More thoughts about Diana

My dear friend Diana is leaving.

I have heard from a couple of friends that she has slipped into a coma (for lack of anything more comfortable to wear). There are a whole bunch of people who will be on the other side to bid her welcome and I pray I get there someday!

Despite being such a shy person, Diana has quite the circle of friends. She would steel herself to get up and address groups, though she didn't seem to fear reading at church or conducting services at the Washington Home. She even organized and presented a class at the Smithsonian on Tea Customs and the Tea Trade.

But Diana enjoyed smaller gatherings - she loved to have people over to dinner. I stuffed myself on many delicious Easter Sunday dinners at her table. Eating off her grandmother's china and leaving her father (the dishwasher) to clean up. The dishwasher and kitchen renovations were paid for by her inheritance following her father's death. See earlier post.

Sometimes Diana would endure parties. On a few occasions she would invite me to attend a party with her so she would have someone to talk to.

Do you remember how when we were young our parents would be going to a party and we wanted to go? A party is games, and cake and ice cream - who wouldn't want to go to a party? And my parents would respond, "It's not that kind of a party. You wouldn't have any fun."

Well, once I went to a party with Diana and I recalled my parents' comment. I wish I had asked them and stayed at home. The party was perfectly nice, the hosts were convivial, there was good food and copious amounts of wine. And there were lots of people, and had it not been for Diana's company I would have feigned illness and left.

Another occasion was a Halloween party. I'm not at my best for costume parties. Despite being a creative person, I have trouble coming up with costumes that I actually like. Or I have an idea that I am not able to bring to pass. But in 1991 I was ready. I had lots of advance warning on the invitation and I had been thinking of my costume. I actually made part of it. I would be Cardinal Richilieu - I needed something that would work with a beard.

So Diana and I were going together and she liked my idea. But what could her costume be that would tie into mine? She went to a local costume shop and started wandering around and got a bit of Pilgrim and a red feather for her hat. Her characterization gelled in her mind. She was a Musketeer - the daughter of Porthos. She was Pathos.