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What does friendship mean to you? Personally, it means loyalty, humor, integrity, support and NO DRAMA!! Yes, I realize we all experience drama in some form or another throughout our lives, but I believe it’s how you handle it that makes or breaks the situation. Luckily in my life, I have an outstanding group of friends. The love, laughter, loyalty, support, advice (and occasionally venting) we all have together is a true blessing. I couldn’t ask for better.

Recently we took a cruise to Alaska (I highly recommend it!). The Celebrity Solstice was amazing. This was my first cruise and whatever argument you have against cruising? Lose it. I thought them all. Our wonderful friends, the Robinsons, decided to take this adventure with us. We all had an incredible time. Chris and I weren’t sure how it would go, traveling with friends for seven days – but we would absolutely do it again (plans for the next one already in play)! No drama, (getting silly drunk for the first time in over 20 years doesn’t count) just fun.

Travel Tips – Travel agencies vs. DIY: As someone who has arranged their own travel for years plus all work travel for staff, I highly recommend using an agent whenever possible. They can answer all questions, know ins & outs, can schedule excursions and can usually find exceptional deals – better than you can on your own. Yes, there are “budget” sites but remember, you get what you pay for. If you’re curious, check out Expedia Cruise ship Centers in Mill Creek. They are a concierge service (flights, hotel, excursions, cruises, car rentals, etc.…) agency. Full disclosure, my husband is an agent with them – www.cruiseshipcenters.com/ChrisWacker. Have questions? Reach out to him!

Back to my drama thought. After we returned from our amazing cruise, we had the whole weekend to regroup, run errands, relax and get ready for work again. Or so we thought. Saturday, we spent at Lowes buying more plants for the garden and then home to play in said garden. It was perfect. Sunday, we had no plans other than basics like grocery shopping. Until we received a message from friends asking for a few hours of our time to help move stuff from their storage to their new house. Of course, we said sure! All went well…until it didn’t. I grabbed a box out of the moving trailer, headed down the ramp and mis-stepped. Rolled my right ankle (heard the pop and it blew up like a balloon) and knew I had done something to my left. Our friends called 9-1-1 as I couldn’t move and there was no way to get me into our truck (first trip in an ambulance!). Even though I said my left leg hurt, everyone said it looked fine. Skip forward to the ER and x-rays. Turns out my right has a second-degree sprain…my left leg (the one everyone said looked fine) is broken, which is my first broken bone ever. Who does that?? BOTH legs messed up for at least the next six weeks. Luckily no surgery was needed. Our poor friends were horrified, and I felt so bad for them. But, all I could do was laugh (no, no pharmaceuticals were involved). I could’ve done the “oh woe is me” thing, but that’s not my style. Instead, I laugh (still am). I really couldn’t help it. Plus, I think it helped diffuse the whole situation. Not exactly how I would’ve asked for an extended vacation but, it’s just another adventure! Now you see why I have a free pass from helping anyone move (although, I would probably still try).

How do you handle drama when it pops up in your life? Are you the “oh shit, what do I do” kind? The “HA!! Let’s roll with it” kind?  The “ball of goo in the corner kind”? Or, something else entirely?

How do you define friendship and what do you value about it?