being over 1900 miles away from such sweetness really tore at my heart while I was away. Now, back in the fold and hearing the beautiful sound of "Auntie" in my home several times a month, it was a huge piece of my heart that was missing. Nothing feels better than getting those hugs and kisses from them.