The Endless Goodbye

AH and her family are all packed up. They're moving out of here on Sunday

I was curious about how my daughter would handle this. You see, AH's daughter is her best friend.

On Saturday, we took the kids to a farewell roller skating party for all the school people.

Last night, I took the kids to a (way-too-late-on-a-school-night) farewell pool party for all the military people

Today, AH took her kids to school to have a farewell lunch in the cafeteria with her former classmates.

And tonight, AH is taking a couple of us out for cocktails and dinner.

It's the goodbye that will never end.

I would have weaseled out of tonight's dinner except that I'm trying so hard to make new friends. I'm driving with a neighbor who I really like. She's a military wife and her kids go to the same school as mine.

I just realized she has the same initials as AH. Shall we call that replacement therapy?

Nah. My neighbor and AH are nothing alike.

My daughter is wholeheartedly in favor of replacement therapy though. She's made a new friend at school who looks like AH's kid. "So, it's alright, Mom."

I wonder how she handled that final goodbye at school today.

Speaking of friends and goodbyes...

CB's husband (RB) called me last night. He wanted me to know that they are moving to Hawaii.

I have to hate her now. Just on principle.

"Do you guys have an assignment yet?" he wanted to know.

I just laughed.

"We should be back there in a few years," he said.

"We'll still be here," was my reply.

With AH's departure, we have now officially been on this base longer than anyone. With no departure in sight. Join the military! See the bayou!

My husband came home from work feeling pretty down. He has a lot of stuff going on, but after a while I realized that RB's call probably wasn't making him too happy. He feels even more stuck than I do.

But he did manage to cheer me up.

"RB says that we can come visit and stay with them."

Hell, yeah. I hadn't even thought of that. Who needs local friends when you have friends to visit in New York City and Hawaii?

Oh, by the way, if you don't hear from me for a wile, it's because I'm stuck in a perpetual goodbye with AH. Please send vodka. And lot's of it. If I can lube her up, maybe I can slide her off.

Update: Oh. My. God. The only good thing I can say about tonight is that my neighbor and I bonded over having to endure this ordeal together. And I ate a gourmet banana split. Which only dulled the pain slightly.