I think I’m attracted to rowdy friends and they have gotten me through good times and bad….it’s a diverse crowd of folks that play together and work together and are pretty amazing…there is no way I can put everyone on this page, but I’m grabbing some old photos and putting them up.  I’m grateful to everyone.  You have shaped me and supported me and been my cheerleaders.  And maybe teased me relentlessly…

Melissa and I met in 2nd grade and we’ve been BFF’s before that term was invented.  Always opposites, she was tall and skinny, I was short and round.  We typically disagree except around the important issues.  She and I have been through it all together for over 40 years.  Phifer and Muzzy…I learned the importance of good wine and party throwing from them and again, been through a lot.   Daphne and I used to wake up in some odd places together, whether it was the rose garden in Raleigh or a boat in Cape Cod….and we looked so sweet and innocent.  Paul was our intellectual friend and I get to visit him on sabbatical…of course he became a history professor.  Then to college where we were the party harem…Connie and Cathy and so many figuring out how to become adults.  We went forth and had lots of children between all of us.

Lisa Dion was a college friend and came to work with me at BLAST…such fun traveling together and being professional.  She went on to get married and become a high powered microsoft exec.  Her law of attraction practice has been helping everyone we know.

Moving to Chatham County is almost like having a high school or college community because it’s small and everyone knows everyone.  Indeed, people take care of each other here.  Barbara Lorie was one of the first people I met here….she immediately called me a princess.  She has been a big influence and mentor and took care of me after Arlo’s not so good birth.  She’s been through it all and I love learning about environment and social justice through her, not to mention sex.  The Chatham Chix are a wonderful group offering co-parenting, professional help and sometimes just a shoulder to cry on.  Gil, Kersten, Frank and Gary…we’ve raised our kids together.  Many many good times sitting on a beach or by a bonfire and helping each other with death, empty nest, college, and all the other things that come up at our age.

Bob and Camille just passed through Moncure on the way to Shakori one year and fell in love with Chatham and we are thankful they set up camp and became partners in sustainability and community.  What would we do without them?  The voice of reason and practicality.  Carol and Mark have been great mentors to Lyle and me.  They have been through what we go through and can help us not make as many mistakes…
Mary came into run Chatham Marketplace and we became fast friends working on some of the craziness that can happen.  I’ll work with her anytime and thankfully she joined me at Abundance and now is on the Board.  She is the most ethical person I know and gives great advice even if I don’t want it.
McCayne came into our life like a hurricane and with all her energy and passion, helped us run Piedmont Biofuels, Abundance, our community + take care of the kids and gives a shoulder when times get tough.  Again, what would we do without these people?  I owe a great deal to McCayne.

Beth and I love to play airplane…..and it’s ok that we are in our 40’s.  Going through cancer and death will bond you together forever.

Lisa and Dave just got here, but as soon as I saw them, I knew that we would be friends…they are the coolest people…they plop right down into Pittsboro, open a new restaurant, B&B and everyone loves them immediately….they are our people.

Work and play do mix together and a big part of our life revolves around Lyle’s writings and books and we love his latest book and how it brings together a group of friends…Eric and Lisa, Megan and Tim, Gary and Ilana, Anne, Elaine, Rebekah and Blaire.  They’ve all been fabulous friends and colleagues.

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