Last pre-Idaho sleep. Last pre-Idaho blog.

Friday.
Gameday.
PreleaveforIdahoday.
LastnighttogetmybedroomreadyforJuliaday.

I don't so much feel up to blogging this evening but I won't have another chance to post pre-Thanksgiving. I found out tonight someone very special to me passed away yesterday. Betty Fowler, 86 of Fargo. Betty was a dear friend of mine. When I went to cosmetology school so many older ladies came into Josef's (our school) to get their hair done in a shampoo set once a week. Betty was my lady. I really loved her. She'd come once a week every week and chat my ear off about her fabulous family and boast about her deceased husband. When I started school Betty was coming to see a girl ahead of me in school her name was Lana. Lana was really great and I really miss her. When I started school I started attending a Methodist church on Sundays which was just a few blocks north of my apartment, which happened to be the same church Betty went to. Betty would come to visit Lana once a week I would spend that hour visiting with them. When it was time for Lana to pass Betty onto a new girl, I was that girl. Lana spent my first couple weeks w/ Betty showing me how she liked her hair done, which side to part her hair on, which direction to roll the rollers in the front/back/sides, which drier she sat at, how long it took her to dry, how she liked her coffee, how to comb her hair out and very importantly how much back combing and hairspray to use. We took good care of our ladies. Betty was my "lady" and I was her "girl". I was blessed with getting to spend that one hour once a week with her. She always had so much to share about her new grandchildren, old stories about her friends (ironically enough) from Sidney, MT, the hockey her family enjoyed and the card games she played once a week.

Betty was very dedicated to Josef's. Joe was an old friend of hers and she enjoyed getting to see him when they happened to be at the school at the same time. Betty was always sure to ask about his wife, who was ill and has since passed away as well. Betty was so strong willed and had a hard time when she could no longer drive herself to her weekly appointments, but her son was so great about giving her rides. She would bring her phone book every week and have me call him at the end of every appointment to come get her. She would tip me one dollar every week as well. Betty would come in every Friday unless if she had plans with her family or a hockey game to attend, then we would move her appointment to earlier in the week. When I was going to school Betty had health problems and ended up in Bethany Retirement Living from where she would ride the senior ride bus to and from Josef's. This only lasted a short while until Betty was ready to go it on her own again and moved back home to her house in north Fargo.

After I graduated school I had a ten day summer vacation before starting school again at Williston State College, moving me six hours from Fargo. I wasn't a fan of Fargo, it wasn't my favorite year so it wasn't hard for me to leave but I did have to say good bye to so many people I'd fallen in love with. Every trip I made back to Fargo to visit friends I always made sure to get in touch with Betty and see her while I was in town. We would go to church, and I would do lunch with her and friends. She moved into Bethany a second time, permanently and I would visit her there at her new home when I made it town. I loved our short phone chats, I'd normally catch her watching hockey. I was added to Betty's Christmas card list which meant the world to me. Betty really cared for and meant so much to me.

We had chatted more than once about Erik on the phone, she'd always ask how that boy of mine was and ask if I was being nice to him. She'd always tell me to say hi for her and she'd always tell me he sounded like a keeper so I needed to take care of him. We moved my sister to Fargo in August for her to start college at NDSU. Erik wasn't able to come because of work so Erik and I went back for Labor day weekend to visit. I'm so happy while we were there to visit Julia, we went to visit my Betty. I'm so glad I got to know her and the people who mattered to her through her stories and pictures. She was always showing off her "greats" and the sweater she received as a gift with all of the great-grand children's names embroidered into it. I'm so glad she got to know some of the people that matter so much to me as well. Betty really had become family to me. She talked so much about her late husband whose nickname was Red. She would always have stories for me about him and was so proud of the hockey arena in Fargo dedicated to him. Once Sidney's hockey team came to Fargo for a tournament and played in his arena. I was so excited to see the story of Red engraved on the wall and to be able to see my Betty the next week and share with her. I loved Betty Fowler and I have no doubts that she's in a beautiful, peaceful. Possibly enjoying a game of hockey with Red by her side.

I know my pre-Thanksgiving blog should be full of excitement for the next week with family and thankfulness for all of the blessings I've received, but I feel blogged out this evening. I love you all so much and I hope you're blessed with so much to be thankful for this holiday season.

God Bless. Happy Thanksgiving. Katie. Erik too. (: