What Betsy said, Allyson. There is no making this okay for them, but what you are doing is helping. Not a hairpat, statement of fact.

I was never in the same room as ita, but I do consider her a close friend. My life is better because I knew her, and I am a better person for knowing her. Whether she ever considered me a close friend, who knows, maybe not, but that's okay, lopsided friendships are okay and real.

Allyson, you loved her. Trust me, anything you do for her family will be received in gratitude simply because of that.

I got this quote on the BRQG:

ita: I'm so glad I'm me, since otherwise I might have to be around me, and I suspect that might not be as much fun.

Wrong, lady. Wrong.

We bonded over being huge Kay Howard boosters(Kay, of course, being the tough-yet-vulnerable female detective on Homicide.) I wrote, well, maybe just a drabble, but when she told me that I captured something...that was huge for me. I think she might have related to some of Kay's challenges, but we never really got into the meta of it all.(Kima on the Wire also reminds me of her a little, at least enough to think "Hey!"when idiots wrote that she was both too tough and too perfect. We didn't have a lot of huge moments, but her sense of humour(I put the u in because she'd like it) enriched my life in lots of small ways for over a decade. I'm sure I can't even guess what it's like fixing the board when it breaks

You know what ita loved? She loved a good nap. And a perfectly cool room.

No love for artificial sweeteners. Or secular Christmas music.

I'm really glad to see everyone who hasn't been around for a while, and if it's right for you, I'd love it if you stuck around.

I'm really glad to see everyone who hasn't been around for a while, and if it's right for you, I'd love it if you stuck around.

Like.

Yes.

Allyson, let them thank you and fuss over you. Maybe that is what they need to do. It is so much easier, for a lot of people (myself included), to give comfort than to receive it. They know ita loved you, and that means that they do, too. I will refrain from patting your hair, but please pat your own hair? You've been through a lot lately and I don't want you to forget to take care of you.

Steph, thank you for the links. It will take ages to look through so many pictures, but wow, so many gorgeous pictures!

Dana, I'm glad you posted. There was an exchange (a riff, really) between you and ita (I am almost sure it was you). You were talking like cops on a case, and maybe about going outside the law. It was nothing special, so it was everything special, because it was everyday Buffista humor and silliness.

I went searching COMM 1 for it last night, to no avail. I can't remember it well enough to search for keywords other than your names. I'm not sure if it is the kind of thing Ginger is looking for, but I'd like to read it, again. Do you know which exchange I mean?