20 Reasons Why I Love Jacey Ranae

In 2004 or 2005 Nettl invited a young woman over for some chat and wine. She'd met her at the cat clinic, where they worked together. Her name was Jacey Ranae (I often call her Racey Janae), and the minute I saw her, I felt that I knew her from somewhere long, long ago and that we were going to be very close. Since then, I have been proven correct, and I just want to share this special young woman with you, partly because last Thursday was her birthday...

I fell in love with Jacey the moment I saw her. I don't mean in the romantic sense. I don't "make friends", I fall in love. There are many different kinds of love, after all.

Here are some reasons why I love my Jacey.

1. She loves me unconditionally. In fact, she eggs me on to act out whenever possible.
   
2. She is an "animal whisperer". She speaks every language and dialect in the animal world.
   
3. (I personally believe she's an animal psychic.)
   
4. She is like a third daughter in my heart.
5. She calls me "Wolfie" like our other daughters do.
6. She has a heart of gold.
7. She is unpredictable, but in a fascinating way.
8. She loves the Beatles as much as I do.
9. She was born on the same day as Paul McCartney, although a great number of years later.
10. Like Ville, she's a Gemini. I love Gemini women. As friends.
    
11. When she, V, and I get together, we are the Beatles.
12. She "gets" me.
13. She doesn't make a fuss about things.
14. Whenever she comes to our house for a party, she always brings me a bottle of champagne and won't let me share it with anyone.
15. She overcame and conquered bone marrow cancer when she was 12. That experience gave her a wisdom and a love of life that is beyond her years.
16. Being half-Italian, she brings great hors d'oeuvres to our parties.
17. Also being half-Italian, she takes care of the people she loves.
18. She takes sick and/or injured animals into her home and loves them back to health. Sometimes, all she can do is give them a lot of care and love until they pass on, which is even more noble and selfless, because I know it's painful for her.
19. She adores musicians, and cuts us a lot of slack.
20. Like me, she's a collector of colorful people and surrounds herself with interesting characters.

Jacey was even here for the party that was shown in a film I was in. In fact, she made quite a grand entrance for the camera, dressed like Audry Hepburn and carrying her one-eyed pirate cat, Pirate Jenni. The film crew adored her! Sadly, Pirate Jenni passed on a few months later, and I don't think that J will ever get over that loss. We all loved Pirate Jenni. You can read about her here. This picture was taken of them at the private screening party on January 27, 2006.






This is Ville and Jacey at the party that was seen in the film.

The friendship between us isn't one that requires hugs and kisses, constant contact, or reassurances. It runs deep and silent and just is. In fact, we've never spoken about this with each other and we probably never will. We don't have to. We just know.

I love you Baby Cakes!