PLEASE TAKE US BACK!

I have been doing ceramics for over ten years now with the same teacher, Judy, who really knows her stuff. There used to be five of us doing the class but now there are only four. I have to give Rose special mention. All of us have missed her this past year and I know we all hope she is doing OK. The other two ladies, Marlene and Arlene, have been coming to class for over five years. Off and on over the years we have had other ladies, and men, come and go. Some for a short time some for a long time. Our gang of girls,(does four of us make a gang?) make me laugh. We have so much fun. We bitch and chew, laugh and snort, discuss everything from ducks in ditches to making roast beef, current and past medical issues to new front doors. We drink tea and coffee and eat dessert if anyone happens to bring some along for the evening. Sometimes, but not too often, we don't say anything at all. We just all work on whatever piece it is that we've chosen for the evening. We're that comfortable with each other that it's OK to just be. We have pot luck dinners a few times a year and exchange Christmas cards and sometimes small gifts to each other.....Marlene, we love your pens!
These are very talented ladies. I love how they can take a piece of bisque and turn it into a work of art. I always said that painting ceramics is easy and it is BUT learning how to do it properly is hard work. Judy is a great teacher! Next week may be our last class. Judy will decide in September whether or not to continue the weekly classes. She wants to retire and do some stuff for herself. THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Aw, I'm just kidding. SIGH! I am feeling sorry for myself. I hope that she decides to continue on with classes. I will miss those three ladies. They are like an extension of my own family. No, I don't see them outside of class. We don't run in the same circles. This is the first year we have had summer classes so normally I don't see them during this time. When we do get together after the long summer break it's like we've never been away from each other. Those ladies are like what Dorthy says "There's no place like home". They are like a favourite pair of earrings or a pair of shoes. You may not wear them all the time but when you do it's like you just had them on yesterday. Do you know what I mean?
I'm not sure what I will do with myself if Judy closes down the class. IF however, she does do the dirty deed and kicks us all out I promise not to sleep on her doorstep or parade around with a sign that says, "Judy PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, take us back!" in front of her house. I will sobbingly and very reluctantly take my stains and brushes, wipe the tears from my eyes and go onto a new adventure. Perhaps a scrapbook or card making class. I'll just have to wait and see what happens.
And by the way, Judy, if your reading this...."PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take us back!