hello february, glad you're here

So happy to welcome the second month of the year because man, January was a tough month -well the last half of it at least.
In November, a few days before Thanksgiving, I got a call from Xina, my best friend from high school, she had been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer. I was in shock, to say the least. She's 43 years old, how does this happen? Xina spent most of December in the hospital (her birthday and Christmas) and New Years Eve.
Another friend and I made plans to visit Xina in Brooklyn at the end of January. By Jan. 10th we were asked to visit sooner as Xina wasn't doing well. Flights and hotel reservations were changed and we anxiously awaited our departure date. We didn't make it. Xina died Sunday January 16th at the age of 44, less than two months after being diagnosed. I still can't believe it, and writing that sentence is just crazy.
Xina and I met on our first day of behind-the-wheel drivers training. I don't exactly remember, but I'm sure she said something outrageous, I laughed, and we were instant friends. Throughout high school, Xina had me singing to Chaka Khan, dancing at Club Zu, and staying out really, really late. What I gave her was a friendly ear, quiet moments, and a shoulder to lean on. Later in life she would refer to me as, "the voice of reason." 
She will always be in my heart.

Here we are at Xina's 22nd birthday party in '89.

This is Xina's senior picture. Her hair was awesome back then, She had a mohawk, a-la Annabella Lwin from Bow Wow Wow.

On my personal facebook page I've been sharing a few Xina memories, here are a few favorites.
Memory #12: On one of Xina's first visits to my home when we were in high school, my mother happened to be making brownies -from scratch, not a box. Xina couldn't believe it; she had never had homemade brownies. She later dubbed my mom, "the brownie queen of Cardiff."
A few years ago Xina graduated from The Culinary Institute in NYC. She regularly called on my mother for advice on techniques and recipes and she would always say something about those brownies.

Memory #3: A very proud moment for me whas the first time Xina said, "You gotta lotta soul for a white girl."

We knew all the words to this song and would sing it out while driving home from school. Thank God for good memories!

Get your '80s on. Turn up the volume and sing out loud! That's what Xina and I would do.

Comments

[Just Thoughts on a Blog]

I am so sorry about your friend! A true friend is a precious jewel. You will always have those memory's in your heart!

[allison]

thanks for sharing that -- another way to keep her around. sounds like you had some great times together!

[סדנאות שוקולד לילדים]

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