Happy Birthday Beverly Anne Soika Chisholm Furrow

On Sunday, August 31, 2008 my best friend in the world, Beverly Soika will be 58 years old. Now, usually I wouldn't tell you how old my friends are, but in this case it's different. Last Sunday, August 24, 2008, I celebrated the 33rd anniversary of my 25th birthday. Beverly is exactly one week younger than I am. We have known each other since we were in about the second or third grade--nearly 50 years. I can remember when people spoke of things that happened 25 years ago and I had no idea what they were talking about. Of course I was only 19. Please Beverly, don't be upset at the pictures I have here. I know I have some of you and Guy and I will look for them in the morning--it is 3 am as I am doing this--but I will find some tomorrow and will add the to the site. But these pictures display happy times. One thing I really regret is that I have no pictures of you and I together. How could we be friends for fifty years and never taken a picture of the two of us together??? Someday we will have to rectify that. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Beverly, and may you have many, many, many more--and me too. And some day when we wear purple dresses and red hats everyone will understand. So this poem, by Jenny Joseph is dedicated to Beverly, and maybe me too. I don't usually celebrate my birthday as my wonderful mother passed away on my birthday 21 years ago. For a while I was angry at her--three hundred sixty-five days in the year and she had to pick August 24th. But finally I realized we don't pick when we die, and it must have been a good day for her to die, so I let go of the anger. But I certainly do think of my mother, not just on August 24th, but at least once every day. Here's the poem:

Warning

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick flowers from other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph

This is a picture of Beverly and Kenny a long time ago.

And this is just Beverly a long time ago.

And this is Beverly even longer ago--when we were graduating in the second graduating class of Northeast Senior High School in Pasadena, Maryland.

ANd this is Beverly once more--probably my dad would have asked me where I thought I was going in that short skirt!!
Now, this is Beverly's first child, Kenneth Chisholm, Jr. This was taken a long time ago, because Kenny has made his mother a grandmother!

And this was a happier time when it was Kenny, Sr, Kenny, Jr and Beverly. I only remember the happy times--forget what happened later.

Now, once again these are BOTH of Beverly's children--Kenny, Jr. and Teresa. And once again this is a really old picture, because BOTH of these little darlings have made their mother a grandmother

Now I don't even remember this guy--I was sent these pictures when I lived in Sicily. On the back of the picture it says his name is Jim, but I do know the other one is Beverly.

Fifty years is a long time to know someone, and I only hope in 50 more years we will still know each other. I hope we won't be too demented by then, and we can get on the bus and go downtown to shop, go to dinner at a "nice restaurant" and have a great day. I'll never forget you, old friend, and I hope you will never forget me. Happy birthday, a few days early. Celebrate, enjoy, share, and don't worry what others think. Do it YOUR way. I love you my dear friend.