When it comes to family I definitely pulled the short straw. I won't go into details but lets just say it is not a harmonious, loving group of people, But, when it comes to friends I have pulled every long straw there is.
I have so many people that I call friends, and they are. We are all there for each other and we have happy and sad times together. I have too many acquaintances to count, but you know what else I have? Best Friends! Yep! I said it. I took you all back to school and playing with your girlfriends and whispering to each other that today, "You're my best friend really, not Sheila!"
But I have them. I am 31 and I have 6 best friends. What makes them best? They are my family, not by blood but by friendship. ALWAYS there. Always making life so much better. I can only hope that in some small way I do the same for them.
One of these very special people is Hazel. Hazel is a creative force that has gone above and beyond friend duties.
Last year my eldest was due to start high school, because we had moved and I wasn't happy with the catchment school for a number of reasons I had to wait months for an appeal(we lost the appeal but magically one of the best schools in the area managed to find him a place...nothing to do with his high academic achievements!) during these months Hazel and her husband drove miles every Friday after being in work all day to tutor Jacob. Hazel is a dab hand at French, Spanish and was excellent at English Lit, lang and history! Her husband Edward is training to be a science teacher in secondary school. How lucky am I???
On Christmas night I ended up having to go to hospital for a crappy episode with the bipolar. This has been the worse episode in years. I had to go and stay with my brother in Manchester a lot, I was sleeping all the time, drugged up and feeling useless. Not able to do anything for myself.
Guess what this lady did?
No! She didn't rub my shoulder and say everything would get better, she didn't avoid me so she could avoid an awkward conversation. She came over one night, unannounced I might add, and with her she bought a MOUNTAIN of home cooked food! Days of work and effort cooking and baking for my little family! My freezer and fridge were filled. Homemade curries, pies, fruit crumbles, naan bread, shepherds pie. So much awesomeness! I also had a pile of goodies just to cheer me up(including her AMAZING mince pies with her own mince meat)
Awesome!!!
This lady is also incredibly talented. If you haven't had a chance to have a gander at her blog go say hi :)
For my Birthday a few years ago she made me this
ALL by hand I might add.
For my 30th I got this
and these
even creating a cake recipe and naming it Emmatines after me!!!
For my last birthday I also got something so cool and very needed.
A few years ago Hazel bought me a recipe journal so I could write and store my recipes. The man decided that it was fine to clean around it and getting it wet...it got ruined long story short lol.
So Haze made me this...
All her own art!
Photographs of her kitchen and mine.
Look at the detail. So, so talented. I am always in awe of her drawings and art work
Because I enjoy a good tipple ;)
I finally managed to start sorting and adding to it yesterday and it made me so happy.
I feel blessed to have this unique lady in my life and I am so unbelievably lucky to be able to call her my friend. My best friend hehe!
Love you Lady xxx
In the supermarket trying not to cry!! You have ALWAYS been there for me, and if I have any choice about it, I will ALWAYS be there for you too - come rain or shine - or hurricane in our case! I am so thankful for the day you burst into my then dull life like a laughing northern rainbow and for the day we found eachother again. Too many moments to recount here, but suffice it to say friends are the family you choose - and to quote Ralph from the Simpsons, I choo-choo-choose you! Xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet. You and Hazel are lucky to have each other. I know exactly what you mean about your relatives because my situation is unfortunately similar. It's hard. But I do have a few wonderful friends who help a lot. I'm glad you do too. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is just beautiful! What an outstanding friend! My best friend is bipolar and we have been through so much together...I really related to this post! You are so blessed to have a friend like Hazel and her to have you! I will be popping over to her blog here in a bit! Love all of that handmade goodness by the way! Nicole xo
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute to your friend Hazel; a beautiful post and I now feel I know both of you so much better. You are both so blessed to have each other - a friendship for keeps! Thank you so much for sharing this with us Emma!
ReplyDeleteJoy xo
I am in awe of your friendship with Hazel. Not many people are blessed with friendships like this. My daughter has a similar group of friends. They all moved to a BIG city almost 400 miles from their hometown about 12 year ago. Although a few have married and have children and their lives are divergently different, they still are VERY close. They talk most everyday and are there for each other. We count this woman as almost daughters in our family and are grateful that they are there for each other.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
What a lovely post and you are so very lucky to have such a wonderful friend. X
ReplyDeleteHazel sounds like a TRUE friend and a huge blessing! Best friends are better than gold!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Aimee