For the past week, my three sisters and an “adopted” sister have been visiting from Wisconsin and Iowa. It’s the first time three of them have been here, so it was a real gift to have them in my home. Such a wonderful time! We talked, ate, shopped, perused old family pictures, reminisced, watched movies, and ate some more. They spoiled Libby (our lab) rotten with all the walks and bits of bread, her favorite treat. They left with considerably more than what they arrived with, having struck bargain gold at my favorite discount store, Ross, and theirs, Goodwill, where they found like-new good label jeans for $2.50! I walked away with a new Elizabeth Gouge novel, The Herb of Grace (first printed in 1948), for 46 cents, thank you very much. They’ve gone now, taking an overnight train back home. I must say, the house is mighty quiet…Thanks, girls, for the pleasure of your company!

For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather. ~Christina Rosetti