It's amazing how two people can be so much alike. Dona and I didn't share our childhood together. She was 11 years older than me so when she graduated from high school, she moved away. She used to send me really cool stuff for Christmas,I couldn't wait to open anything from my sis because I knew I would love it.We may have lived thousands of miles apart, but Dona and I had a bond that kept us very close in heart. She used to come to Florida for Christmas sometimes, we would have so much fun shopping the day after for 1/2 off ornaments. Of course we would see the coolest ornament, pick it up, and say, "you gotta see this one"...it would be the same exact one...when Dona did her kitchen makeover on her home in Laguna, she sent me a picture of the finished project and I told her we had the same exact countertop...Last summer when I was visiting Dona & Tom in CA, we went to change into our bathing suits and came out with the same one on...Tom said, "no way, did you guys buy those together", we looked at each other, smiled and said, "no" with a chuckle. We were so used to buying everything the same it didn't faze us that we had the same suit...or shoes, or purse, or car, or nail polish color, or jewelry, etc...I really miss sharing my life with my sister. :(

Dona and Tom drove down to San Clemente just for the day and for me, to celebrate my 50th. In the picture is Katherine, Dona, me and Pam, at Fran & David's house on 10-10-10. It was a surprise and Oktoberfest all in one, and truly memorable.