Yesterday I took Lucy, my mom’s dog back to town.  Mom was back from the birthday party where she spent a couple nights.  I couldn’t wait to find out how this surprise birthday party went.  But first a bit of history between two close friends of many years.

History Of Their Friendship First
Mom and Evie worked at Woolworth’s together.  Mom worked in the lunch and snack area as Manager and Evie worked in the Business Office.  This is definitely an opposites attract type of story.

Evie is Born Organized and Mom is a SHE (Sidetracked Home Executive).  How their friendship lasted all these years should be a mystery but it isn’t.

Evie doesn’t have, mind I say one bit of clutter!  Mom says you will never find any dust either.  In fact, her daughters don’t give her anything anymore because she says she has all she needs.  They can give it to her and maybe a couple days later she gives it to someone else or donates it.  That is how she is.  Does it have anything to do with the fact that she did the books at Woolworth’s?  I don’t have enough information gathered to see if one has something to do with the other.

The one thing she has collected through the years are giraffes.  Maybe that has something to do with being Born Organized.  To be able to look above it all and make decisions.  She loves to play cards.  That is one thing my mom and her have in common.  She has her opinions on various topics too and never afraid to speak what is on her mind. So you see, Evie is not someone that is boring at all and yet she is Born Organized.

Now you are probably wondering how she stays Born Organized.  Maybe she has had an easy life.  None what so ever.  Her daughters have health issues and so does she.  She stayed by her husband through one of most painful cancers there is.

She loves lavendar and purple and you will always see her in these colors.  She still goes to the Beauty Shop and has her hair done every week.  She always looks polished.  She has this presence about her that says go forward.  No need to look backwards.

Maybe it was Evie that sparked me to look for a better way to live without clutter.  Who knows.  I know I always aspired to be like her.  She always looks so put together.  She was different than most of Mom’s friends that are SHEs’.  I wanted some of what she had,  being Born Organized.  I know I am a SHE.  It doesn’t mean that I need to stay this way.  That is how I found Flylady.  I was searching for a better way to take care of my home.

What Birthday Gift Do You Give To A Person That Says She Has All That She Needs? 
This was Evie’s 86th birthday.  After Evie’s husband passed away, she decided to move back to Minnesota to be closer to her relatives.  The sad part is that Mom and her would not get to see each other every few days.  This is what Evie wanted.  To be close to her family.

You know how we all say we will visit each other often despite the miles?  It wasn’t that far.  Maybe over a hundred miles.  But life takes us here and takes us there.  They have stayed in contact through phone calls and holiday wishes.

Her Daughter Got This Idea!
One of Evie’s daughters live in South Dakota.  So she thought, why not pick my mom up along the way to Evie’s and surprise her!  So that was the plan!

When they arrived at Evie’s apartment, her daughter had a quilt that she told Mom to cover herself with.  Her daughter went to get Evie.  She said, “You have to come outside.  I have your birthday present in the car.”

Evie went out there, opened the car door and carefully lifted the quilt.  Then Mom said, “Surprise!  Happy Birthday Evie!”  Evie and Mom were so overcome with joy!  Both of their spirits were lifted and it took them back to talking about old times.  They talked about the year they dressed up on Halloween and went Trick or Treating and many more things that they did together.  It was a wonderful visit that the two of them will never forget.

Is There A Moral To This Story? 
Does there have to be?  I want to consider this a feel good story.  It just confirms again that “You Can’t Organize Clutter!”  Trying to will just take you away from moments like I just described to you.  Are you ready to get rid of your clutter?


Keep Flying!
Marilyn