Cincinnati is rich with girlfriend groups. Read on for more from women in their own words.

H.H.I.P.S. trio

Everyone at work who knows me has heard me talk about my girlfriends. I even have a large 8-by-10 picture of them on my desk - right next to the 5-by-7 of my husband!

I consider myself to be a lottery winner - not in the monetary sense, but when it comes to life-long friends, I am truly a wealthy woman. I have a group of girlfriends that I have been honored to be considered their friend for anywhere from 17 to 40 years. Tammy, Marianne and I grew up together on the same street in North College Hill. I've known them for as long as I can remember. Once in school, the tightly knit trio expanded to include Shawna and Gina. After graduation, I was blessed to have my path cross with Marlene and Laura, who at the time were dating friends of my future husband. Fortunately, we had sense enough to marry the fine men that tied us all together. The latest introduction to our circle, 17 years ago, has been Debbie, a girl that I met through work.

We have all formed a special bond together. Each friend is so different, but all complement each other and add something invaluable to the group.

Although we don't necessarily speak every day, or even every week, and some have moved away to other states, we manage to pick up where we left off when we are able to get together. We are always there for each other during good times and bad - weddings, babies, illnesses, divorces, deaths, even simply a PMS day. When my mother passed away three years ago, Tammy and Marianne immediately began calling friends. Marlene drove up from West Virginia the very next day and spent the weekend with me. They were all there through every moment during the visitation and funeral. I know that any time I need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to bend, all I have to do is pick up the phone.

A few years ago, we began taking a "girls trip" to Hilton Head Island the first week in August. No children, no husbands, no work, just a lot of laughter, lounging on the beach and even a few tears. We joke that it is the spring break we never had in high school. Two years ago we deemed ourselves the H.H.I.P.S. - Hilton Head Island Princess Society. Last year we even made hats that reflected our personalities, an idea taken from the Ya-Ya Sisterhood movie. We are all counting the days until this year's vacation so we can wear the special H.H.I.P.S. T-shirts that Marlene is making for the group.

Last September, for my 40th birthday, the H.H.I.P.S. gave me a charm bracelet, each friend adding a charm that special meaning to me. Every time I wear it, it reminds me how blessed I am. I lead a "charmed" life as I know that what I have with my life-long friends is very rare gem.

- Diana Bosse, Loveland

Trail walkers

There is no stronger relationship than hand-picked girlfriends. I am one of "The Nine Trail Walkers." We have been meeting every Friday morning at 8 a.m. at the Loveland Bike Trail. We walk and talk for 4 miles and have been doing this for the past 10 years. We began as a smaller group of four, all working moms with Fridays free. We belonged to the same parish and children attended St. Columban grade school or were in preschool together. We have expanded to ten and our conversation has extended from pre-school issues to college and weddings. Together we battle serious illnesses, celebrate our children's milestones, mourn the loss of loved ones and laugh until our sides hurt.

I encourage you to join us one of these Fridays. We could even be talked into coffee afterwards.

- Cathy Westrich

Parents unite

We are six women who have been friends and colleagues for 13 years to 5 years. The Sisterhood started 13 years ago, when two of us, one from Cincinnati (me) and one from Chillicothe (Linda Zeigler) met each other at the first statewide meeting of Parent Mentors.

Parent Mentors are parents of children with disabilities who are employed by school districts to help other parents of children with disabilities learn about their legal rights and responsibilities. We also help these same parents learn how to collaborate effectively with professionals. The Parent Mentor program started with only 10 locations throughout the state, and has now expanded to 70 locations.

Linda and I were instantly drawn to each other and because we were doing tough jobs in locations where there were no other supports, we developed an intense phone and email communication system. We learned about our jobs and each other's lives very quickly because we had too. Then the statewide Parent Mentor program began to grow and slowly, each of us got another Parent Mentor, in another school district, to mentor ourselves. For a long time our groups were very separate, except when we all met at statewide meetings and talked until the wee hours about our jobs, our lives, our children. But, then a strong group of four other women coalesced with Linda and I and for the last 5 years, we have had our Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

Joining Linda and I are Rose Kahsar from Mt. Healthy, Linda McDowell from Middletown, Terri Doerr from Liberty Twp. (Lakota Schools) and Julie Dunford from Oak Hills. We range in age from mid 50's to mid 30's. Between us we have 15 children, 8 of whom have disabilities. Some of us are grandparents while others have children in early school years. Our educations vary from Master's degrees to some college courses. All of us have had marriages which have lasted for long periods, and only one of us is currently unmarried (although on some days all of us envy her....). Some of us cope with serious health problems ourselves, not even mentioning the challenges some of our children with disabilities can present. We are all different shapes and sizes. Some of us are very quiet and some of us cannot ever be quiet! We all have strong constitutions, opinions and backs. And together we make one heck of a fabulous woman!

