dinner out

Tonight I am celebrating my birthday with four friends.  It would have been five but poor Corinne has a bad case of pink eye.

I have my hair colored with lovely Lyo late this afternoon.  When I tell her I’m going out with friends tonight for my birthday, she says she wants to give me a deep conditioning treatment as a present.  So sweet.

We all meet at Brasserie Magritte, a restaurant I’ve never been to. At 26 degrees and dropping, it’s still too cold to dress for spring,

All five of us had sons in the same graduating class at Horace Mann.  Our sons are now scattered in schools across the country.  But the moms have stayed in touch.  At a minimum, we try to get together for dinner when someone is having a birthday. 

Our spirited conversation begins with an update on Horace Mann news.  We talk about kids, city politics, news, parents and much in between. I love going out with a big group, but not so big that the talking splits into sub discussions.  For me, it’s always better when everyone is in the same conversation.

There’s the expected resistance on the group photo, but I insist, pulling the birthday card as my excuse.

As we are leaving, Janice says, “Let’s not wait until the next birthday (which isn’t until September) to get together.”  We all agree.

Friendship is the perfect gift.  I am very lucky.