doris

It's always a good day when you get to hang out with Doris.
I lived next door to Doris a dozen years ago. I used to see her several times a week, even after I moved.
I'd stop by her house often when I managed the coffeehouses.
She was part of my daily routine.
We also spent several holidays together, I'd drive her giant Buick to church and brunch.
She never married and always cared for her brother.
After Jimmy died, Doris really blossomed at the age of 84.
For the first time in her life she was not bound by someone else's schedule.

She moved to another side of town about the same time that I started working at Second Helpings. I've been terrible about keeping up with her. She drove until last year. She told me tonight that she drove around the parking lot of Second Helpings so she could picture where I work.

She is very funny and full of good advice.
She's always up on current events and does the cross word puzzle every day.

Doris turned 95 in April. When she was born (at home) she only weighed 1.5 pounds. They tucked her behind the wood stove and no one expected her to live. She did not attend school until she was 9 years-old, because the doctors were convinced that she would not live much longer. She's outlived a dozen doctors.

Tonight I joined Jeff and Helen, her old neighbors on either side of her house for juice and cookies at Doris's.



It made me realize just how much I miss her.
I'm going to call her tomorrow to schedule the next visit.