Birthday Boy Supreme!

Yesterday the cosmos aligned.  The MEF maneuvered forces so that everyone came together to celebrate my son’s birthday.  She and her parents were heading down to New Jersey enroute to a North Carolina wedding.  Expert map reader that she is, she noted that our house was on the way.  She cajoled her fiancé to spend part of his birthday fighting summer Friday afternoon traffic to meet her parents at our house.

I made reservations at Chuck’s Steak House which I discovered earlier in the year with the assistance of my sister and her husband.  It was fitting we went there because my wife and I were having dinner there when we heard the news that my son and he MEF were engaged.

Our Table at Chuck's

It was such a good time at dinner.  The MEF’s parents already feel like family and there’s no better way to spend an evening than with family.  When I made the reservations I may have mentioned that it was my son’s birthday so after we finished the meal he was serenaded by the assembled wait staff and presented with a huge dessert, all the while staring daggers at me for inflicting this on him.  The MEF scared the hell out of me when I tried to pay the tab, insisting this was her idea and she would be insulted if I paid.  I think my son is going to have his hands full with this dynamic young lady.  An absolute great problem to have.

My Son Shortly After his Serenade

We returned home for yet another birthday cake, this time my son’s favorite – brownies.  I briefly left the keto zone to sample the cake – so…….. good…….  We got his sister on the phone for a video chat which made the evening a little more complete although it did point out how much we missed having her around.

Around the Brownie Cake, His Sister on the Phone Next to teh Cake

Instead of firing up the television we sat down around the kitchen table and played a semi-lively game of Go Fish; my first game in several decades.  The simplest pleasures of sitting around a table with excellent people can make for the best kind of times.  Last night was one of those and I have my future daughter in law to thank.  She really does get it.

Presents to be Opened

This morning we’re heading out for another adventure as we journey to Baltimore to watch the Orioles torture the Red Sox.  Once again, we will be around excellent people in my sister and brother in law – I could not be more psyched.  Sunday’s blog will be late at night upon our return because I’m not lugging this computer around with me for the weekend.

Son Being Decorated by His Mother With the MEF Next to Him