Well I guess I never finished my story. I don't think I will as I like it right where I left off.  And I don't like the ending :( 

But I'll tell more stories!

Joshi's always coming to mind but I've been craving Indian food lately and missing her incredibly. MAN did Joshi and I like Indian... I'll admit I've never found another friend who shares my love for it as intensely as Joshi did (not even my Indian friend), and that's just one more of the many reasons she was special. 

Our favorite restaurant was India House in Hoffman Estates. Though now after covid they've changed it to "Bombay Chopsticks", ugh whatever that is. I haven't tried it yet, supposed to be some mix of "Indo-Chinese"...

Anyhow, Joshi and I loved the place so much, one time we even went for lunch, then after spending the day together shopping, came back a few hours later for dinner- we laughed at ourselves seeing the staff shocked to see us again so soon.

But Joshi would never let me live down "getting us banned", as she put it.

The story goes, Joshi and I both bought groupons for them (groupon was super new at the time) and couldn't wait to go there AND save some money (they were expensive!!). However, when we went to check out at the end of dinner, we were told they wouldn't allow us both use two at the same table.  These days being a groupon regular you'll think "der! yeah?!" but I *swear* we both looked it up and didn't see any fine print about that. We're probably the reason the fine print was added.

Well considering how often we came there, I was sure we'd be treated like royalty and the owner would be quick to make an exception, so I asked he be called over.

NOPE, owner wouldn't budge.

I'll admit back then I could be a little short fused, and I was *ticked*. Especially when we realized we didn't plan enough cash to pay without it and would be forced to go to the liquor store ATM next door- were they really going to demean us like that I asked?? YEP.  So we left together in a huff... (but honestly that was pretty nice of them to trust us to come back!)

When we came back, I threw the cash on the counter and declared to the owner we'd never be back, and out I stormed... with Joshi shyly following behind with a soft "wwwwhhhhaaaattt?".

DAMN my temper.

Soon enough we were both having dire cravings.  We tried India House in Buffalo Grove- awful and no comparison (it closed down months later)... we tried so many others... none ever really compared.

I'd always suggest we just go back, but Joshi was too nervous and sure I had us "banned" lol.   Finally, we did go back like a year later... Joshi was so nervous she disguised herself with a scarf around her head but I stood out like a sore thumb being the minority I was- the staff knew it was us as soon as we walked in, smirking throughout our meal, we were sure of it.

Oh man... Joshi and I would be cracking up right now telling this story... miss my Indian food loving friend!

Sharing this post from Joshi that really touched me as a friend (I was the snorter, haha!) from Feb 4th 2009:

Joshi's life story is best told by her family so I will leave that for them. What I can say of her life as I knew it, is she was my very best friend for nearly a decade.  Actually, the first *actual* freind I had since grade school. I met her a few years after she moved to Chicago, summer 2008 when her Aiden and my Gavin were babies and we were both working to keep our older boys, Grant and Justin active.  We kept running into each other at the Des Plaines YMCA, smiling and waving "hi" as we rushed Justin and Grant who were around 4-5, to activities. 

When Joshi would see me there, she later admitted she viewed me as a snobby hoity toity due to running around with my aunt (who she thought was my friend) strapped to our babies in "expensive" baby carriers (which my aunt convinced me to get), ha! I personally was very drawn to her, saw her as *not* hoity toity... just a down to earth potential mom friend with kids who seemed the exact same age as mine which was rare.   I especially noticed similarities i.e. she was basic like me- not flashy, didn't wear jewelry, didn't have "manicure nails", dressed for comfort and liked the same kind of pants as me which I considered *very* special- I hated the tight jeans in style those days and still loved my loose straight legs.  So... desperate to get her to talk to me as the summer programs were ending (since she showed no interest in me thus far!) and in fear of never seeing her again... for lack of anything better to use as a momma friend pick up line, I said "I like your pants!" ;)  I did say more than that but Joshi teased me about that first *pick up line* all the time through the years, haha!!

But my pick up line worked, we got to talking and we soon met up for a playdate where we hit it off immediately and Joshi later said she finally realized I wasn't the snob she saw me as and decided we could be friends (:

We then had our first "mom's night" at Bahama Breeze.  Finding it odd there were so many couples there that night, we finally asked our waiter why- turned out it was "Sweetest Day". Joshi and I always laughed about not realizing and that day being our first "mom date". From there on out we always considered it our "friendiversary". 

From there we would often try to get together for Mom's nights every month or so... usually meeting up for dinner and then not wanting the night to end, ending up at a bowling alley or pool hall where we'd always have a blast together.  But somehow Joshi and I would always end up in trouble with the authorities or our husbands for incredibly odd and innocent reasons which always had us laughing through the years (inside joke between the Lord, Joshi and I!).

Some time later I was offered a job at Microsoft and while it was work from home, I knew I needed help with the kids and called Joshi to see if she was up for it. What she didn't know is I had no plans of taking that job *unless* it was HER.   I was so thankful she did take it though and she became our family's care provider for the next five plus years, bringing Grant and Aiden along until they were school age.  The boys all grew very close and so did Joshi and I.  She became like a sister and was like the second mom in the house, often calling my boys hers which I cherished.  You could tell she truly loved them like her own.  Honestly, she was really my care giver too- things could get extremely stressful with work and she was always in tune with that- when I wouldn't come downstairs to eat lunch, she'd pop in to my office with a delicious meal she'd made. When she saw it was going to be a long night for me, she'd make our family dinner before she left.  She was always incredibly in tune as a friend, thoughtful and kind.  And a truly amazing cook!! My boys will never let me forget all the things she could make I can't!!

Some of my favorite memories through those years is Joshi and her boys spending a Friday night with us.  I used to always beg her not to go home and stay the night when it came to Fridays... after a long week I really wanted to hang with her since I didn't get much time for it during the week.  My hubby was also a huge WOW player at the time so I'd be stuck having a glass of wine by myself with two very rambunctious boys.  Joshi would often say yes (sorry Eric!) and we'd sit out by the fire pit letting the boys play out in the yard, have deep conversations,  then tell the boys (not so scary) ghost stories and roast marshmallows.  She was so much fun to hang out with and somehow we never ran out of conversation or reasons to laugh.

Gotta get back to my boys, to be continued!...