(and I can’t believe Peachy blogged about Legos)

I’m blessed to have 4 very good friends, 3 dog ladies and one cat kid who range in age from 86 to I think 26. We’re a motley crew who share many interests and yet are very different in many ways – and we have an amazing amount of fun when we get together.

A few years ago, one of us – probably me, I tend to be the ringleader when it comes to “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to………………………. ” ideas that tend to leave us all gasping for breath from laughing so hard – thought it might be fun to have “movie night,” to spend a night watching movies, eating junk food and sleeping over at one of our homes, like a bunch of teenagers, because who says fun has to stop when you hit a certain age? If that’s a rule, I’m gonna slap the bitch that wrote it. (And the ladies will help me, cuz that’s another thing – we’re always there for each other. No questions asked, except one – “how can I help?”) (So what if I often reply with “I have 11 acres of woods, and watch the ID channel, where do you want to dig the hole?”)

Last year we didn’t do movie night because………Covid, bleah! And the eldest was going through some health issues and it just didn’t happen. We were determined it would this year. We periodically talk about movies – our favorites, which are often something the others haven’t seen. My BFF and I are huge fans of The Princess Bride, 2 of the group had never seen it (seriously? How can this even be possible?) so we watched it together.

This is a testament to our friendship. Neither of them liked it. We’re still friends. BFF and I are shocked and astonished that they didn’t like the best movie ever made but we make allowances, obviously they were not brought up right but there’s time to save them. We just learned that our dear Peachy, who wasn’t a part of the group at that time, also doesn’t care for this wonderful movie. Sigh. She’s young, perhaps she’ll see the errors of her thinking soon?

Part of the fun is choosing the movies we’ll watch. We make a list because we’re very good at making lists. Eventually we decide on 4. Choosing the date is the hardest part, but we were all free on Saturday night, and so we gathered at B’s house at the appointed time. Pizza was eventually ordered – it’s a difficult thing to make a decision at times – and after we picked it up, the eating and watching began.

The first movie was Foul Play. It had been years since I’d seen it, and I’d forgotten how funny it is. We howled with laughter, while eating pizza and chips and dip and pretzel nuggets. A short break was taken, so we could all go pee, get comfy on the various sofas again, fill our popcorn buckets and coax Layla-boo, B’s black lab, onto the couch between me and Peachy – where she not only snored (Layla, that is) but ripped a stinker that sent Peachy into the next room.

The second movie was Chicago. Lots of popcorn and toe tapping, I’m not sure it was as popular as the first but I think everyone enjoyed it.

More pizza, chips and dip, sodas, potty break, wake up Peachy – who slept through half of Chicago – and on to Little Women. We lost BFF shortly after that started, but in her defense, she’d seen it before and is currently on the DL so she needs her rest. I was a bit disappointed in this one – the acting was wonderful but had I not read the book (several times), I would have been lost.

BFF woke up, we had more chips and dip and pretzel nuggets – I will totally be starting the diet tomorrow – and Hairspray began. By now it was heading for 4 am. I dropped off about 15 minutes in and woke up about 15 minutes before the end. John Travolta can dance, and in high heels and a fat suit – I’m impressed. I’ll have to watch that one again, I might enjoy it more if I were awake!

The eldest among us couldn’t make it and the youngest left before breakfast – she has a long drive. There were 3 of us crashed on sofas for a couple of hours, then coffee and cheese danish, and home to sleep for a few more hours.

I’m pretty well tired out but the memories made – sprawling in front of the fireplace, trying to get a picture of all of us while Layla decided that people on her level must be in need of serious face washing – Layla snoring between me and Peachy, all curled up soft and warm on the sofa – laughing over silly comments and snorting over funny lines in movies – make the yawns and aching bones from falling asleep in a position that might have been comfortable 30 years ago, totally and completely worth it.

In a world where so much seems so very dark, we were a beacon of light – and we will continue to shine that beacon of love and friendship, caring – which is so much more than loving – and sisterhood – as long as one of us is breathing.

And movie suggestions for next year are already being compiled!