We stay in touch with each other through phone calls, e-mails, meetings and little get togethers where we laugh, cry, debate and cheer. Some of us have done some very wild things together and we always have a great time. Even when we argue! We help each other with our jobs, with our children and with the other struggles of life. Garage sales, sleepovers, trips, parties, trading child care, creating computer data bases, delivering flowers for sick family members, coping through setbacks for our children with disabilities, holding hands when we have lost a loved one. We have experienced many, many things together en masse and in smaller sub groups of the whole.

I cannot speak for the other women for sure, but I think they would agree that each of us thinks the others are among the smartest, funniest, best-looking and most caring people we know. And they would be quick to tell you that I am the one who is never quiet and who always tries to speak for them.

What binds us is our children with disabilities and our passion for supporting other parents. And our belief that all things can be solved with good problem solving skills, good communication skills and lots of humor!

- Paula Taylor, Woodlawn

Campers grow together

Jacky DeWert and I, Debbie Alexander, have been best friends since sixth grade in 1961. We first met at Camp Butterworth Girl Scout Camp in fourth grade. When I was eleven, my family moved to Pleasant Ridge from East Hyde Park. After having attended Kilgour from kindergarten to fifth grade, I was very apprehensive about entering a new school as a sixth grader. On my first day of school at Pleasant Ridge Elementary, Jacky was in my class and instantly took me under her wing. I was very shy, quiet, and serious, and was extremely relieved to see a familiar face. We became best friends almost immediately, probably because opposites attract. Jacky was very gregarious, adventurous, and full of fun. We were inseparable as teenagers attending Shroder Jr. High and Woodward High School. We became part of each other's family, even going on family vacations with each other's family. During college, we were roommates at the University of Cincinnati. We were the same height and both had long blond hair, and many people who met us for the first time assumed that we were sisters. One thing that we did have in common was that we were both athletic (Jacky was exceptionally talented). Perhaps our friendship was so successful because we filled in each other's missing pieces. I toned down Jacky's adventurous, full of fun spirit, keeping her in one piece, and she brought me out of my shy, serious shell. The really amazing part of our friendship to me is that I cannot recall a single incident of one of us every hurting the feelings of the other. Although we may disagree on various issues such as politics, etc., today, there has never been a time in over four decades that we have had a personal disagreement. There have been several parallels in our personal lives as adults; both of us were divorced and then happily remarried, both of us have been mothers of one biological son, and stepmothers to children of our second husbands' children. Although as adults the responsibilities of careers, families, and at times geographical distance, have prevented us from being the inseparable pair that we were earlier in life, we have remained best friends. There have continued to be many happy times together as adult friends, blending more people into the friendship with our families. There has also been great sadness and terrible times of tragedy, especially for Jacky. Our long friendship has resulted in an immeasurably deep level of comfort, support, and understanding that is automatically there for the other.

-Debbie Alexander, Cincinnati

Work time pals

Just a note to let you know that I have the great fortune to be part of 2 different, long-standing and very supportive groups of girlfriends.

The first group dates back to high school (since I will be 46 years old next month, that means we've been friends for 30 years)! There are four

of us that became acquainted through Junior Achievement activities back in the early 70's. We spent hours working on our JA projects and socializing.

We've partied together, lived together, traveled together, and dated the same guys (in high school) -sometimes at the same time! We have laughed together, cried together and shared many triumphs and tragedies together. We've rescued one another in the middle of the night when a car has broken down, pretended that we were going to swim to the Bahamas after a few too many drinks in Daytona Beach and we've spied on "ex-husbands" who strayed. We get together every few months for drinks/dinner/movies and to share stories about our work, our families, our children, our love lives. We liken ourselves to the "girls" on the TV show Sex and the City and each of us has a corresponding character who have obvious similarities to our own styles! We've all been married - one of us has been married twice, two are currently divorced. We have children that range in age from 22 to 9. Our group includes:

Patty Deller -Delta Flight Attendant, nickname "Toots" (sounds like

Tootsie roll) cause she always called everyone else "Toots".

