In life a person is lucky to have one true best friend. Someone who no matter what will give you unconditional love and support and an occasional kick in the ass. I must be double lucky because I have two best friends.

I spend a lot of time talking about Anne, but my OTHER best friend who I have known longer is named Heather. I feel as if we practically grew up together. My life is separated into two quadrants. Pre Heather and Post Heather. We met during my early twenties and although we are quite an unlikely duo, we are the closest of friends.. Sisters even. Luckily she isn't cutting a slice of the inheritance pie with me.

There are so many things I could say about her, silly anecdotes, scary ghost stories, foibles I got myself into and she pulled me out. Instead, I will list the 10 ten reasons why Heather ROCKS and why I love her so intensely, deeply, madly, and for eternity.

TOP 10 REASONS I LOVE HEATHER

1. She fights all my battles for me. As a Leo she is fiercely loyal. If something is going down Heather is the FIRST person to show up and the LAST person to leave. She has saved me from the jaws of death many many many times. Don't mess with her either. She is in the Roller Derby!  Once I kicked a guy in the back because he wouldn't let me have his seat at a club (I was young and under the influence of Jack Daniels) needless to say he was going to strangle me until she jumped in and had him thrown out of the club. Sadly, a zillion more incidents like this have happened since then. I just can't keep my saucy mouth shut.

2. She lets me be me. Never critical amazingly supportive.

3. She is one of the few people I let boss me around. If she tells me to do something I just do it rather than complain. In reality I am older than Heather, yet she is definitely the Alpha in our relationship. Which is fine. I am the Alpha in all of my other relationships. It is easy to let go of control upon occasion.

4. Heather is extraordinarily smart! Wow is she a mini genius. She is also a perfectionist. If you want something done correctly and efficiently call her. She totally kicks ass in everything she does. Heather is the best of the best of the BEST.

5. We have so much fun together doing nothing. Plus we jabber so much we talk with our mouths full. Whatever we have to say is too important, no need to swallow. Just keep the conversation flowing. Most times we just sit around and talk about nothing and everything. These moments make up the best parts of my life.

6. She let me sleep with her when I have nightmares. Once we lived in a haunted house. No seriously. The house was haunted. My room was the MOST HAUNTED. Every night at 3AM the ghost would bother me and I would race down the hallway and jump into bed with her. After about a month I had my own pillow and blanket on her bed. I was so happy to move out of the ghost house.

7. She gave me the best gift ever. My beloved dog Willie Wonka the Springiest of Springer Spaniels. Willie was the best companion, baby, dog in the entire world. She started training Frasier C Puppykins and I have noticed he is better after a week of Heather Boot Camp.

8. Heather is a walking pharmacy. Whenever you need anything from a band aid to a nerve pill, she digs in her bag of tricks and whips out a remedy for whatever ails you.

9. She is one of the few people who has seen me cry. Oddly enough she was laughing the entire time, then called me a drama queen. She ALSO has HORRIBLE pictures of me before I got my look together, IE pre Nordstrom job. I have to stay in her good graces otherwise those pictures might see the light of day.

10. Heather has the biggest heart in the entire universe. When I am with her I can be silly and sing songy, easy breezy free, light hearted, and childish. I ONLY act this way with her. Everyone else gets the ice queen.

Annnnnd that is only scratching the surface of why I love her so much. She is just beyond amazing and I am lucky to have her as my best friend and personal hero. She gives me courage, laughter, unconditional unwavering love, compassion, friendship.. Scratch friendship.. We are family and I wouldn't have it any other way. Heather I love you like crazy, but don't ever let me dress up for Halloween and paint my lips silver ever ever ever ever again. You let me play myself. Then again... I did let her dye her hair Euro-Trash white blond then pumpkin orange. Meh. We are even.

FIN

It is rare to find a perfectly flawless gem. To the naked eye a jewel could be perfect yet, under scrutiny it may be full of inclusions, cracks, and all types of flaws. Friendship is very much like being a gemology. You see many many many gems in your career, yet only once or twice will you find that extraordinary stone which you have waited all of your life to wittiness. Throughout my life I have encountered more than my fair share of people. Some became friends, some were acquaintances, and yet others were "moving wallpaper" as I like to categorize them. Yet, when I least expect it, I encounter a friend of a lifetime, a friend for my lifetime. My lifetime friend is Anne. Our story begins like most stories do in the most forgettable of places ever. Work. One would think after she decided to quit in a brazen manner, we would go our separate ways. Yet, with each year the story of Anne and Cicely continues to unfold. Every major and minor event which has occurred in my life I could always count on Anne to be there for me no matter what personal or financial cost she incurred. Anne is a true friend. A rare friend. A forever friend. It is on the weekend of her birthday that I reflect on not only all that she is to me, but all that she has taught me. I am so very thankful that she sauntered into my life and wasn't too intimidated by my plot to get her fired before we became friends.