FRIENDS

Here are pics of some of the people I have met on the internet. I don't consider them "internet friends". . . just *friends* that I was lucky enough to hook up with on the net. These are my "special" group of friends.


Carla

Well, here is the person most directly responsible for me getting online in the first place. She was there before me, but we mostly jumped into the web together, holding hands like "Thelma & Louise"...never guess who we ran into FIRST??...yep...the ol Zookeeper! Lost in a therapy room...*lol*..
Carla is not just my sister~~ more importantly she is my "Friend"...you can't pick your relatives, but you can pick your friends....and if she weren't my sister, she would still be my most cherished friend. After all I have known her since the day she was born....I remember even though I was only 4 yrs old...*eg*...
The memories we share are all that you would expect...most of them hilariously funny and astonishing in the mere fact that we were so incredibly stupid and silly....some are the darkest days of our lives, shrouded in grief and pain of one sort or another. But through it all, we had each other to lean on, to cry with, to laugh with...I thank God that she is my sister. I am blessed.
However....don't let that "angelic" looking face fool you for one minute! She is ALMOST as rotten as me!! *g*....I LOVE YOU, OLLIE!!

UPDATE

Since this has been written my beloved sister has passed away. This was on Sept.7th, 2,000. No one in this world will ever realize how much I will miss this precious part of my life. She was not only my sister, she was my best friend in the whole wide world. She knew me as know one ever did or ever will.

~~May God hold her in his loving arms~~


Ron47

I have known Ron for over 4 years now. He has become very special to me in many ways. He is intelligent, kind, compassionate, caring, funny and very, very sweet. Ron has chatted with me on many a lonely night and has always made me feel good/better...he has always been willing to listen to me babble on and on...and sometimes, it wasn't pretty!....but he has always been there for me and swears he always WILL be there for me...and THAT is something that I REALLY count on! Ron has proven to me all the things he promised and we share a very special relationship. We now share a life together in Lakeland, FL. He has made me the happiest woman in the world! He has shown me that life can be so beautiful when you are with the right person. He has made the biggest difference in my life and I will forever be grateful that I found him...

Ron, only YOU know how very special you are to me....
((((((HUMONGOUS HUGS))))))


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Barb

Barb and I have been friends for almost as long as I can remember. We met at school back in the Fred Flintstone days as young teenagers. She has been a part of my life for some 47 yrs. (OH MY GOD! Are we THAT old??!!)

Barb has been my nearest and dearest friend most of my life. They say laughter keeps you young and healthy... if that is the case, Barb will live to be 200! I have never known anyone that seems to laugh more than Barb! And when Barb laughs, everyone laughs.

Now we are about 1,000 miles apart and I hate it! We were supposed to go to town in our red hats and purple dresses when we got old! (are we there, yet?).All I can say is that everyone in the world should have a friend like Barb. I love her, dearly and I miss her soooo much!


Kathy & Bob

Bob is Ron's brother. They are 17 months apart in age. Kathy is Bob's new wife. They live in Brandon, FL., not too far from us. We have spent some fun times with them and have enjoyed them all. We spent a really fun time with them on Labor Day out on Bob's boat on the Alafia River. Except for getting SO SPLASHED... LOL... we had a fantastic time. It is good to have family to have some fun times with. They are really a fun couple.


Elwood

I have known this man for more than 20 years. He is as sweet, kind, funny, compassionate and intelligent now as he was over 20 years ago! I will always consider him one of my dearest, most sincere and trusted friends. He has a way about him that makes him such a dear, sweet, handsome, gentle guy. He has a fantastic sense of humor and anyone that can make me laugh the way he does will be my friend forever!! I shall never forget you, Elwood...in this life or the next one! And now that we are BOTH getting old, every day that we remain friends is a blessing.

*Really BIG hugs!*
!!

UPDATE

My beloved friend passed away in June of 2006. There are no words to express the loss I feel so deeply for this warm and kind human being. I will miss him forever and like so many others I have lost, my only hope is 'in the next life'.


Zookeeper

aahhh. . . What can I say about this guy?? My "FIRST" friend on the internet. It was because of him we planned the Texas get together. For without him, there could be no "get together". I guess he is the glue that has held us together. He is the one who made our trip to Texas all that it was. For that alone, I will be forever grateful.

He is kind, compassionate, easy to talk to. He is also funny, ornery and exasperating enough to get *BONKED* several times a chat session! *lol*

He is the one we go to with a problem. He is the one who lights up the chat room with his entrance. He has touched us all in our hearts, souls and minds. He has laughed with us, cried with us. . . stayed with us. He is also a pastor with his own church. :)

Zookeeper~~ we love you!~~(((((hugs)))))

Visit Zookeeper's Home Page


karen2.jpg

Karen


I met Karen online in TG. We became very good friends. We were roomates in Texas when we all went there to meet some of our friends from TG. I have visited her in her home in TN. several times. She is a very nice person and has a wonderful family.She has recently married someone that she met on the internet. I wish her nothing but the very best of luck!

We have mostly lost touch with each other these days and in a way I really miss that closeness we shared, but in another way, I think it was time for it to end. I will never forget you, Karen. *sigh*


Free

This is one of my dearest, most trusted friends. I have known him, like the rest on this page, practically since "The Gathering" opened it's doors. He has recently retired from the army and is presently living in Colorado.

