As of this weekend, I am now 45…the sunniest side of 40. Hot diggety dog.
I am also wealthier beyond my wildest dreams, most fervent prayers, and well-stoked imagination. Look at that table. See how full it is? An embarrassment of riches. Such people.
How it happened: A few months ago, Madi asked if she and her fella, Zach, could swing by on their way to his sister's home in Florida. YES! (That was easy.) Could Kenan make it a full house? (not sure.)
Then I invited Howard and his daughter, Kacie, to join the fray. Yep. (Five confirmed folks around the table.)
Kenan found out that he'd have to report to basic training in early July. He's inviting the National Guard to help him invest in college. He was in! (Six around the table.)
After Skyping with Katie Mayes (one/half of my "best friend" – Dave Mayes being the other half), I received a text that said that the aMayeses were heading out, too! That is when I began to squeeeeeee & dance, Woohoo! I thought that my little Grinchy heart was going to BURST! (10 around the table).
This also meant that we could designate each person a 1.5 square foot section of my apartment to make merry, sleep, eat, and shenaniganize… I hemmed and hawed about sleeping arrangements.
Having family and friends around the table is my favorite thing. It often leads to Scrabble games, laughing so hard that beverages exit noses, long invigorating conversations, and the making room for more…family and friends that is.
Enter Betty, the marvelous; kindest woman of genuine hospitality that I know. Betty knows how to help people feel at home in their own 3' x 5' work cubby. She offered her table…and basement to the weekend of merry making – the weekend of celebrating family and a life of friends. Wowzer. That's like inviting the Clampetts to move in.
We ended up with 12 people around the table – Betty and my yoga/coffee friend (& boss), Ann, joined us to round it out. A few friends could not make it.
It was so fun. And I am so grateful.
Chinese checkers, cicadas, playing on the lake like 10 year olds at camp, good food, trips to the "Biscuit Palace", cheering Dave in his post-triathlon glory, eating BBQ with the tea party crowd, Amicalola falls, thrifting, slogging around on the couches, playing legos, sampling the Blue Bell & Big Red; giggling over the gift of Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale… picking up and dropping off the folks we love; and so much more.
See? An embarrassment of riches.
Just writing about it makes my eyes water.
To have the opportunity to love and be loved so well.
No words tell the tale well.
Maybe next year, Mimi & Moe will join us, the queens, M3, Rhonda, Jo, Auntie Mae's friends, book club, Trish & Gil, the Adams Family, and all of the folks who make life an adventure worth risking.
Thank you. 45 never looked so fun.
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in 1985, when I turned 18, Ryan Adam's "Heaven" was #1 on the pop charts. I thought Ryan Adams was so cute. That song sent me to college with Back to the Future playing in theaters and Ghost Busters cracking up the church youth group that invited me along to see the show.
The Association's, Windy, was #1 on the day I first saw the sun. Click the links and enjoy.
