a death and 53 years with the same tiara


I remember my first day of Kindergarten as if it were yesterday. I didn’t want to be there.

I was in the morning class and on the first day of school  our parents got to ride the bus with us. I remember I didn’t want to get off the bus. The moms and a few dads walked us into the classroom. I was shy and as we stood in the  doorway I was hiding behind my mom and hanging on to her skirt .As my mom turned to leave I started to panic and that is when a freckled face little blonde girl came over and said,  “hi , will you be my friend and sit with me at my table?” I followed her to the table and over the course of the year we became best friends.

Alison was her name and after kindergarten she moved a million miles away from me never to be seen again.  Our school was being closed so once again I was faced with going to a new school alone. I don’t remember much about the  new school as I was only there a month or so when my parents moved us out into the middle of nowhere land! So once again on the first day of going to my third new school my  mom went inside with me and walked me to the classroom.

From the office we walked down a long hall towards more hallways of classrooms and as we walked the principal was asking me questions. We turned the corner to the first grade hall passed the  first two rooms and that is when I heard a high pitched screeching scream behind me , yelling, “oh Cindy Lou ! Oh Cindy Lou you also moved a million miles away and found me!

That year for Christmas Alison got us both tiara’s and we wore them to school every day!

She was my number one best friend for years. I loved her more than the moon. Many years later I even talked my husband into naming our youngest child after her.

Alison and I don’t talk often but we keep tabs on each other and I still have that tiara she gave me all those years ago . When I am twirling under the moon light feeling of feeling sad & lonely or when I just need to boost my self esteem a bit I put it on and then I feel invincible!

14 years ago after moving back to Washington I connected to another group of friends. Most us went to at least high school together but many of us went from first or second grade all the way through high school together. For years we would meet once a month for a potluck and we would always wear our tiara’s. When going to the potlucks I always wore the tiara that Alison gave me. Sometimes I would add daisy’s or other flowers to it just for. This group of grown women gathered to inspire and help each other in times of need or to just be supportive and to have fun. We gave each other royal titles. I am known as the Queen of Garden Chaos and Pranks.

Robin Austin

Its been a few years since we have all gathered and early last week we all got a note that all Queens were requested to paint there toes red and put on our Tiaras at 3 pm on Saturday May 27th to honor our
Paparazzi Queen and friend Robin Austin. 

With my tiara covered in rosemary and lavender I twirled under the sky and thanked the universe for sharing Robin Austin with me! Tomorrow I will get my toes painted red ~! I will also go visit Alison.

Help from a stranger turned into a life time friendship.

This coffee mug was given to me by my friend over 35 years ago.He came into my life when I was in the third grade. My sister’s and I were home alone one evening and and we were preparing to take baths. The tub water would not turn off so I ran down the road trying to find help. He answered the door and when I told him what was wrong he grabbed some tools and came to the rescue. This was how we met. He became like a father to me and my sister’s. Early June 2012 I found him in his bed he had been gone awhile. I try hard to remember him any other way than how I found him. If I were to write an autobiography Robert would certainly me a main character.