"See Ya Later" Pinches

The invitation for the “See Ya Later” party that my friends threw for me said, “No gifts. “ We all know how that goes. And admittedly, I am the biggest rule breaker whenever I see that phrase on an invite. Fortunately some friends read my blog post that mentioned gifts for someone moving. I didn’t open any gifts immediately after the party because I needed a few days to let that party sink in. Since there was a lot of thoughtfulness that went into each rule-breaking gift, sharing the thoughtful pinches may be helpful. The next time there is a need to say “See Ya Later” to a friend who is moving, you’ll be ready!

My friend Anne Schwemm had this gift for me a week after my hub took his new job but she had read my post and hesitated. She decided to give it to me a day before the party. I’m so grateful for her friendship. I will see ya later Anne, Linden Hills and Lake Harriet.

I wasn’t expecting to cry when I opened my gift from my friend Anne. I ripped open the envelope and saw the Lake Harriet card and the tears were instant; even before I read the lovely sentiment inside. I composed myself before reaching into the gift bag. When I pulled out the chopping board engraved with Linden Hills, I lost it. More tears came streaming down my face. Anne always gives thoughtful gifts - I’ve observed that she gives perfectly appropriate gifts - nothing over the top and nothing short of just right. My assessment of why I was caught off guard has to do with me being so wrapped up in knowing that I would miss my friends and after we sold it, I would miss our house. But I had forgotten that there are two other elements that made my life in MN a charmed one. The town that I have loved to call home for 14 years and the lake in which I did many walk/talks throughout the years. I always knew that I couldn’t take my friends or my house with me, but I had forgotten that I also can’t take my favorite surroundings with me as well.

I was sent home from the See Ya Later party with these gifts. Edible gifts are always a good idea and a memory keepsake is like the ultimate cherry on top.

There is so much about the See Ya Later party that I want to write about but for now, I am just going to mention a gift that is sure to be a heart warmer: a memory book. I am so incredibly lucky that my friends coordinated their efforts to produce a book of wonderful pictures and notes for me to take to my new home. Putting together a book like this takes a lot of work and I will always treasure it. Yes, I did tear up on this one too!

Homemade Jolly Ranchers by Jackson Kolden.

This sweet gift was not part of the gifts from the party but was given to my son while I was at the party and it touched our hearts. Jackson, my son’s friend, had been making Jolly Ranchers for awhile. He even had a little business selling them. Jackson wanted to give something to my son and his mom Lisa encouraged him to give his homemade candy because it’s something that we wouldn’t have to pack. Always thoughtful, Lisa thinks a few steps ahead all the time. She is my “go to” hockey mom because she knows a lot. And better yet, when she doesn’t know something, she loves to learn! Lisa is wise and warm and I will miss her. We laugh and we talk about food, our boys and all things thoughtful. Not only does she know that I love anything edible and homemade but because she can empathize with the work it takes to pack up a house, she didn’t want to add to it. Thank you Lisa for guiding Jackson with this gift!

Have I ever mentioned my friend Katie Sansted? Just type in KT Design in the search filter on this platform and see how many times she shows up. Katie made this Bronco color themed zip up for me! I have already warned her to stock up. There is an order in the near future.

My very crafty friend Katie sneakily slipped in a care package for me when I ordered products from her Etsy site. Instead of just receiving my order, she gave me two zipper pouches as gifts. Here’s what makes that gesture so special to me: Not only are these items hand made by Katie but one item gets me excited about my future and another item is so that I won’t forget where I’ve been. What a lovely way to celebrate my exact feelings. I have been excited since January 2021 for our new destination but I have also been feeling very sentimental about where I have lived all these years.

I love this zip pouch! Katie is generous, kind and very talented! I will miss her “can do” attitude and her ability to remember every detail in my life whenever we see each other.