Ann Crable - V.P. at Cinti Bell, nickname "Annie"

Michele Graves - Sales Representative for U.S. Playing Card Co., nickname "Mic"

Kathy Sparks - Senior Manager Information Systems, nickname "Kat"

The second group of friends are known as the "Baxter Beauties" as we all met and worked together for a number of years at Baxter Healthcare Corporation. Our friendship began in the early 80's, and this group has survived many ups and downs over the past 20 years. Due to a variety of corporate mergers and acquisitions, the local Baxter office was eventually relocated and we all moved to different jobs for a number of years.

However, we have remained close friends, and amazingly 4 of the 6 of us now work for Convergys (one of us actually worked at Convergys for awhile, but returned to a former position after a year, and the other member was recently caught in a company reduction in force). This group ranges in age from 42 to 52, 3 are married, 1 divorced, 1 single. Two of us have children, 3 do not. Our lifestyles are the same and different in many ways. One of us lives on a farm in Indiana, one live in a condo on the river, one just built a new house in Mason, one shares a home with her sister and I live with my 2 young children. Several of us love animals and some of us tolerate their presence. Several of us love to shop, some don't. A few are major chocoholics, one of us drinks a little coffee with her cream and several of us look at the dessert menu before we order dinner. Like my other group of friends, we get together for birthdays and other special events. We have recently acquired a group symbol (a high heeled, pointy toe shoe - that is another story). This group includes:

Linda Malloy (our farmer and EMT), Susan Weil (tennis player and convertible sports car driver), Mary Papaioannou (mother of 3 daughters who has successfully planned and executed THREE Big Fat Greek Weddings in the past 5 years), Fran Reynolds (wife of Roy the fisherman who has the patience of a saint and a sense of humor that never quits); Nancy Sterrett (the youngest, most attractive and available group member), and myself, Kathy Sparks (single mom with 2 boys who spends hours in her car driving to and from baseball, basketball and football practices, depending on the season).

Both of these groups of friends have stuck together with each other through thick and thin (not to mention tons of diets!). I don't think we could imagine life without each other, as we truly are real life "Ya-ya"

sisters. Besides, we have too much scoop on each other to become enemies!

- Kathy Sparks

Close bonds

I have a very special friend name Sissy Cook. She and I have only been friends for about 6 years, but the relationship we have you would think that we have known each other all of our lives.

We met at church and became friends out of my need of needing a friend who I could trust. I was having marital problems and she was the person I confided in. If you know Sissy, than you would know how easy it is to confide in her. I am not a person who trusts other people very easy, but it was different for her.

Sissy is the kind of friend that is rare because she is very true to her word and she has no problem with telling me I am wrong. She can be very objective. She has helped me through the most difficult time in my life, and through this we have bonded. I thank God for bring Sissy into my life. She has become a good role model for me...even though she is only a few years older than myself. Nobody can ask for a better friend. She is compassionate, dependable, and trustworthy.

The last few years have been very difficult for me and if not for her friendship I would probably be dead. She has helped me when I was suicidal and all my other "mental" problems. She has cried for me when I couldn't cry...laughed with me...comfort me...and prayed for me.

I couldn't ask for a better friend.

What binds us together? The ability to be truthful with each other, to read each other's mood. We don't need to be told when something is bother one of us...we just automatically know...it is very weird, the connection we have with each other.

Sissy is many people to me. She is my friend, counselor, mother, and role model. I will always have a place in my heart for her.

- Trish Braley

Hijinks

Beth, Amy and I have been friends since 1st grade, that's 30 years. We met Kathy in high school, so that she has been a part of our life for 20 years. We've shared everything from Barbie dolls in our youth to hijinx in college to sex tips in our middle age. What's more, is that I can't wait until we are together 30 years from now, God willing, talking about our grandchildren.

My friends have touched me in so many ways, and have truly made me a better person. For example, 4 years ago, I had a 3-year-old and a newborn when my husband had to have open-heart surgery. These wonderful ladies organized a month of meals for my family and me. Words cannot express how touched I was, and grateful too. Between us, we've dealt with miscarriage, infertility, adoption, career issues, death of a parent and sickness. We regularly go to dinner, meet to let our kids play, exercise and also go out as couples. Our husbands have become friends because of our bond. We vacation together, sometimes just the girls, and other times our whole families. When I think of good times, I think of those times we have spent together.

For me, the fundamental ingredient in our friendship is that we talk,

talk, talk. We talk for hours. I am sure there are many a waiter in Cincy that have been frustrated with us for staying at the dinner table long after we are finished eating. Sometimes one needs some outside advice or to hear someone else's story/opinion. It's nice to get another female point of view, to validate our emotions. Our friendship makes me truly happy. Having these friends help me to live the good life!

