Ode to a Rocket

One of the big life changers that took place during the month of May (there were three) was that my BFF moved away. My girl Rocket and I were tight back in our early twenties, and then had a stupid falling out that kept us apart for nearly ten years. We reunited a couple years back, and my, did we make up for lost time. If I told you we had our fun, that would be a sorry understatement. And yes, alcohol consumption might have been involved. I'm fairly certain we've wiped medium sized countries out of their wine supplies. We ate our way through this city, and back again. Another post will feature some highlights from our hundreds of meals together.

Rocket and I are two peas in a pod. Never in my life have I been so at ease with another woman. In some ways, we are uncannily alike. Both of our mothers are nuttier than squirrel poo, both of our grandmothers died of brain cancer, and if it is possible, she likes her food and wine even more than I do. But then, we are also puzzle pieces: where I think of myself as slow and steady, she is a spitfire, a spinning top-- hence her nickname. When she goes to bed at night, she sleeps the second her head hits the pillow. She never stops. She's wildly talented, funny, and her quirks are numberless. When she's loud and sassy, I sit back and enjoy the show. The room lights up when she's around (hell, the whole neighborhood does) and Mpls. has been pretty dull indeed without her around.

These are just a few random pics I grabbed from our last couple of months together. Since I've forbidden her from taking my picture (her camera is like an appendage, and she's captured me in a variety of less than flattering poses over the years-- also a vast understatement) these all happen to be of her only. Which is fine. This post is dedicated to her, after all.

She can turn grey skies blue. Or at least a dirty dive bar into a danceteria:
One of her most charming qualities is that she can take the most ridiculous outfit and make it look cute. Her BF calls this "four year old wants to dress herself" behavior, but hey, if she can make it work. My favorite outfit was the recent pink longjohns with bunny rabbit print, cowboy boots, and the giant glasses that are becoming her trademark. Yes, she wears them even at night. Here she is with a flavor flav purse and green nail polish on Patty Day. See? Adoreable:
Here we are building a snowman in our matching monkey suits. No, it was not Holoween, and yes, we have matching monkey suits. I think I'll leave it at that:
Like I said, she can turn any mundane event into a party. Outside the Science Museum: Did I mention she's totally gorgeous? This is just after she stole that plaid hat. I reprimanded her, but she looked so damn cute in it, I had to give her props. Before this gets all syrupy, let me simply say I miss my girl. Yes, both of our livers are better off for it, and like a mutual friend recently said, the entire city is also a lot safer.

But yeah, I miss my BFF.