“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
—Charles Shultz
“True friends are like diamonds—bright, beautiful, valuable and always in-style.”
—Nicole Richie
We were invited to join our good friends Nelson and Susan Bye in their back yard terrace for a take-out dinner from the Wine Cellar. The Bye's provided the drinks and Cecile and I brought chocolate cupcakes from from "Icing on the Cake” for dessert. They sat at the head of the table on one side and we sat at the other. Though the Wine Cellar restaurant was serving dinner under their big white tent on their outdoor terrace, we were perfectly content avoiding the crowd and enjoying the view overlooking the Santa Cruz Mountains as the sun was beginning to set. Though the temperature begins to drop after 5PM, we felt the warmth from the two towering, glowing restaurant-grade heat lamps that Nelson strategically placed for our maximum comfort. More recently, we ordered take out food from Aldo’s Restaurant and dined on our outdoor terrace with our Roman fountain flowing in the backdrop. Once again the Byes brought a bottle of 2012 Amazon della Valpollecella and Blue Moon Light Sky citrous wheat beer. We provided Dove dark chocolate ice cream bars.
Even though things have opened up of late and Cecile, myself and the Byes have been fully vaccinated, given the times we are in, we didn’t feel we missed out. With the recent birth of our new granddaughter, Emmy, we are still acting with an abundance of caution and still avoiding large social gatherings.
After all living in the same gated-community as the Byes, we don't have to drive outside the premises, there is no loud chatter or loud music to contend with, and we don't feel rushed to finish our meal. The three plus hours we spent in each others company during both get togethers never went so fast. Though we have adapted pretty well to the pandemic lifestyle, we speculated when it would be safe enough to resume re-booking our Great Lakes cruise from Quebec City and Montreal to Chicago we were forced to cancel last September. Though, It still feels like a distant dream. We are still shooting to resume our annual family vacation in Maui in December and perhaps rescheduling our Great Lakes trip in the early spring 2022.
For all who have endured difficult emotions triggered by the pandemic and accompanying collateral damage and financial and personal loss; are the subject of political oppression (i.e., the brutal military coup affecting our dear friends in Myanmar, etc.), and are feeling a sense of isolation:
May you be well.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be filled with loving-kindness.
May things turn around for the better.
Love,
Dennis and Cecile
