Joanie is 50

Today I spent a bunch of time with people I've known for more than half my life. Dave came to visit solo from California, and we spent a couple of hours talking over fake sesame beef and curry. I miss him lots. And tonight we feted Joanie Ota, and the most amazing group of people she's friends with all showed up and made her the happiest birthday girl ever. She was radiant, and damn she is mostly a very happy 50. There'll always be something youngest-kid-ish about Joanie: she's unguarded and expressive, totally draws people in. We compared all the different circles of hers that were represented: her kayaking friends, her Harborview friends (including crazy Redhead One, aka Carolyn, who seems pretty happy not with Pablo Alto), her Pomona friends, one friend from when she was in junior high in Long Beach (who later moved to Portland). Completely lovely people all, some with lovely kids. Barb was really sweet interacting with Kyle, Ken and Cindy's son. She knows what sweet people I'm friends with, she is comfortable being among them and just being herself.

So here we are here at 50 with a lot to celebrate and be grateful for.
And reminders for me that family is past and present connections persist no matter how dormant