- Lisa Pitzer, Crescent Springs, Ky

Rox and me

My "Ya-ya" is my best friend, Rox. We met 25 years ago at Penn State University/Behrend College in Erie, PA. We've been through everything, and she knows more about me than even my ex-husband knew for 20 years! We can go for months without talking, often because we can't ever catch each other home at the same time, but still nothing changes between us. When things are good, we're there for each other. When things are bad, we're there too...even at 2 a.m.! My children call her "Aunt Rox," and her children call me "Aunt Pam." I'm her oldest daughter's godmother.

- Pam Williams

Sisters forever

We all have other groups of friends regardless of where we live, but this is the longest-lived group for all of us. We've been friends for thirty years. We were all sorority sisters at the University of Cincinnati in the early to mid 1970s (post Kent State years) and our little group has been meeting for a Christmas and a summer gathering ever since. Several of them came down here to visit me a few years ago (I live outside Atlanta). Very courageous of them to brave our Interstates, but they had the experience of waking up to cannon fire at 6 am, thanks to reenactors at Stone Mountain Park (Sweet Home Alabama has nothing on Georgia!)

We are bound together by mutual respect and admiration and frankly, not a little misfortune. In less than one year our sorority chapter closed, one sister died of Hodgkin's Disease, and one sister owed her life to the one who died because she recognized what was wrong with her when she found a lump. Two of us recently had breast cancer and took comfort from each other that we made it through whole. Those early events made us appreciate and cling to each other a little more maybe, overlook our shortcomings a little earlier than we might have. We've been through births and deaths, career changes, divorces, remarriages, survived other cancers and the haz-mat team detoxifying a home. One is a single parent going to law school at 46, who inspired me to go to graduate school at 50! She's also the one who had the guts to paint her house in Cheviot like a true painted lady. We are: teachers, lawyer, IRS agent, accountant, real estate queen, office manager, rehabber, flight attendant, child psychologist and college professor.

Our friendship is moving into another generation: my daughter (now living in Lexington) was raised in Atlanta, but is friends with my friend Donna's daughters who live in Dayton and attend UC. They came to Atlanta for soccer tournaments when they were in high school and another bond was forged.

In her book, Now, Lauren Bacall talks about friendships that are solid and true, always familiar despite distance and periods without contact. They transport us to a different place and time, remain constant and keep us grounded. That's what we have. When we're together we're always in our 20s.

- Kathy Canedy Lobe

College friends

I have a group of girlfriends that I met when we all went to the University of Dayton in 1992. After graduation in 1996, many of us have ended up living in the Dayton-Cincinnati area. They are definitely girls that I could not live without.

-Amye Kelly

Thanks, Ganns

When I saw your article in the newspaper about Ya-Ya syndrome it hit home. I hang with a very special group of friends. We all met in high school back in the early 70's. The group originated with the Gann family of Bond Hill. The family consists of Mike, Judy and Debbie, who are all 2 years apart. Each one of the Ganns had their own group of friends and because we all had so much in common the 3 groups united and we all became friends. There are currently 9 girls in our group. This past Christmas we had a brunch, ornament exchange and watched the Ya-Ya Sisterhood movie together. We decided that day that we needed a name for ourselves. After much discussion over coffee and rolls we decided we would call ourselves the La La's. The name has stuck and our husbands even refer to us as such. It seems as though no matter what we do we always have a marvelous time. Since we are so spread out throughout Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, once a month we do "Girls Night Out." We rotate with each La La to find out what restaurant they would like to go to. We've done comedy clubs, shopping, vacations, birthdays and cook-outs together. One of the La Las is working on a tea party. Of course, we will all dress the part and wear our hats. The memories we make when we are together are always a source of conversation. We have a strong support system to help out during good times and bad. The longer we're together the stronger our friendships become. We are girlfriends for life!

