We’re All Grateful

 https://www.yahoo.com/news/kelly-ripa-says-she-grateful-181732856.html

This Beanie Feldstein / Lea Michele contretemps on Broadway has me sideways.  I hope you guys are doing OK.

So, it has been a busy time since my last post, as my wife and I are social butterflies.  When we met, she was a tad shy, but I’ve managed to draw her out of her shell over the last 37 years.

As mentioned, the Wig descended upon us on Independence Day. I always have to prep myself when this dynamo comes to town.  He was here to drop off his daughter’s Dachshund before heading to the Windy City for a month. He’s such a sweet dad, at least compared to me.  I’m not taking any animals anywhere on any form of transportation.  

We had a nice BBQ and were joined by his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.  I went to Fieldworks to get some special beers.  The last time we were in Richmond he provided a local brewery’s output, including some freaky fruit-based concoction.  I could have countered with Fieldworks’ Strawberry Banana Parfait, but I am not a wiseass. Alas, it was a short stay and I drove him to SFO the next morning.

The next event was a reunion with the Poughkeepsie Kid and wife.  They live up in Santa Rosa, so we do not see them too often.  They were renting a Russian River house for the week, so we spent the day with them and three of their five kids. The Poughkeepsie Kid was the guy who hired me at the place where I met my wife, where numerous couples also got together in the 1980s. We spent the night at a cool little inn called the Highland Dell in Monte Rio.  

This past weekend we got together with The Bankers, The Belgians and #1s.  We were celebrating #1’s retirement and The Belgian’s induction into the National Academy of Sciences.  We went for a cruise piloted by The Banker, sipping Chandon Spritzes and chowing down on the first-rate appetizers they provided.  

We then moved the fun over to our place. The Belgians provided a pile of ribs, and I grilled some chimichurri chicken.  We sat under the pergola and gabbed away, recounting some of the wilder parties from our younger days. Can you say belly button tequila shots? We also discussed future travel plans. Going inside to chow down, we presented #1 and The Belgian some “certificates” to mark their achievements.  Everyone had a great time and some touching thank you notes were sent out the next day.  We are very lucky to have had this FCMC group in our lives for the last 25 years.