Do you know who Morgan is? Some might introduce her by saying that she is nine years old and lives in Menlo Park. Others know her as 50% of the ecosystem "Sophie and Morgan." My co-workers regard her as the Donald Trump of Girl Scout cookie sales. While she has achieved a modicum of fame in my posts as a reluctant hairdresser, she is most known to me as an erstwhile housemate, as I lived with her and her Mom for eight months when I moved to Menlo Park in 2003.

This past Friday was the kind of day that Morgan likes, because she didn't have to go to school. Morgan's Mom, Liz, agreed that I could have Morgan come to my house on Friday, and asked if I would help Morgan build her Mission.

The fourth grade in California! Junipero Serra would be proud to know that the number of model missions made by fourth graders in our fine state probably exceeded the billion mark several years ago.

On Wednesday, I got an email from my friend Linda wondering what I was up to this week. I started thinking about Morgan's plan to visit on Friday and decided that Linda would be a great addition to our group. Now let's just say that I don't share my Morgan time with everyone. But I knew that Linda would be fun to hang out with and that she and Morgan would play together nicely.

When I invited Linda to join us, I mentioned the Mission project and asked Linda if she would bring some of her modeling supplies. Among other things, Linda is a designer, extraordinarily creative and resourceful, and recently took a class on professional modeling from an architect.

While in my mind I was just inviting Linda to my play date with Morgan, I MUST HAVE known subconsciously that she would do all the work and I would be able to loll around and watch them make magic out of cardboard, clay, and random household materials.

Observing the two of them work together on a very impressive rendition of Mission Santa Barbara was a great way to spend a cold, rainy Friday.

I have seen those notes that teachers send with project instructions and they go something like this: "Dear Parent: Your child needs to make a model of a Mission and it is due on March 1. Please do not do all the work or have the Nanny do it. Also, we know you blame us for deficiencies in your children's abilities even though you let them play on their computers for four hours every night instead of doing their homework. P.S. It is not our fault that you pay sky-high property taxes. Guess what? That is not reflected in our paychecks."

Well, Linda is NOT a parent but she IS a Palo Alto taxpayer and somehow she got the message about how to "help" and "advise" vs. just doing it herself. They had many, many discussions about each element of the Mission. Should we make palm trees? Out of what? How big should they be?

"Carolyn, do you have any masking tape? Oh, that won't work. Do you have any thin paper bags?" While they made very perfect, very authentic palm trees, I rested and watched them and ran around trying to find items for their experimentation.

Of all the positive things that have come of this cancer experience, one of the finest has been that I have slowed down and can truly enjoy the moments that are precious. Spending a day watching Morgan, who is cute, and sweet, and optimistic, and Linda who is kind, and generous and perseverant gave me so many of those moments to savor.