- Karen Verkamp

Good times start here

We are a group of girls all around the age of 50. Most of us have been friends for at least 25 years. Many of us met through our husbands and their membership in a club called the Goodtimer's. It's a social/athletic/motorcycle group. I'm as close to many of them as I am to my own sisters. We have so much fun doing things with "the girls," as well as with our husbands. We do golf trips and play on a golf league. We still have slumber parties at one of the girl's summer house on the river. We have a monthly card club. We're planning a girl's cruise to Caribbean in September. We've many times vacationed as a group when our children were small, and now that most of our kids are grown, they still like going with us because we have so much fun. When any of our kids get married or have babies, we give them a shower. There is always a group photograph at every wedding reception with all of us with the groom, as well as all of our husbands with the bride. My daughter has the group photo as part of her big wedding album. Not everything has been good. We lost one of our best girlfriends in an automobile accident this past year and four have lost husbands over this past year, too. But we are there for each other with support and love. We've always said we are true Ya-Yas. I know I could call upon any of these women if I needed anything, and they would be there.

We're all lucky to have these wonderful friendships.

- Ida Tergerson

30 years and counting

There is a group of us, some still here in town, who have been girlfriends for over 30 years! We still get together for our birthdays and any other opportunities we can arrange. Our out-of-town girlfriends are kept in the loop via e-mail and the occasional group phone call.

We have been around for each other since elementary school in Finneytown, graduating from Finneytown High School in 1982. Our lives have been touched by death, birth, marriage and divorce, sickness, good fortune, heartache and personal triumphs. What binds us together is our genuine love and caring for each other; our varied life experiences and unwavering emotional support; which is unconditional and never more than a phone call away.

Every day I am thankful for the strength and joy of these relationships and cannot imagine my life without these remarkable, strong, beautiful, smart, funny, inspiring women who are my girlfriends.

- Sharon Sexton

Family affair

My two sister-in-laws, Annette & Janet, my three nieces, Amy, Nikki and Michelle and myself recently started our own monthly Ya-Ya dinner. We laugh, and cry and chat about family "stuff" and life "stuff." Three of us are 50-something and three are 30-something and we share the wisdom of our generations. We are a very close family, and we have Sunday family dinner every week with 20-25 family members. But we decided that we really don't have the opportunity to talk with all the action (babies, grandparents, husbands) on Sundays. We all look forward to our "girls only" dinners and everything we share makes us that much closer. It is a wonderful, nurturing experience for all of us.

- Diana Margolis

In sync

My closest friend is Debby Kraus. We're both 52 years old, and have known each other for 46 or 47 years!! We met because we both went to the same church (also the church of both our extended families, dating back to our grandparents also attending the same church together). We went to different elementary schools, shared one year of school in junior high, but following that went to different schools, colleges, and ended up living on the opposite sides of Cincinnati. (Harrison/Lawrenceburg vs. Mariemont).

Through it all we have remained super-close. We do not see each other a lot, but thanks to the phone, are always in sync. It is uncanny. There seems to be a pattern that Deb often goes through something before me, but I soon hit the same problem/issue. We are there for each other through good times and bad. We have shared/endured first crush, adolescent angst (ours, and then that of our kids!), marriage, divorce, re-marriage, hobbies, fashion ups and downs, our children turning into adults. (Not surprisingly, we both had 2 kids, a boy and a girl). We have such similarities that I ended up attending the funeral of my mother and her father on the same day (we both were suffering the loss of a parent on the same day).

Deb is so great because she knows my past, and what makes me tick. She is the one person I can say "remember when...." and she really does. (We used to spend hours on the phone every day after junior high school, and have never stopped talking through the years). She is a sounding board, and also gives great advice. It was Deb (a nurse) who first diagnosed my daughter with chicken pox - over the phone!

Deb got married and started being a mom 4 years before I did, so she was always ahead of me in the child-rearing adventures. She also has become a grandmother (neither of my kids is married yet) , so I am trying that idea on for size. At first it boggled my mind that my friend was now a grandmother! I remember her as my bridesmaid.

We have vowed to be friends as long as we live, and the way things look, that prediction is going to come true!

- Barb Blum

Poetry pals

One of the four in our 14-year-old group who meet each month at someone's house wrote this:

WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU?!

What would I do without you:

You, who give me a hug when my heart is breaking.

You, who laugh with me so hard my stomach's aching.

You, who give me advice on how to plan my future.

You, who listen with understanding, care, and nurturing.

It could be any one of us. It could be each of us. It could be all of us who is the giver or the receiver of the list above. But whoever it is-whether in want or in plenty, she can always count on the love. Four strangers we were, 14 years ago. Meeting at work and never knowing that the future held. Now we are here today, 4 bodies and 4 souls, but often with one heart. Sharing everything, accepting, even if not agreeing, and always looking forward to next month's adventure. For even though we meet at one four homes in Cincinnati, we travel the world and travel through life in each other's stories.

