Loveladies.

We went to Loveladies, NJ this week. It’s a beautiful place – about 4 hours from here. We have wonderful friends there – Ellen and Bob (and Dave the Dog).

I could tell you that we ran on the cold sand. Or that we had the most wonderful Bolognese (thanks Bob)or that Reed found a seashell with a smiley face (2 holes for eyes and a crescent for the mouth) and really thought that it was a natural phenomenon. Such innocence.

But for me, the trip was about lifelong friendships. Bonds that are made through crying babies (they were the first to babysit Davis as an infant and he cried so much that they wrote a song about it) and serious illnesses and C-sections and work crises. And through food. When we lived in the same city, we had Sunday supper together every week. For many years. It is a tradition that I miss more than I can say.

These days, we email. We make sure the major news is known, but lots of the details slip. Until we’re together. Then it all floods out. We still argue about politics. Pontificate about religion. Discuss gun contol and its effects on society. Laugh about the kids. Catch up about our extended families. Like no time has passed. And sometimes, we even hold ourselves together until we can be together to let it all go. For better or for worse. Until death do us part.

Lifetime friends.