The best part about last week’s quasi-vacation was being able to spend time with people we don’t normally see. JG and I had a casual open house on New Year’s Day for the three college bowl games with friends from all arenas of life. Together, we grazed through the day on pigs-in-a-blanket, pizza rolls, crab dip, and raw vegetables. I also met Janet for lunch, and I realized after the fact that we had not once broached the topic of blogging. Instead, we talked about jobs, vacations, and plans for the future, as in, real subjects of conversation. We are friends In Real Life now!
For me, the most exciting social event was the reunion of my friends from my freshman college dorm. These days, we are scattered across the country, but all of our families are still on the east coast, so I sent out an e-mail to see if it might be at all possible to hang out sometime between Christmas and the new year. Since our last adventure at UD’s homecoming, there has been a wedding and an engagement! We were overdue for a get-together. Plus, one couple lives in San Francisco, so I hoped to loop them in during their holiday tour.
By some form of magic, everyone was able to make it for the Wednesday night I suggested (one response even included volunteering to make chocolate truffles for dessert). Yes! I made a huge slow cooker of chili, a big salad, and a double batch of corn bread, and everyone descended on our house from their various home states. I had prepped for The Best Game Ever in case anyone was interested, but we never needed it because we spent hours and hours talking and catching up. Everyone admired the kitchen renovation, and we heard the newest engagement story, which is one of the best I’ve ever heard. My old roommate and I talked about jobs and the publishing world, and JG showed off our newest Alton Brown book to another die-hard Good Eats fan. Almost everyone tried out Wii Sports Resort in between bites of dessert (I made raspberry squares to go with the truffles) while the rest of us laughed our faces off at their efforts. Ted loved having so much attention and eventually passed out on the couch.
It was one of those nights that ended too quickly and happens too rarely. I’m struggling to fully explain how much fun we had together because whenever we manage to do it, I think, “Why did we wait so long to do this?” After freshman year, I regretted not being as tightly woven into the group as I had once been, but it warms the cockles of my heart that we all still keep in touch. Five years ago, we were randomly placed in one end of a freshman dorm, and after weddings, grad school, jobs, cross-country moves, and new business ventures, we still have a good time together. How does that work? Is it simply a result of having lived together at a really formative time of life? Or did that random roommate-picker computer just happen to slap together fun, smart, awesome people?
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I met up with a bunch of high school friends and their significant others the Wednesday before Christmas, when we all actually happened to be visiting our families (who still live in our respective hometowns) at the same time. It was so great to catch up with everyone… there have been weddings, babies, moves, career changes and engagements since we’d all seen each other. (I think a few of them hadn’t seen each other in almost 10 years!) We stayed talking for hours after the dinner bill was paid. (Luckily, the restaurant wasn’t busy and our waitress didn’t mind.)
What does JG think of the Alton Brown book? Adam got it for Christmas from my parents and is already compiling his list of what he wants to make. (I think granola bars are first.)
So a bit random, but have you seen a new Good Eats? Alton has lost a lot of weight. The Good Eats episode that we watched was about his new eating regime, etc. It makes me wonder if it will change the focus and or recipes of his show (since he eats only red meat once a week, sweets only once a week, etc.)
FIRL! I think our new level of friendship deserves an acronym, don’t you? Haha. Like, “Meet RA, my FIRL.”
Lady Susan – I was wondering if perhaps Alton is sick or something. He looks kinda sickly?
I am getting together tonight with these same sorts of folks: freshman year dorm friends and the newly acquired spouses. We’re going out instead of staying in, but the atmosphere never disappoints.
Also–just read the post about TBGE and the “knocking boots” cracked me up. Oh my. It really is TBGE.
Hooray! An incredible time was had by all!
It was a great time!! We should definitely do it more often, although Colin and I will have to move back for “often” to be an option. Soon!
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