- Donna Ege

Three for 30

I feel very lucky to have four very good girl friends. Two are from high school, one is a friend for over 30 years and the last one is just a few years into our friendship.

I seldom see or talk to the two from high school, but when we are able to talk we begin where we left off the previous time. I can always call them and talk about anything and they know exactly what I am talking about.

My dear friend for over 30 years is the sweetest human being I know. She and her husband opened up their house for my husband and me for our wedding reception 5 years ago. We are now planning a trip to Hawaii next year to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary and our 5th year anniversary. She has always been there for me no matter what I needed. She is a wonderful person. Her husband proposed to her at my wedding reception to my first husband.

I met my latest friend at work about ten years ago. We hit it off immediately and share everything with each other. She was my matron of honor for my second marriage and I am hoping I will be the same at her wedding. I know we will be friends forever. We have shared many good times and bad times together.

I feel very blessed to have these four wonderful girlfriends in my life. They have always been there for me.

- Judy Yeager

Soul sisters

Together forever - God and us. Every Thursday morning about ten of us (all women from our church) gather at one another's homes in friendship for nourishment of body and soul. It started about 25 years ago but the current ten have been together at least 15 years.

We pray, we laugh, we cry, we counsel, we support. For all of us, it's a very special day of the week we would hate to miss.

Our only regret is that everyone doesn't have such a caring, non-judgmental group to see them through life's, sometimes difficult, journey. We believe we have saved on a lot of therapy bills!

- Rita Rhein

Neighborhood fun

I am fortunate to have a great group of friends whom I met when I moved back to Cincinnati in 1982. We (seven of us) lived around a small dead-end street in Hyde Park. We were starting families around that time, and saw each other through the many ups and downs of raising young children. As our families grew, some of us moved as the houses were very small. However, we are all still in Cincinnati, and we get together whenever possible. Now we discuss the pitfalls of relating to our teen-agers, and talk about college searches and the job market for our children, instead of toilet-training and Big-wheels!

- Connie Bergstein Dow

The notebook

It all started with passing notes in 7th study hall. We used a spiral notebook in hopes that we could conceal it as an assignment book. That's when our friendship was formed and we've been friends since. It resurfaced from our childhood in our late teens. Oh, how we giggled like school girls again at the funny notes we had passed back and forth. From that moment we decided to keep the tradition. I moved to Phoenix. Kyra came to visit and, one month later, she also moved out west. Eventually, I moved to Cincinnati and she moved to New Hamshire, but no matter where we were, that very same notebook, complete with 7th grade drawings of hearts and boys' names scratched out, gets mailed between us. At least once a year one of us receives a package in the mail with a new entry. It's filled with the hopes, dreams and predictions of our adult lives so far. Sometimes it comes on birthdays, sometimes before memorable events, and sometimes when the sentimentality of true sisterhood hits us.

- Lisa Qualey

Friends for life

Where do I begin? I guess it's 7th grade for me, which means we go as far back as the early 70's, which puts this story into a 30-year time frame. I am a 42-year old happily married (22 years) mother of one child, and I have the best friends in the world! And I have had them for over 30 years. Not a lot of people can say that, but I can, and I continue to be amazed yearly at just how unique we are as friends. You see, we stay in touch by using the Internet, by phone, by mail, and in person. We always plan a yearly get-together every summer, which we all try to attend, and it has become the highlight of my year. We eat, we drink, we dance, we cry, we laugh, and laugh some more. We share family pictures and stories about our kids. We pack so much into our time together that the "girls gathering" as we call it, seems like a whirlwind of activity throughout the weekend. We hug and cry and say our good-byes, but know that tomorrow we will always be there for each other to start another day. This group of friends, all 12 of us, truly care about each other after all these years. We have been through and dealt with boyfriends, long- standing marriages, short-lived ones, divorces, births, illness, adoptions, religion, aging parents, jokes galore, and the list goes on..... What keeps us together? Love, history, time, effort, and the simple fact of knowing that we are special. We are amazing together. We are friends who have stood the test of time. We are us! The world today is a very different place than it was when I was growing up in Indiana, but I tell my daughter who is now getting ready to go into high school, "These are the best days of your life and you are making memories to last a lifetime. Along the way you will meet a lot of people. Hopefully, you will meet a few good friends along the way that you will keep forever." As for my friends, it's until death do us part. Maybe we will write our own "Ya-ya" book someday, we have thought about it. Boy, do we have stories! I'm not sure who they would cast to play my part if they made a movie, but there has to be a crazy redhead out there somewhere! It's nice to know that in this world there still are people who care and love one another at the risk of being loved in return.

