plenty to celebrate

It rained and rained all weekend. Today, the rain started just after our pancakes this morning, lasted right through the soccer game (England v. Ecuador), and our errands this afternoon. And now, it's only just ceased as I start to make dinner.

Speaking of which, dinner tonight is a bit of an adventure. Feeling a little ambitious (I think just to distract myself from the end of the weekend), I'm trying my hand at salmon en croute, risotto, and steamed artichokes. The artichokes are a first for me - complicated and prickly - but the recipe tells me that they are best served with melted butter (!) so I do look forward to that.

On Friday night, the families all gathered together in our living room (warmly lit by candlelight) for coconut cake and champagne. Plenty to celebrate - as it was Carlye's 30th birthday. Which is quite significant. Afterwards, Debbie and I took Carlye out for a birthday drink at a wonderful little place called Tosca. They were just about to close their doors for the evening, so we had their lovely exposed brick walls and delicious martinis all to ourselves. Perfectly fitting to toast Carlye's 30th. And equally fitting - whereas years ago (and yes, we knew each other years ago), we would have stayed out quite late - this time, we were all feeling a little sleepy. Even more fitting, we drove there and back in Debbie's new mini-van - with the birthday girl having to sit in the Way Back because the twins' car seats had reserved space in the middle row.

Leslie phoned in her birthday wishes from Colorado as we shared a drink, and we all told her how much we missed her (she is the Fourth, you see, and so we weren't quite complete). After she said her birhtday wishes and goodbyes, we all said to each other how much we would miss our Fourth when she moves to Texas - and how it's really only just setting in that we must soon send her off to her new life with her new family and her new home. Still, we don't have to send her off just yet, so we'll hold on her to her (tightly) for just a little longer.