While we were in Denver, we did a lot of driving, a lot. Normally, I get a little crabby when I have to be in the car so frequently, and for such great distances (Denver is a lesson in s-p-r-a-w-l), some places an hour from another while never leaving the metro area, but this was worth it because we got to visit people we hadn’t seen in years. There’s nothing like sitting with someone, gazing in their eyes, hearing their voice, smelling their familiar scent, watching their toes wiggle while they talk, so much better than an e-mail, a letter, or Christmas card, no matter how heartfelt.
I think that one of the surest signs of a great friendship is the ability to feel as though little time has passed since last meeting, even if it has been years, so easy is it to get into that comfortable space, the place that is home. I am grateful that this is the case with all pictured here. I love you, guys!
That’s me and Linda – you remember her. We had a great time hanging out at her house with her cutie kids Allie and Hunter. They are whip-smart, fun, and adorable, of course! I love how they have all the cool toys I never had as a kid, like a cash register and a playhouse in the yard. Boy, I can remember gazing wistfully at them in the Montgomery Ward catalogue – wouldn’t it be fun to play store in the playhouse?! We also finally got to meet her husband Buzz – a handsome man with kindness to match, and a perfect fit for her. Thanks, too for the refrigerator full of fun drinks and the hobo burgers, yum!
Say Hello to Chara, whom I met through my friend Whitney, and was later my boss at Williams-Sonoma (a pet peeve – It is Williams-Sonoma, not Williams and Sonoma. Chuck Williams’ first store was in Sonoma, okay?) Sorry, digression. She’s now a nurse for teeny-tiny babies and the mother of triplets! I wish I took a picture of them (so sweet and each their own person) and their dear papa, Matt.
The four of us had grand times together – playing games, making each other dinner, sneaking a full bag of tortilla chips, cheese dip, and Twizzlers into the movies(*EDIT – Yesterday I almost wrote that we brought a roasted chicken, too, but thought, no, that’s too much, I must have dreamed that part, but no! The G-Man confirmed it)! One of my fondest memories is of martinis at the Fourth Story Restaurant at the old Tattered Cover in Cherry Creek. They had a nice jazz band, and we ate and talked and drank. Well, at least they did. I am not a big drinker, and Matt teased me because I still had a bit left in my glass when everyone else was working on their second or third. “You want a to go cup for that honey?” I laughed so hard that I spilled said drink all over myself and received even more ribbing from Matt. Good times.
Hello Michael, Mary, and Jesuscito! If I were a bit more organized, I would have scanned the picture we took of them in this same spot twelve years ago. Their son Max was holding Crybaby Arthur the cat, and Gussie (the best crate-trained dog I’ve ever seen) was standing next to Mary. Now Max is out on his own, learning all about grid power and the intricacies of bikes. Arthur gave us one of his best cries, but, sadly, Gus’s crate is no longer in the dining room. Soon enough there will be more changes, as Michael and Mary will be in their next home, a cool Mid-Century modern place in Littleton. We can’t wait to see the pictures.
While living in Denver, we had great outings to thrift stores, various breakfast places in search of the best biscuits and gravy, and spent a special Thanksgiving in Santa Fe. We stayed in adjoining rooms at the very cool El Rey Inn on Cerillos (the only place we stay when we go back), had killer burritos from the Burrito Company (still there and yummy good!), all while taking in the finest Sante Fe has to offer. I was even mistaken for Max’s girlfriend while poor Gregory was back at the inn with a raging fever. I probably look too old now. Ahh, time.
Andie Card! Thanks to Linda helping me land a job at Amici’s, I met my dear Andie. We bussed tables together on Friday nights and then drove around in her old Bug laughing our heads off at her driving skills, the odd behavior of customers, our co-workers (oy! a book could be written), and, of course, our selves.
Andie has the quick wit most of us can only aspire to. Sometimes, she is on to the next joke before I even understood the last. She makes me laugh, and then she makes me cry with laughter. She’s also fiercely indepdent, strong, and one of the best people to have in your corner. I’m glad she’s in mine.
p.s. If you look in the reflection on the car you can see my legs there near the mirror, like a granny. “Hey there honey, let me take a pho-to of you in that snazzy car!”
This is Rena, Jeff, and their adorable kitty, Jackie Chan. Like Linda and Andie, I’ve known Jeff a long time. We met in an incredibly boring Oceanography class my first semester of college – way back in 1989. I think I had bangs then, and he had one of those long tails of hair down his back. Once he cut it off, he grew facial hair and joked, “It transplanted itself up front.” I liked Jeff right away because he would make fun of the professor using nutty voices, “Back at Woods Hole…”
Rena came into the picture after we moved, but we became fast friends on visits. She is the perfect complement to Jeff, smart, independent and funny in her own right – a fine couple. They are a hoot to hang out with, know tons about geology (I’ve forgotten almost everything, I’m afraid), are great at games (I’ll post pictures of us playing the Wii another time), and just darn nice!
I feel so privileged to have so many wonderful friends! Thank you all…