I thought I'd start something in the memory of my friend Reb. The idea
came to me when Renee Downs called me and while crying did a 180 on me
and brought up some special and funny memories of Reb. It's so easy to
do if you knew her after all.

Reb was like a female Robin Williams. Her wit, silly vaudeville type
antics, and skill at impersonations brought joy to everyone near her.
She even managed to translate that on paper in letters and posts. So
in honor of her, here it goes ... I'll start.

I "used" to be very ill, mentally (SHUT UP hehe). I was asked by the
IFC to speak long ago, at the Vegas Ferret Symposium. It seemed
impossible at first. I was very dependant on my husband and oldest boy
at the time and could not be alone in new situations yet. I even still
had some rare "wandering" events going on. No, the bipolar woman
missing from Mocasin Bend here in Chattanooga who was found days later
in the woods, was not me. Really. Anyway, Reb was the first to jump in
and say that she would "care" for me. She enlisted the help of the
eccentric Georgia Wood and even the very busy elf, Judy Cook to tag
team me (no, not that kind of tag teaming). Marsha Crowell was quick to
join in because, truly, Judy was far too busy to help a lot. Reb (and
Marsha) roomed with me of course and sort of baby sat me. Although my
husband had never personally met her, he trusted her and trusted her
more than some people we knew in real life (hate that term, but you
know what I mean). Because of her, and her alone, I was able to go. The
rest is history and it was after that point that many of you probably
heard of me or met me. It was a huge leap for me, and because of my
adventure, I left the psychological limbo that I was caught in. Her job
was not easy. I leaped out of bed one night onto the floor one night
and she had to put me back to bed. I "escaped" twice. The first time,
I wandered off and "awoke" to find myself knocking on a strange door.
Three very young studs, half dressed answered the door. They asked me
to party and eat pizza. Thankfully (or not?), I came to and was with it
enough at that point to say no and found my way back downstairs. The
second time, Renee Downs caught me wandering off on the last night. She
grabbed my arm and asked suspiciously "Just where are you going?" I
didn't know. She whipped me around in a circle and walked me back into
the reception room and back to Reb, et al. Hehe. I have no idea why
I'd get confused on occasion. I mean she only would speak in a heavy
Scottish accent for an hour at a time and switch off to a Russian one,
English, then a french one. She'd then jump into the Martin Short
character Ed Grimly from Saturday night live. Nope, can't imagine why
the tranquilizers that I took in quadruple didn't always get the job
done. 

Gifts came regularly from the McFarlane family. I stole a pair of
totally blown out underwear and shoved them into LindaFerrets' mouth in
Altanta. Soon after, a pair of boxers came in the mail for Scott with a
note from her husband that said, "go with the force and wear them well
young Jedi". My boys have received gifts and card from her on holidays
and birthdays for seven years now. Our family received a huge box each
Christmas with her well known breads and cookies. Right now, I have a
gift she sent weeks ago that is still unopened! It is a big Dory fish
from Finding Nemo (SHUT UP ... no, I have no idea why anyone would
associate me and the flaky Dory from the movie ... can't imagine why,
nope). It swims.

Okay, well just for now, those are some memories to get people started.
I'm very busy now after all. I have to go fill my bathtub and watch a
fish swim .....

Wolfy

[Posted in FML 5407]