Before the coronavirus limited our daily lives so drastically, I snuck in a trip to San Diego. It was my first solo travel in a year. I had several catalysts to go: get a little beach time; visit my cousins Gary and Kathy; and see Lauren, Tasha, and their pup, Coco.

I met Lauren and Tasha only recently, in early November of last year. I was walking Fiona in Mayfair Park and came upon Lauren and her Fiona look-alike, Coco. Lauren said that she and her roommate, Tasha, just moved into a townhouse across from the park. They are travelling nurses working in the ICU at one of our two Trauma 1 hospitals, University Hospital. The shifts are 12-hours long and she has been paying Wag dog walking service $30 per day to come take Coco for two walks per day. “Really?” I said? “How ’bout I do it for free!” Lauren took my number and we made plans to meet with the dogs that Saturday in the park to check out their compatibility. On Friday I received a text from Lauren. Since we talked, she had torn her ACL (and later would find out, her meniscus) while skiing on early winter snow.

OK. So much for a trial period. I started picking up Coco for our twice-daily walks. When Lauren was well enough to work a hospital desk job, Coco started hanging with me and Fiona at my house for the day. Over Thanksgiving, Lauren had surgery, and eventually continued back at work. Meanwhile, I got a lot of attention walking the two cute pups…and everyone at the Rosemark, the assisted living home Fiona and I regularly visit, loved having the duo to pet and snuggle with. When Lauren and her roommate went away for some weekends, I happily welcomed Coco to my home, and my bed (much to Fiona’s chagrin).

All of this was met with an abundance of appreciation and an embarrassment of praise. In one card, Lauren wrote, “You truly have been an angel. I wouldn’t have made it through my surgery if I had not known Coco was safe with you. Someday I hope to pay it forward to another nurse.”: Tasha wrote, “We couldn’t have done this crazy adventure without you.” Over shared meals, I called them my “new nieces.”

Lauren’s father, John, is a minister at the University United Methodist Church in Austin. John picked up on something biblical between Lauren and me. He believed our multi-generational friendship was similar to two women in that week’s scriptures, Mary and her elderly cousin, Elizabeth. My friendship with Lauren was included in his sermon in the following post.

It would be easy for a relationship like this, so fresh and so time-limited, to fizzle. They do all the time. But I didn’t want this to happen. After they packed up and moved on to San Diego Lauren and Tasha called me, together and on their own, at least once a week. And before too long, I was making plans to come visit….Thus, my trip to San Diego. I sure am glad I squeezed it in while I could. And boy, I sure do love Coco…and my sweet new nieces!!!