Friends and the Year of the Pig

"Humans have always relied on friendship. We would never have made it out of the Stone Age without cooperation and companionship. Nowadays, we may not need our friends to help fight off predators and gather food, but they are still our absolute lifesavers. Many studies over the years show that people live longer, happier, healthier lives if they have a strong network of support from friends and family."

I couldn't agree more!
Regular readers will be well aware of the fun, laughter, support and friendships within my hiking groups - Hungry Hikers and Gaiter Girls. One's spirits are always lifted in their company, which isn't just limited to our hiking day.

This post is about another group I've belonged to, for 20 years now. We are called 'The Pigs' and so in the Year of the Pig, I thought it appropriate to share our friendship here. I must add that three of the Hungry Hikers are also 'Pigs'.

My husband and I married and taught in Blackwater in Central Queensland. In 1982, Frank received a promotion and transfer to Beenleigh State School, in the greater Brisbane area. This area has become our home for the last 37 years. I taught for several years at another local school, resigned to have my 2 wonderful sons and in 1991 commenced supply teaching. A large proportion of this was at Beenleigh and so began my friendship with the amazing women who were to become "Pigs".

In the late 90's many changes in staffing took place. Promotions, transfers and busy lives meant we hardly saw one another. The long story short was that a few of us met every 2nd Friday for a coffee at my house. Some of the others met once a term for lunch on the holidays. The two groups soon joined and eight adoreable, but exceedingly busy women, de-stressed fortnightly at one another's house. The coffee was soon replaced with a platter of nibbles and a bottle of bubbles or two.

Initially the laughter was from regaling one another with classroom incidents, but as we got busier with school and family life, the laughter came from the stories of silly mishaps and forgetfulness.

And how did we become 'Pigs'?

Farmer's markets were new to Brisbane and we spent months trying to find a Sunday when we could all visit the New Farm markets. Finally we found a date and arrived bright an early, but not a stall was in sight. We were only a day late. Much laughter and then the decision was made to venture to the Riverside markets in downtown Brisbane. As we wandered through, someone spotted a wooden pig money box. It was quickly purchased as our money box, to save for our holiday lunch get-togethers. As a result, we found we now had a name for the group.  The Pig went home to whoever had  the daftest tale of the fortnight. There were many but not to be shared here. Many comments about how we actually ate and drank like pigs, were made but after a hard fortnight at work, we needed to let our hair down and get things off our chest. After several years, our piggy money box became the receptical for donations to Care Australia - fighting hunger and world poverty. Through this organisation we regularly donate a pig to an overseas village.

So here is our pig!

This photo [below] was taken in January, as we celebrated the 50th birthday of our youngest Piglet. We are now all retired, bar Liz, second on the left. 

Ten years ago, Liz was living on an island in Moreton Bay. For her fortieth birthday we arranged a surprise lunch at the island restaurant via her husband. At January's party,  there was much laughter as we recalled the events of that birthday. We had made sure we took an early ferry to be seated before John and Liz arrived. We waited and waited and .......   A phone call was made only to discover John had completely forgotten. 

Finally Liz gets her surprise.

Over the years there have been many celebrations.
Top LHS - Christmas 2005. Top RHS - someone had returned from Paris.

Christmas in July, 2013.
Laurel [red scarf, laughing] had created a calendar using 'Piggy' photos with hilarious captions.

School holiday luncheon get together.

Dining out for a Christmas celebration.

The arrival of Percival Pig.

Someone organised 'Pig' embroidered shirts.

On another occasion we took a quiz to find our porn star names. I was Dallas Glitter Horn.

So many wonderful memories.

Sewing a hanging for Jayne's 5oth.

It was definitely a night of laughter.

Creating 'The Quilt of Love' for my son's Canadian wedding. 

We all have a love of travel. Quite early in our history, someone on an overseas jaunt, spotted a small pig and brought 8 home. A tradition, that annoys our husbands excessivley, had begun. They have been collected and seen in many different countries and in many different forms. Aussies love to travel.

My collection - approx 70.

One Granddaughter loves to play with her Grannies set.

The 'Pig Convention', on the return of several travellers.

Handmade.

These cute pigs were a gift of a friend, who had visited from Switzerland.

Percival loves to join us at one abode.

Reminders for Pig events come in different forms.

New Year celebrations.

The One Green Planet site, states '10 Phenomenal Reasons to Love a Pig'.

1. Pigs are super-smart and remember everything.

2. Cleanliness is next to Piggy-ness.

3. Everyone should eat like a pig.

4. Pigs are highly soscial.

5. Pigs talk a lot.

6. Pigs are playful.

7. Pigs are good mothers.

8. Pigs are heroes.

9. Pigs have personalities and feelings.

10. Pigs show compassion and forgiveness.

Except perhaps for the high lighted part of No 1, I believe this pretty well sums our group up.

We are there for one another through thick and thin and there have certainly been 'thin' times for each of us at different times. Everyone rallies and all the love, support and positive vibes gives one the strength to carry on.

We now meet monthly. Friday 3 May was my given date. Earlier in the year 2 comments led me to decide to host a 'Piggy' celebration once it was my turn again. One was the fact that this is the 'Year of the Pig' and the other, a friend was putting her Christmas blow up pig away.

Whilst down on the farm over Easter, I spent my first evening planning the event and creating the table decor. It was a lot of fun, as was the afternoon, when we well and truly celebrated our friendship and the Year of the Pig.

My menu for the afternoon was selected from a recipe book of our favourites, collated several years ago.

Cheers, health and happiness!

We all given a name for the afternoon, as per the slip of paper on our 'ear', head piece. Mine was Helen Hambone.

I sincerely trust that you have the blessing of such special friends as mine, both the Piggies and the hikers.

I would love to read your comment.