My friendship with Mary. We met each other in 1977 while living in the Central West End in Saint Louis. We were neighbors, our husbands knew each other and we worked together in a local shop. Didn't take long for us to figure out we liked the same things. Art, thrifting, vintage, decorating, making, crafting, cottages, babies and mothering. It was a friendship that changed my life in many ways.

After we moved to Chicago, Mary came to visit for a weekend and sent this little drawing as a thank you note. (I know, really!) Not only an original drawing featuring portraits of my girls, but also their toys, their clothes. That's Erin's beloved bunny named "Easter" next to her fav lavender sweatpants and red Mary Janes. Maggie is holding the fabric-covered bunny house I'd just made for them. She's wearing the sweater I knitted for her (and begged her to wear as often as possible). The blue rainboots with yellow soles were everyday "Maggie." In 1984, there weren't any digital cameras. She just remembered all that. Every detail to sentimental perfection.

Ten years later, while we were working on our Home Companion books, Mo was with us and made this typically sassy five-year-old wisecrack ..... "I have news for you!" And there she is too. In her outfit of the day, with her everday big hairbow, her everyday purple hightops, her everyday Attitude, her fav bunny in the tin pullcart, our Noah's Ark set on one of my hooked rugs. (I know, really!)

Even so, all said, how thrilling is it that our friend, Mary so kindly and generously and fabulously did this? .....