Friendship

It was so nice seeing my two friends last night. Not a single one of us had read the book, even though Martina and I both read other books last week, and Marla spent her free time bingewatching Stranger Things. We were all glad that we were slackers together! It didn't matter at all. We always have plenty to talk about and plenty of good food and drinks when we see each other. I took a quick snapshot of the table mid way through the evening to try to capture the feeling of comfortable friendship we had.

I served three kinds of cheese along with crackers and grapes, and a platter of raw vegetables with sour cream dip. Marla brought jalapeño poppers and chocolate chip pecan cookies, and Martina made a beautiful blackberry custard.

We had a selection of hard ciders to drink along with non alcoholic options, like ginger ale and diet Coke and tea. The ciders were really tasty, though. The amber apple draft is my favorite.

Besides eating and drinking, we talk, talk, talk. There's nothing like regular friendly chats with other women. They're good for the soul. Gregg usually stays off in another room, messing around on the Internet and watching YouTube videos when my girlfriends come over. Of course he comes out once or twice to say hi and to grab some food, but otherwise he leaves us to it. We're planning a movie night soon, which will be a first for us, and I'm beginning to think of having a small holiday get together next month that the husbands will be invited to.

And Marco loves Marla and Martina. He goes from one to another, sitting on their shoulders, preening their hair, saying some of his best phrases ("Hey baby" and "Watcha doin'? are his favs) and laughing whenever we laugh. It's pretty cute! The dogs adore the girls, too, especially Marla--she's been around since before we even had Ginger. The whole family is happy when friends come over--even the furred and feathered members!