It Was a Long Day But It Was a Good Day

The funeral went as well as could be expected. The family is holding up remarkably well and I am especially proud of how strong Phoebe is being. Granted, she has always been a strong person but, under the circumstances, no one would expect her to hold it together as well as she is and, I am in awe of her grace and quiet dignity.

Spending the day with four out of six of my best friends in the world was a pleasure, even given the reason for the visit. We did succeed in making Phoebe laugh at least a little bit and our time together, while all too brief, brought us all a renewed sense of peace.

Since it was too brief, we made plans to gather up the husbands and to together again in December. Three of us will be celebrating the big 4-0 between the end of November and the end of December which seemed like as good a reason as any to get together and throw a party.

We plan to meet in the town where we went to college, the town where this life-long friendship was forged in the flame of all-night study sessions, meals consisting of nothing but ramen noodles and whatever we could scrounge up at happy hour at the bar, hours spent bemoaning the lack of proper heating in our apartment and nights spent either consoling one another over yet another break-up or floating on a haze of drunken laughter (please note that I listed the studying first, Dad).

No doubt, the town has changed, our Alma Mater has grown and our old stomping grounds have been converted into businesses we may not necessarily wish to enter but, it’s still a great place to get together. And I can’t imagine celebrating turning forty (I just threw up in my mouth a little) with anyone, else.

They are, as Phoebe’s mom said yesterday, my “forever friends”.

Speaking of great places to go; Hugh and I leave for Barbados on Tuesday. Thankfully, I have the long Labor Day weekend in which to get my shit together because, frankly, I have been lazy and have nothing at all ready.

I need to pack. Can't do that until I decide what I want to take. Can't do that until I do laundry, etc.

Mom and Dad are coming to stay with the kids for most of the time that we will be away, with the exception of the first two days during which the kids will be in Emily’s capable hands. Having our parents in our home with our children while we are off playing in the sand is comforting to both me and Hugh but, it also means that I should probably give the house a good stem-to-stern cleaning lest they think us slovenly.

Also, I should probably hide the porn and the sex toys.

Ha! I'm just kidding!

I already hid the porn.