Darlene..

This is my friend, Darlene.
She is beautiful in all ways that a person can be beautiful.

(photo courtesy of www.scottolinske.com)

And while it is obvious that she is beautiful on the outside,
it is her inner beauty & sweet spirit that really draws people to her, and makes it absolutely impossible to hate her.
Despite her natural beauty & the fact that she can spend 5 minutes on her makeup and still look like a super model.

(www.scottolinske.com)

She is also comical.
For a lot of reasons, but in my opinion, it is mainly due to her coupon fettish.
Not only does she have a coupon for everything,
but she is shocked that I don't have a coupon.
For anything.

My dear friend is also fun to be with.
She is one of the few people I know who will ride horses with me.

Despite the fact that she hasn't ridden since she was a child.
And even after the fact that it hurts to fall off.
And regardless of the discovery that we both have the same taste in rides, and each want to ride my horse.
So sometimes I let her.
If she has a coupon.

My friend is not only funny & fun to be with, but she is also sweet & giving.
Often before I even know I need something, she has already thought of it and worked out the details.
Like meals after my surgery.
And shopping trips when I'm needing to get out of the house.

Prayers when I start one of my many adventures.
And encouragement when the adventure becomes more stress than I had bargained for.
And Coffee!
This is very important.
Few things are better than a friend who knows just the right time to show up with an Iced Caramel Macchiato.

Or the exact moment one might need a Cranberry Limeade from Sonic.
These are very important qualities in a friend.
Qualities that make me very glad we live close to one another.
And that there is a Starbucks and a Sonic in between us.

But probably my favorite thing about Darlene is that if there is any laundry on my couch,
And there is always laundry on my couch.

Darlene will fold it while she is here.
I don't even know that she is aware of what she's doing.
She just sits and folds while we chat.
And I rarely interrupt her.
That would be rude, right?
Occasionally I'll mutter the appropriate protest you might use when someone else is folding your underwear for you.
But it's really just for effect. And to be polite.
Because in truth, I don't mind at all if she folds my underwear.
Or my towels.

Or the sheets I finally washed.
Or anything for that matter.

However, if I feel that the friendship is becoming unbalanced in any way, and that the ratio of limeades, coffees, & folded laundry is outweighing anything decent I have done for her in a very long time,
I do my part and hide the mountain of laundry before she arrives.

Other times, I allow selfishness to lead me astray.
This is when I make her favorite cookies,

call her to come over,
and leave the laundry on the couch.

And because she is a wonderful friend, she pretends not to notice the bribe and folds them anyway.
This is why I love her.
Moral of the story.
Find yourself a Darlene.