Memorial Day Weekend 2013

Another Memorial Day weekend begins to draw toward its close.  This one, though, will go down as one of the best I’ve had, right up there with the ones I used to spend in NJ with my friend Scott. And this one was spent at home, with friends visiting from out of town and with Ken and boy Tom.  Boy Matt was here from New Jersey, and Mike Socks Pup drove all the way from Cleveland. The fun started on Friday once we were all together, and it kept right on until today.

OK, we DID follow the goings on at IML. After all, we all had the people we were rooting for, and we all wished we could have been at Woof Camp! Except for when we went to see Star Trek, I don’t think 10 minutes passed that one of us wasn’t following up on Facebook!

But we all had a great time all the same.  Friday night was pretty much just a laid-back, cocktails, cigars and shoot the breeze kind of night out on the deck, even though it was a little chilly. We didn’t care. Saturday was board games and just hanging, followed by a great BBQ on the deck. Saturday evening we went to the Maryland Leatherboys first bar night in Baltimore, followed by a side trip to the DC Eagle on the way back. It was good seeing some friends in both places while showing Socks our neck of the woods. Sunday was another laid back day, followed by going to see Star Trek Into Darkness later in the evening. All three nights we were up late, just enjoying and talking.

 All told, it was an awesome time.

Right now it’s quiet. Socks is now on his way back to Cleveland. The others are napping. I’m wide awake after a 15-mile bicycle ride. Good time to reflect.

Now that it’s winding down, I can’t help but think just how lucky I am, though. To have friends, and a boy and a husband like I have, I have to wonder what I did to get so lucky. And, yet, through stories and ideas exchanges and insights gained, I am reminded once again that the path my feet have been placed upon in life has more rewards and possibilities than I ever thought possible. I look at all the friendships I’ve gained through this community and wonder how I can ever pay forward such good fortune. I can only hope the things I do give back will, in some way, show just how grateful I am.

Tomorrow, it’ll be back to work. But I’ll go forward from this weekend, not just with good memories, but with a feeling of being rejuvenated. Decisions and goals made before the weekend have been reinforced, and I feel an even stronger sense of commitment to them. Some questions I’ve been quietly asking of myself have found answers. As the summer months start, I know the coming weeks of relative quiet will help me better prepare for what awaits in the autumn months. Very importantly, after this weekend, I have an even better sense of WHY I’m doing the things I’m doing and about to do. Most of all, I go forward knowing I have some very special friends and family.

To Boy Matt, to Socks, to boy Tom, and to my husband Ken, I say thank you for an incredible weekend!