He is a single parent of 3 "teenagers" (egads!) and still seems relatively sane... *heh heh*. He is a great dad and I have the utmost respect for this man. We have had many long talks into the night and I truly admire him for many reasons. He is someone who is easy to talk to and is a kind and compassionate listener. My sister and I met him IRL and he is just as sweet as he was on the net...also available...but probably not for long. I think he is going through the last of the applications already...*grin*...
(Can I say *huggie wuggies* without embarassing you?...*eg*...doin' it anyway!!..:)

Visit Free's Homepage


Houston

Houston is a real time police officer. Getting to know him has brought a new understanding to my life about alot of things, but especially the police force. I have tons of respect for this quiet, complex man.
I wish many things for Houston. I hope he finds that special joy that he needs in his heart. I hope he doesn't forget how to laugh and have fun. I hope he finds the rewards he deserves for this mostly "thankless" job he does for us. I hope he finds inner peace.
Most of all I say a special prayer that God will guide him, keep him safe and bless him every day.

Spaceghost & Abbey

Well, aren't they just TOO cute? And we don't even hate them because they are beautiful!!..*lol*...

Abbey was my first female friend on the net. We have shared quite a few laughs together, and even some tears. My little "Abber Dabber" will always be one of my dearest friends.

Spaceghost, aside from being handsome, is a loving, devoted husband. He is funny, intelligent and does a mean "macarena"! WOW!!!!...

They have adopted a beautiful little boy and I know they are all just as happy as can be... and that little boy is one lucky kid!


KD

KD is another fairly new friend of mine. I have found him to be intelligent, funny, sensitive and very sweet. Our conversations have been very serious at times to silly at others...we relate very well. KD is from NY..the state, not the city...and swears I should be able to tell from his writing that he does NOT have a NY accent!

I think (hope) we will be friends for a very long time. He certainly has all the right stuff to make him one of my 'permanent' friends...and now let me tell you his favorite word..."DUH"....*lol*....sorry, KD, had to do that!...

**HUGS AND MORE HUGS**...:)


Shortribs

Well, I am not sure I can even begin to describe this little "piggy" (shortribs)! He is the apple of so many eyes (all women, of course!). He sure does get his little piggy kisses! We all spoil him rotten and he loves it! He is ornery, sweet and mischievious all at the same time (how DOES he do that?). And he wears this great piggy cologne that has us all swooning...*grin*...
Life has not been real kind to Ribs, health-wise, for a long time, but he has such a fighting spirit and a glorious sense of humor, that no one would ever know what he has had to endure in his life... Ribs, so many people love you and pray for you, we know you are going to be around forever to torment us!!
*giant hugs*


Mazie

And then we have Mazie (Mazie-Bob to her dearest friends)...who has to put up with Ribs! *Yikes!* What a job that must be!!! Lucky for her, he worships the ground she walks on... I met Mazie in Tx. when we all got together in 96 and I found her to be one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met! She has a great sense of humor (which is needed when you realize who she lives with...*g*...) She is a great and strong lady and I admire and respect her very much. She is also a barrel of fun! I hope we will always be friends, 'cause you can't go wrong with friends like her!!
(((((((Hugs, Mazie!!))))))


Aerohead

Now here is a fairly new friend of mine. He is a piano player(in a country/rock band) and with the way he is obsessed with it, I just KNOW he is very good!
another very intelligent guy and he is also helping me with some of my computer problems....(thats always a plus in my book!..*g*...)
I find him to be a 'riddle' kinda guy...can't QUITE figure him out...yet(but just give me time!). He has a 'motto' that I find very intriguing and admirable....
"I will tell you the truth a hundred different ways before I will lie to you!". (Cool, huh?)...
I am sure we will have many fascinating conversations...AND I FINALLY got my picture that he promised!...((hugs))
Visit Aerohead's Homepage

Yanna

Here is your typical California lady! Drives like a bat outta hell (those freeways, ya know). She gave lots of the people that rode with her slight heart failure at times, but she got us there (in a fat hurry, too!) I would drive with her ANYWHERE!! She is good!

Yanna is a real blast to be around. She has always got a smile on her face and a heart as big as all outdoors. Meeting her was a genuine pleasure. I will never forget this dear, sweet woman and I am confident we will be friends forever...


Simon

Dear sweet, gentle, unassuming Simon...what a guy! He is a counselor and I can honestly say I believe that has to be the best job in the world for him. He is a fantastic listener and one of the greatest friends I have.

He has taken a hard blow that life has dealt him and made the very best out of it that is humanly possible. He has a spirit about him that is indomitable.

This is a friend that I have yet to meet, but hope to one day real soon. He is always in my prayers and I simply "cherish" his friendship. **HUGS**

~UPDATE~


It saddens me so to announce that sweet Simon is no longer with us~~~he died on December 6, 1997...*sigh*...His kindness, compassion, wonderful sense of humor and most of all...his loyal friendship will be sorely missed~~~but he will live on in my heart and on this page for as long as I have it...GOODBYE, SWEET, SWEET SIMON!!...(((HUGS)))


John Wine~~Now here is a person I have NEVER chatted with, but we are E-Mail buddies. John lives in VA. and does web pages for a living... He has been an inspiration to me in my personal life and I am very grateful for the courage he has helped me find within myself to do what I knew was the right thing to do. He is a very kind and funny man and I have spent a lot of time on the phone with him.
Now....if ONLY I could get him to come online and chat with me!....((hugs))
Visit John's Homepage


MDB~~Even though he met my 'evil twin' first...*g*... we have become fast friends who seem to have a lot in common...He is is really a very sweet, intelligent person...and a real 'cutie' to boot! ((hugs))
Visit MDB's Homepage


These great people are but a handful of the folks I have met and become friends with through the net. I don't even begin to have enough space here to list them all. But these people here have endured the test of time and that is what this page is all about. Special friends, special people, special memories. I love them one and all.