Thanks to Parker, A Blog Was Born

When school ended at the end of May 2013, Sherri and I had been retired for one year. Luanne had just finished up yet another year of teaching kindergarten. Having spent the majority of our careers together, we were missing one another. When Sherri called and suggested we get together, Luanne and I were ready to go, so we hopped in the car and headed to Fayetteville, TN to a quaint little place called Okra. As we sat at the table enjoying our yummy lunches, we all began to reminisce about all the fun times we had together. Sherri, who had been battling multiple myeloma for nearly five years at that time, told Lu and me how important it was to her to spend time with us. She said she didn't know how much time she had or how long she would feel good, but while she was able, she wanted us to make spending time together a priority. Luanne and I were very much in agreement and that is when Luanne said the words that started it all. She said we should set definite dates for getting together to go new places and "we should blog about the places we visit and the food we eat".  That was it! Sherri and I were all in! We pulled out one of the paper napkins on the table and begin trying to think of a name for our new blog. After throwing out a dozen ideas, one of us, and I am not really sure which one, said, "How about Three Friends and a Fork"? That was the name, we all agreed. I offered to set up the blog, because I was the only one who had ever set one up before. Little did I know, setting it up would also mean, do all the writing!

It has been 15 months since that first blog. In those 15 months, the three of us managed to get together for a blog post, all three of us at the same time, 10 times. Some of those outings resulted in more than one blog post. Many times we couldn't all three get together because Sherri was just too sick. Other times, it would be only Sherri and one of us taking Sherri to the doctor. Or sometimes we were all together, but we were in a hospital room somewhere. Many times we got together when she really didn't feel like going, but she was determined, so we went. It wasn't enough and now it is too late. Our friend lost her battle with multiple myeloma this morning. Our hearts are broken and we know nothing will ever be the same. 

Parker could make a party out of getting our hair done!

Parker was full of surprises and she loved them, too!

Here is Sherri administering a kindergarten screener to my little Rob. She was a wonderfully gifted teacher and she had the best disciplined class of anyone.

Working with Parker was always fun and funny!

Sherri was tough, funny, irreverent, witty and observant. She was like George Carlin, she just looked at the world in a humorous and perceptive way. Her dry sense of humor and ability to cut through the nonsense and get right to the heart of the matter combined to make her one of the funniest people we have ever known. She was famously impatient and incredibly stubborn. She hated glitter and was super organized. She was never late and she didn't like to wait around. She loved to line dance, but she hated country music. She was something of a Rain Man when it came to music. She could tell you the name of any song, who wrote it, the year it was written and all the lyrics. Sherri was Bruce Springsteen's biggest fan. She never missed a concert if there was one nearby and last April, as she put it, 

"Well I got another Springsteen concert under my belt and indeed , tramps like us, baby, we were born to to run." 

Bruce, you will always have other fans, but you will never have another like Sherri.

I was looking back at some of the things she has written and I had to smile. They are so Sherri. One Facebook post that made me bust out laughing at the time and is classic Sherri, is this one about a time when she went to visit her mom in the nursing home. Sherri loved her visits to the nursing home and she liked to talk to all the residents and sometimes she would play games with them. On this particular day, she had been batting a balloon back and forth with her mom and some of the other residents and had placed her car keys on a table while the game was going on. Here is the story in her words:

Went to visit my Mom yesterday at the nursing home and I learned an important lesson. Never leave your car keys unattended as most of the residents are planning an escape. My keys were sanitized and returned to me after being found down Mildred's pants.

The next time she went:

I am going to visit Mom. I am wearing pockets .

And finally:

I had a good visit with Mom. I think Mildred gave me the evil eye.

On another day, she was wishing Mick Jagger a happy birthday:

Happy 70th, Mick, the original "Prancerciser".

And finally, Sherri, the ultimate people watcher, overheard this conversation at a gas station and, in true Sherri form, had to add her own commentary:

Overheard in a gas station a minute ago, " My forehead got sunburned yesterday. My part got blistered too." I didn't ask what part. I was laughing inside.

Parker, Three Friends and a Fork will never be the same, but it will always be in your honor. God speed, my friend. We love you. 

Three Friends and a Fork give our friend Sherri and all the fun times we had 3 Heavenly Yums UP!