- Lisa Horst

GNO for FUN

I have a group of girls that call ourselves the Ya Ya's. There are 8 of us including myself. Five of us have known each other since fourth grade. We get together one night a month for GNO (Girls Night Out). We are a special group of friends and women. We have seen each other through many of life's events. We have such a rich history. Among the many things that we as a group have endured together just happened recently to me. Last summer I lost both of my parents, my mom to breast cancer and my dad to multiple sclerosis. These women rallied around me to make meals, watch my daughter, take me out for Margaritas, run errands, cry with me, the first to be at the memorial service and the last to leave. They were on call 24/7 and they meant it. We have all been in each other's weddings. We've been in waiting rooms for new babies. We have supported my friend whose twin daughter has Down Syndrome. When my other friend was recovering from a boating accident we stayed with her and gave her a bath. We give support to my friend who is taking medicine for her multiple sclerosis. There is nothing we don't know about one another. There is nothing we wouldn't do for one another. These women are my chosen sorority sisters. They are my family.

- Jill Waldon

Through sickness and health

I consider myself to have the best girlfriends in the entire world! I have no brothers or sisters so friends are especially meaningful. I communicate on a daily basis through e-mail, phone, letter or in person with female friends aged 90 and younger. I am fortunate to have a true-blue, trustworthy pal from every facet of my life, from my neighborhood as a child, through high school, college, sorority and three different jobs and two neighborhoods. When blood clots landed me in the hospital last summer at the age of 51, I was supported by females from New Jersey to Washington and overwhelmed by support and love. I have a wonderful husband, two great children and the richest circle of friends imaginable. I'm thankful every day of my life.

-Debbie Hager

Keep in touch

I have been friends with my dearest girlfriend since I was 13. We are now 48. She moved from St. Bernard to California within weeks of high school graduation. There were times we lost contact with each due to her moving from one state to the other, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Florida, and now in Atlanta, sometimes it was years but we always seemed to find one another and never missed a beat. This woman, Terri Wickman, knows more about me than my husband of 29 years.

-Rosemary Mercer

Toddler attraction

I have a group of girlfriends who have been sharing happiness and woes for over 35 years. One of the women and I have known each other and been best friends since we were a year old (44+ years) The others were grade-school friends of ours that we became close to in fifth grade. There are six of us who are very close and another bunch from grade school and high school that we see several times a year.

- Chris Konieczka.

Unique ties

My sisterhood or girlfriends consist of a group that seems somewhat disjointed but have been thrust together through some very unique circumstances. Some I have known since birth (60+ years) such as my cousin. She and I were only children and shared fathers that were brothers. Our relationship grew as we both married the same year (1960) and began our families. Our kinship became stronger as our children bonded believing that we were their aunts when in reality we were just their cousins (second or once removed?). My husband passed away in May 1995 and hers in June 1995. This is when the real bonding took place. Aside from our children, we had no one but each other.

From here the other members of the sisterhood joined. One is a dear friend of mine that I had known since I was a teenager (the 50's) and one is a dear friend of my cousin (their children played sports together and they brought the treats, circa 1960's and 1970's). Both still married but one of the husbands is battling cancer. This has made our commitment and support to her even stronger. The other is the positive force for all of us. She keeps our heads above water by always knowing the right thing to say in the face of adversity, - she is our angel.

Other members of the so-called sisterhood include a divorcee that entered the group needing support and support she got; one that is a successful businesswoman (we refer to her as the organizer and travel consultant as she plans most trips), and one that is married but living apart from her husband due to too many complications that need to be left alone.

We travel to Florida each year and take over a condo pool where we entertain the residents with our stories and water aerobics (which consist of bicycle pedaling while being held up with Styrofoam noodles).

We laugh, sometimes cry, but most importantly appreciate that friends come in all shapes and sizes and accept you regardless.

This year we have added yet another. She owns the local pub where we all meet on Friday nights with husbands, boyfriends etc. She seemed a likely candidate for no other reason than she likes us and we like her. She will be initiated into the sisterhood when we travel south next month.