The gift of tulips can brighten up any area of the house. In this case, our prayer table. The vase is a Thoughtful Pinch color. What I love about this particular See Ya Later gift is that my friend Karen Wyatt walked over the arrangement and said, “When the flowers are gone, you can just hand the vase back over and don’t worry about packing it or giving it away. I will take it off your hands.” Karen’s intention was to keep as much work off my plate as possible while also brightening up my days with the arrangement. Thoughtful indeed! Karen is probably one of the most caring people I know. She is super smart, an awesome resource and her heart is HUGE. Maybe that’s why she is a successful doctor. Another reason why this gift touched me is the month of May for Karen makes my Decembers look like a walk in the park. There are too many events happening in May for their family. The fact that she made time to get these flowers and write a nice card really made me feel super special. I will miss our down-to-earth, long talks in the back alley.

My stylist is often mentioned on my social media because she really has saved me time and money while keeping me current and decent. Rebecca “Bec” Spehar is one of a kind and she wants her clients to be one of a kind as well. She doesn’t favor cookie cutter looks and I appreciate that. Bec has tolerated my budget, my lack of interest in shopping and my disdain for returning anything. Bec’s See Ya Later gift is this bracelet which will spruce up any outfit. What makes this gift special is that she gave one to me and the exact one to Frankie so that we can be twins! Isn’t that the coolest? Bec is talented and straight-forward and I will not be saying goodbye to this friend any time soon. Thanks to Zoom and FaceTime, we will continue to be in each other’s lives for many years to come.

My friend Mary Liddicoat gave me these pinches. At first I didn’t know who gave me this bag full of goodies. But luckily because I reuse gift bags, I searched the bag before putting another gift in it and found the card tucked at the very bottom gift back. Yay! I felt joy when I pulled each item out of the floral gift bag. I will definitely use the journal for many reflections that will continue for years to come. And this cup? It’s like a trophy. In my opinion, this phrase is reserved for the elite and to receive it is a great honor. I’m floating on Cloud Nine with my new mug!

This delicious edible gift means a lot to me because my friend Taysa Kelen made it. Her company, Isadore Nut & Co has been picking up momentum and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s come a long way and I like to boast that I knew how good her products were years ago when she first started. It’s obvious why her products are popular - she puts her heart into every single package. Good food is like good medicine. I will miss Taysa’s sincerity and friendship. She is tiny but mighty and I can’t wait to see her company flourish even more.

Oh my friend Therese Hovard. We “grew up” together being transplants to MN at the same time. My oldest and her youngest were practically toddlers when we met. I was glad to learn many things with Therese because she is a lot like me. Back in those days we cared enough to want to learn but we also knew that we had a lot going on so if we didn’t get it, we were fine with just doing our best. I love that she wished me peace and protection. Therese is a world traveler, triathlete, mother of three boys and is a skier. So Denver will definitely be one of her stops when she wants to get her skiing in. I know I will see Therese later for sure!

Ahhhh. Amy Gallagher, the most non-profit friend that I have ever known. Amy has the heart of a saint. She has raised more money for non-profits in the Twin Cities than anyone I know. She volunteers for everything and she is great at leading fundraisers to it’s fullest potential. Her daughter GiGi made me some awesome Broncos themed bracelets that I will treasure. And of course, Amy found a way to bend the rules of the “no gift” policy. If I’m wearing this shirt, I won’t have to pack it. So kudos to Amy for this thoughtful pinch. I am a huge Ralph Lauren fan so I naturally love the shirt. I think missing Amy will really hit me when I’m hosting an event in Denver and she is not there. She has been at EVERY SINGLE event that I have ever hosted. She’s a loyal friend who does everything for everyone.

Do I even have to explain why this pinch brings me joy? Besides being forced to drink it before the movers come and it’s actually champagne not Prosecco (I guess it will do - Ha! Ha!), what makes this pinch joyful is that my friend Annie Spaeth gave it to me. She’s the busiest grounded person that you will ever meet. Annie has thousands of things going on all at once and she never sweats it. Calm as a cucumber and light as a bird, she showed up at the party with this gift and did so with a smile. Her card was heart-felt which means it took time to write it and I’m lucky. Really. What an honor. I’m not saying goodbye to this gal either since she has a ranch in Wyoming. Close enough to Denver that I can drive over and spend time with her. Finally. Looking forward to some Annie Time on the ranch.

