‘Gadabout’s search for the perfect soup’

Remember these headlines…..”A surprise trip for the Gadabout ” where Francheska drives us to the Cracker Barrel for lunch and we end up in Frankenmuth shopping? That was a great day. “Gadabouts Seek Soup and Sun”, the trip we took to Goodells, before Francheska left on a road trip with her son to see her first great grandchild. We found Goodells to be a long way away. Then there was “Small Towns, Big Adventures”, this was a trip all right…..I had seen an ad for a place called Antique Gardens. The ad said it had a little bit of everything, right… behind boarded up windows. We had to stop and regroup. We decided to head on west on 46 to Pride and Country, a good half hour away. It turned out great and lots to see. Francheska said she knew of a place her friend Sue told her about over and over and she always wanted to go there, so we did. We dined at the “Buck Wild Saloon” which had saddles as seats in the window, which we did not sit in, but the food was very good. That was one place Giselle could proudly wear her cowgirl boots, and she did. Another recommendation by our friend Francheska was the “Twisted Burger”. Really that one surprised us both. The name was misleading, the food great, the waiters cute, the trailer on the outside and cute as a bug inside was perfect. Francheska did it again…

We were always searching for the perfect soup, ONION that is. We hit every eatery on the 53 corridor, and some far away. It was Giselle’s and my aim to find Francheska that perfect onion soup. We never stopped trying. We had spent three years tracking down that damn soup, when tragedy struck our friend. Francheska’s husband got sick, and in a matter of weeks died. It was a mournful time. We were all so sad that our best friend had lost her best friend.

Time passed. It was awhile before we all went out together, but it was o.k. Not quite the same as we shared stories, cracked jokes, went shopping, talked about the news and prayed the pain would just go away.

August rolled in, so hot, but Francheska didn’t want to take her camping trailer to the property she had purchased. When I asked her why not, she simply said I don’t want to sit in a trailer at a lake when it’s this hot outside, I would rather be home in air conditioning. It’s true she does not like the hot weather. September came, Francheska quit her post at Attica Township Offices. She gathered a few “gifts” out of her things, like that stupid head, that was a flower pot, and gave them to friends.

She went to the doctor a lot. She told Giselle first, I’m sure, that she had two spots on her lungs and a spot on her throat. Tests were run and they came back positive. Poor Giselle, she had to let me know the news. We cried rivers, we prayed every day, we got friends to form a prayer chain. At this point the Serenity Prayer was not helping at all. We visited, we brought food, so many people, so many relatives and friends came. We tried jokes, stories, and Francheska being the lady and comforter she was, remained stoic, as massive amounts of pain wracked her body, heart and soul. Credit is due to her son who stood by her side and did everything he could to make her days restful, as well as Sue, her life long friend, and other relatives and neighbors.

The time came when Francheska was rushed to the hospital, due to breathing problems. Hospice was required. On October 10th I visited her, held her hand, but could not stay. Giselle went to be with her husband, along with relatives, her son, and others. Time passed. I know George called to her, and she went, as that is where she wanted to be.

Pain free and in the arms of her best friend. I know God loved Kay, (Francheska), and I know Kay loved God. Now Giselle and I, and everyone else who loves her, will just have to learn to go on. We who knew her will always have the memories we made to help us and that’s a good thing. There is just one thing I have left to say….. Heaven is a much better place, because Pat (George) is fixing anything that has wheels, and Kay is mowing around all the flowers in Heaven. Rest in Peace my Friends.

Contact Diane at tct@pageone-inc.com