Where Everybody Knows Your Name

So yesterday Dianne and I went to a gathering at the home of some old friends -- old in the sense that we have known them for twenty-five years and some. And, well, okay, old as in getting up there, too ...

All of the other folks who showed up, we've known that long or almost so. Among them are artists, poets, writers, teachers, a physicist, and people who had long careers in business.
Several of whom are most those things.

It is so relaxing to sit among a group of liberal folk and talk about politics, religion, sex, growing older, telling dirty jokes, whatever comes up, and have a free-wheeling and spirited conversation bound only by our abilities to keep up.

We drank wine, ate good food -- a potluck -- and laughed and got angry at the state of the country, and had a fine, fine, visit. Offhand, casual, and important in ways hard to explain to folks who don't have such a wonderful luxury.

We count it as one of our blessings.