This is so Christie Farrell. Because she knows me so well, Christie wrote her note directly on the bottle and I love her for this See Ya Later pinch. Her patience with me as I ask her countless questions about wine, is a godsend. She never seems annoyed with me. What I love is that I will consume this wine, hopefully with her, before I leave and I will record this label on my “Christie Recommends” wine list so that I can look for it whenever I want wine. It’s the gift that will keep on giving even after this bottle is consumed. If you are local to the Twin Cities, I urge you to make Christie laugh. You will never hear a laugh as contagious as hers. I guarantee it! I will miss her choice of words on the tennis courts, her straight-forwardness and of course that laugh of hers.

My friend Wendy Bagley is a really good person to know. I rely on her to lead me down the right path when it comes to etiquette and when situations arise and I have no idea how to react. She is wise beyond her years. I love that she was the only girl in her family of all boys (it’s either 4 or 5 brothers) and if that wasn’t enough testosterone, she is the mom of two boys and a dog named Louie. Wendy has a way about her that makes me feel “in the know” and I appreciate that so much. Look at this Cribbage board. Isn’t it precious? Confession: I’ve never played Cribbage. Ever. But I want to play and now this memorable board makes the opportunity so much easier. I can’t wait to learn. See what I mean about being in the know? I am going to miss her so much.

I was given a pear candle.

I was given a card with a pear on it.

Again, I’m embarrassed because I don’t know who gave me the pear candle but I do know who gave me the pear card. I wish I could say they were from the same person but the pear card came from Annie which accompanied the champagne. But the card seems like it would go so well with the pear candle. Again, please let me know if this gift is from you. I would not feel right lighting this beautiful candle until I know who gave it to me. As far as pinches go - two things I love about this gift: 1. it was purchased from a local store and 2. it makes a powerful statement in its simplicity.

All of this is from Mandy and her family. Do you notice a theme here?

I saved the gifts from my friend Mandy Peterson for last. Not because she went a little over the top - I mean she didn’t just break the “no gifts” rule a little, she gave me a lot to pack! This See Ya Later pinch package is very loaded in that there is so much love in every item that I could fill a 100 boxes with her feelings. The heart is a symbol that I see whenever her deceased son Chase, reaches out to me. Sounds hokey but I have seen a leaf in the shape of a heart when I’m deciding on something that involves Mandy and/or her family. Or a rock shaped like a heart or soap bubbles in my shower. It’s the craziest thing. But I always let Mandy know when this happens because I would want to know that Chase has not been forgotten. This is why all the gifts are shaped like a heart. What I didn’t know until the night of the See Ya Later party was that Mandy spoke about my support to many people whenever she was asked to speak about her experience of loss and her journey to find faith. What she wrote in my card made me feel like I did something right. I always reached out to her even though I never knew if what I was saying would make her feel good; I just said what was in my heart. She said most people cannot lean into the hard times, they run away or stay quiet, being safe from feeling awkward. She appreciated me. I didn’t need anything else, just her thoughts and words were all I wanted to know.

Both Mandy and her husband have always wanted the best opportunity for us. I have thought about this exact scenario a lot because each year when my hub was considered for a new job, I wondered how I could ever leave Mandy. How would I make her a meal every month on the 12th? How could I be there when they celebrated Chase’s birthday or his death anniversary? How could she see my son grow up so she can imagine her Chase along side him? And here I am; leaving in a month. It will be ok. Mandy will be ok. She wants me to take a piece of her heart with me and clearly, I will. More than the gesture of giving gifts to me, what matters is that she came to the party and she stayed late to laugh with me. What a gift!

Pinches,

Barb