My Sister Carole has a Birthday.

Today my sister Carole is turning 72 (I think). She is such a special person, I just want to pay tribute to her (again possibly.

She was always the sparkler of the family, the one everyone always enjoyed being with, listening to, or being heard by. She is a great Mom, teacher, speaker, and just a wonderful human being.

One of Carole’s best qualities is her ability to listen. She is not only a good listener but then she always has something positive to say. She Is a nurturer, one who cares, I don’t think she likes to let anyone feel badly. When I need a kind and sympathetic ear, I always call Carole.

She can also be very wise and speak up when a sane voice needs to be heard.

Carole always had lots of friends, like Marilyn, she acquires friends easily.

I can’t remember a time when Carole hasn’t been there for me. During high school, she was a lot younger so I mostly remember her as being cute and funny and always having a pet that she loved. She was always tender to the animals.

I can’t remember why we were at college one time together. Maybe it was the summer before I went to teach in San Diego. Anyway I just remember coming home too late to get in the dorm and her hand was waving out the window to let me know she would let me in.  No scolding, just being there.

When I had my first baby, she was teaching in San Diego, and was always there for me as a baby sitter, companion, listener, helper.

Carole also likes to decorate and move things around to make them more interesting. I tend to get things one way and leave it there forever. A funny story is when they were staying with us for awhile in the 1980’s. Richard and I had gone out and when we came back she had rearranged all the living room furniture, and that was not easy. It was a big room with lots of heavy furniture. Richard was incredulous, that she would have the nerve to do that. I didn’t think too much about it, just glad she was interested in making it better.

She was always the creative one, the one who could do things with flowers and such, talent I never inherited.

Of course, she was not for paper work. How well I remember when she worked a day in our loan office for one day and as she sat there there and looked at the paperwork, she looked at me and just said, “I can’t do this, I’ll go crazy.” Or something like that.

Oh, yes, she and I are very different, very different in deed. But I am so glad she has always been there for me, to make me feel loved and capable, and share in my grief and joy. 

She and Len are at Lolo, Mt with son Hunter and his new bride Toni.

Carole, a wonderful sister. How blessed to have sisters in my life.