Some of you who’ve been Internetin’ it up with me for awhile may remember me talking about my friend, La Cootina.
Her name was Nancy. She was fabulous, and about a month ago, she posted her final entry on LaCootina.
We met online in September of 2001, along with about 10 other women. This was pre-Twitter, and pre-Facebook, and forums were all the rage. We met on a Cooking Light forum, when Cooking Light was promoting the idea of “Supper Clubs”. We were (and still are) a very eclectic group of foodies, but for some reason, we’ve all become good friends. At Nancy’s hounding, Cooking Light finally ran a little blurb on us a few months ago.
Nancy brought me killer chicken soup when I was sick.
She knitted Mary-jane style booties for Mam, and Chuck Taylor booties for the Fox.
She made the most amazing baby blanket for Mam, unfortunately it’s in storage or I’d show you.
She was witty and funny and although I don’t think she thought of herself as gracious, she was.
I always thought she should start a blog. She finally did when she was diagnosed with cancer. And what a blogger she was.
Funny.
Funny.
And MORE Funny.
And courageous. People started reading her for her strength and honesty about the awful disease that forever changed, and ultimately shortened, her life.
I am so glad she blogged, because once she got sick, I felt like I was shortening her life span by visiting. Between all of the crap my kids have caught over the past two winters, and everything I’m exposed to but don’t get, I never felt like it was safe to be in the same room with her from Labor Day til Memorial Day. So we left comments on each other’s blogs, like good 21st century friends do.
Here’s the one I will treasure for always:
I haven’t been here for a while. Love the new design!!
I’m thankful for your friendship, Michelle. And thankful that your family’s joys help balance out the universe in a very special way.
She was amazing.
And I had the honor to call her my friend.
Fill your hearts with gratitude and forgiveness until there is no room for anything else. Be good to yourselves and each other. –my friend, Nancy
When Nancy signed off her blog, the Internet lost an amazing voice. One thing that struck me was how much her family and her rabbi quoted her writing during her funeral. Because of what she had written, they were able to read her words for the congregation to hear. I honestly don’t know if I have any handwritten notes from my friend, but her blog seems to be serving that purpose.
