Visiting Friends

I've been spending the last couple of weeks visiting with people who I probably will never see again. Probably. As my adventure looms closer, I realize that the path ahead is filled with uncertainty. So maybe I will see them again.

I visited with my friends, The Margaret Derivatives. We were supposed to have dinner together - Peggy, Maggie and Peggy - but the Maggie part was sick. Peggy and I had a great time together. She has been suffering through my stupid humor since I first hounded her for using WordPerfect in a Word world. I'd always find that blue screen up when I was visiting her boss, the VP of HR. Who cares that she liked that program better. Standards are standards, at least in the IT world. Peggy also "worked the buses" with Karen and me at the Book Awards. She's a lovely woman and I will miss her.

I did get to have lunch with Maggie the following week. What a lot of fun. First, she is seriously goofy; second, she is sooooooo Republican. And she thinks about why she is. It isn't just 'because' all her friends are. When we are not with Peggy, we talk politics. Surprisingly, we agree on a few things. On other things, we are a world apart. She sees no dog for her in this current fight, er election. MacCain is too liberal and the other guys ! ! ! I would be okay with any of the three although MacCain would be my last choice. I no longer trust Republicans to do anything right. This flag is for her. I won't wear it on my lapel. Heck, I don't have lapels.


Then, on the other side of the spectrum, I cooked dinner for my old boss Bill and his wife, Jaine. The meal was successful and the company was wonderful. I knew that I would like Jaine a lot when I sat next to her at the book club. We are two women who read obscure books about language. She read the French one and I read the English one. What a lot of fun that evening was. And they are considerably more liberal than Ms. Maggie. It's all interesting, left and right. Everyone I've talked to is looking forward to getting someone new into The White House.

Sunday was supposed to be a final meeting with the confabees of retirees from IT. I planned the event for Sunday evening at a place that was sort of mid-way for the group. That was Long Beach. This Sunday, was, unbeknownst to anyone, Pride Day in Long Beach. Not a word about this in The Times, yesterday or today. I know that Jackson and I could not get close to the restaurant I'd chosen. I eventually turned around and had dinner with another friend, Bob's Big Boy.


Bob's has turned into Noodle World. I never noticed before that his statue is against the far wall. Sorry for how tiny this picture is, but I love the old Bob's look in a room full of Asians. I was for sure the only white woman in the room. I'd never thought about that before. Adrian and I go there periodically. Not every week, but sometimes. The guy at the front recognized me and seated me immediately in this very crowded room. Funny. If you can't dine with friends, dine at a friend's house.