Inside & Out

It is weekends like this past one that make me truly grateful for my friends, my home and my ability and availability to wander as I wish…

Friday’s work day came to a close in uneventful fashion. I rushed to Christine’s to change for our (winning) softball game. The sweet smell of success was quickly soured by our surly softball foes but mini jumping jacks still ensued.

We ventured back to C’s house to prep for the next adventure of the day: Bobapalooza. Through the beauty that is Chris & Taude, we were invited to Bob’s (the coolest guy I’ve only briefly met) 50^th birthday festivities. The night previous featured Maceo Parker performing at River Ranch. This night, however, we were witness to a performance by Cracker at the Truckee Regional Park. Hula hoopin’, beer drinking, merry making, new friend meeting…

Even the moths were congregating and celebrating...

After a few hours at the beauty salon on Sat (love you, Jess) I met Christine & Robyn at the Astrup’s home to prep for Wayne & Mel’s Engagement Party (though for some reason I kept saying “graduation”. You could view an engagement or marriage as graduating from one stage of life to another…) Tick tock, tick tock, a couple more hours on the clock and then it was “hey, hey, the gang’s all here. The Southern Backyard BBQ was on!

Once the sun started to hide behind the Earth, we rallied out to the Crystal Bay Club for some more Bobapalooza. Our entertainment for the evening was ALO featuring Jackie Greene and let me say (and as most of my friends know) I am N-O-T into jam bands. But I think I fell in love a little that night.

Aside from making a wrong turn when selecting a Jagerbomb as the shot to do with Murray, the dimples were out all night.

We had a pleasant surprise at the end of the eve when we caught the tail-end of Hellbound Glory. Another 15 mins of shaking it is always good.

Sunday we were dragging a little bit (maybe closer to “a lot”) so we logged some dock time on Donner.

After sushi at my house, we parted ways to nap and do work around our respective homes. That was until my phone rang an hour later. “Dinner for 7-8 people at Chris & Taude’s?” Yes! “We’re creating the menu.” YES! Insert montage of Christine & I texting, calling and flipping through mags to find the perfect dishes then rushing through 2 grocery stores and rallying out to Tahoe City…

MENU:

Chilled Avocado & Crab soup with tomato-jalapeno salsa

Hand-dipped Onion Rings (that left burns on C & C)

Grilled Corn with Dill Butter

Sliders with condiments: sauteed mushrooms, bacon, Stilton, Swiss, Cheddar, Basil Mayo

Spicy Italian Sausage with grilled peppers

Coconut-Vanilla Cones (3 cones per guy)

Cheers to all my old and new friends and here's to future weekends full of grins, good eats and great memories!