Jo Ann Weigel

Yearly reunion

There is a group of 8 women who grew up in Pendleton County, Kentucky. We are now 57, but went all through school together. Some of us went to the same church growing up and two of us were college roommates and later shared an apartment. We have all gone our separate ways with careers, families etc., but still have a special place in our hearts and lives for each other. We do not see each other often (some of us more than others), but we have a get together each year on the first Saturday in August. The get together is hosted by one of the girls who now lives in Cincinnati and we all chip in with food and drinks. This year, I think we've gotten lazy and are going to order pizza! We all live in the area (Kentucky/Ohio) except for one who is in La Jolla, CA. She flies in for the event and stays with me for a week. We do all kinds of girlfriend things during the week and then go to the gathering. Needless to say, there is tons of "remember when's," a load of laughter and sometimes even a few tears - but we wouldn't miss it for the world. One of our group will not be there this year because of a health-related problem and that is really scary as we realize the years are marching on. For that one Saturday in August, we really feel like kids again.

- Myrna Rice

40 years

How's 40+ years for girlfriends who still regularly meet for dinner and reminisce over old times? Most of us have been friends since high school, some since grade school, and a couple since kindergarten! We plan our high-school reunions. It doesn't matter that it isn't really our job. None of us were class officers. There were 14+ of us who formed what some termed a very clique-ish gang in high school. I don't mind admitting we were the "in" crowd! Tons of slumber parties! Over the years, we have attended each other's weddings, baby showers, kids' weddings and alas, some funerals. Our little congregation. Next year, we will plan our 40th class reunion. Most of us are grandparents now, so we are always armed with photos when we meet and get together. A couple of us live outside the area, but keep in touch through our "General" (who has become the hub of our little wheel), we call her! By the way, she's the oldest of 11 brothers and sisters in her family, and they are responsible for the nickname.It seemed to fit for our purpose, too, so she is the keeper of all addresses, phone numbers and birthdays. Her name is Cheryl. She would deny the role, but it's clear. She has always been a leader, even a cheerleader in high school!

When one of our friends comes to our small town for any reason (one lives in Maryland, one in Kentucky and one in Maine), the "General" usually coordinates a time that everyone can meet and be together. We still have slumber parties! We make it a point to plan a get-together every couple of months. Most of us live in or near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, attended Lawrenceburg High School (Class of '64, thank you very much!) We have an annual Christmas party/slumber party, and basically, just look for excuses to get together and have fun. For our last get-together in June, there were7 of us. My daughter says we should go on Oprah.

I can't tell you what it means to have these women as life-long friends. I recently lost my husband and they were all there for me, just as we have all been there for each other in good times and bad. It gave me strength to look over and see them there.

-Lynn Holtegel.

Key Lime sisters

We are four friends who are all in the same business. We all own florist shops. (I have recently retired)

The work can be very stressful, and one of us would call and say, "I need a girl's night out." We have known each other for about 20 years and have been having nights out for about 10 years.

We used to go to a different restaurant each time, but now we always go to the Bahaman Breeze. One evening we were having dinner there and we all ordered water with lime in it instead of lemon. (we learned to enjoy that in Cancun, Mexico) We also ordered Key lime pie. When the waiter brought one of us a to-go box he wrote on the top "The Key Lime group." That was it - we now call ourselves "The Key Lime Sisterhood" and we are all Key Lime sisters.

We have dinners during good times and bad. We support each other during bad times and celebrate our good times.

This kind of group is priceless!

Nina Whitaker

All kinds of friends

I am so fortunate girlfriends make up my circle of life. These circles follow the stages of growing up. I have girlfriends from grade school and girlfriends from high school. This group has established an annual "get away" where for a long weekend we just catch up. I have girlfriends from college and sorority sisters. I have girlfriends from my professional life as a "career woman." Of course through it all I have the "best friend." She and I experience life together no matter if we are apart. The good the bad and the ugly we share it all. That relationship began in grade school.

I am married now and have returned to my Cincinnati roots. To these other very important circles of girlfriends a new one has been added. These are my amazing four friends who are all three decades my senior! Together they have been friends for somewhere near 60 years. I am so lucky to have been adopted to this group! These are not surrogate mothers; I have a mother and they have daughters. We meet weekly for dinner for the past 5 years now. Some have been married for over 50 years and others are alone now. From them I see the strength of friends over time. I see marriages that work. I see examples of how to endure loss. We share our thoughts on current events and the world. I see the importance of activity with age, as they play golf weekly (better than me) or they play bridge. Their style is impeccable! We go to fashion shows and to teas.

These are beautiful, vibrant women that I call my girlfriends and my idols. Being able to extend my girlfriend circles beyond my generation or decade is a wonderful learning and loving privilege.

- Cheryl Ann O'Leary Sieve