my dear neighbor and life long friend grama katie passed away this last week. i still remember the first day i met her, she and her husband dean moved into a trailer across the street from my house when i was about five, and i was riding my bike up to my best friend jenny's house. katie yelled out to me as i rode past and invited me over for a popsicle, between the constant supply of treats in her freezer (push pops from the schwann man), her kitties and dogs, and her spunky sparkly personality we were fast friends. my sisters and i, and our dogs, beat a path from our back yard to her front porch for many many years. katie was the daughter of croatian immigrants and grew up in the mining town of price utah. she and her husband dean drove semi's together for years and collected an assortment of animals along the way. her house was filled with animal knick knacks, and she was a fierce defender of all four leggeds in our neighborhood. she'd cuss and holler at anyone who mistreated a child or dog or cat, and would call at all hours of the day and night to report any possible danger she observed. she was a treasured neighbor, friend and grama and i'll miss her very much. i'm sure there was a veritable noah's ark waiting for her when she crossed to the other side. love you katie.
