FOREVER FRIENDS

Of the ten girls in my first grade class (there were about twice as many boys and they drove us crazy), seven of us graduated from high school together. One of these "forever friends" was my luncheon date in the city yesterday. Maggie and I were "famous" in our younger years for having the longest hair in the class. She usually wore hers in perfect pigtails; I was the flyaway ponytail kid.

We belatedly celebrated my July birthday, and she gave me this nifty set of Leaf Scoops that look like plastic cymbals with teeth. I can't wait for autumn to be here so I can put them into service. Big Bore and I are notorious leaf raker-upper people--gotta keep that compost pile happy--so the super Scoopers are going to be put to good use.

When we were having lunch, I told Maggie I had to go out to the car to get something for her in return. I called it a "rescue" gift. I've been bugging her for several years to get another cat or two back into her home, so my intention was for her to go into panic mode.

"It's not alive, is it?"

"Well, actually, it sort of is."

But I couldn't string her on for long. No, I didn't have a kitten for her. Besides being a former Cat Mom, Maggie is a green thumb-type, my kind of gal. In fact, I have some of her Lilies of the Valley and Ajuga giveaways growing in my own yard, so we are kind of related. My "rescue" for her was a greenhouse plant on its next-to-the-last leg if it didn't get re-potted and loved before too long. It's called a Miniature Pine, but it's actually a succulent that is sort of shaped like a pine tree. I'm hoping she can use some of her magic and keep it going and growing for a while longer.

If all else fails, and the plant ends up kicking the horticultural bucket in spite of her efforts, then I will threaten to replace it with a kitten. That's what forever friends are for.