“I’m hosting a summer dinner for my ex-girlfriend and her family,†I said when asked what I was doing over the weekend. It sounded strange, but such is the strange world in which we live. I’ve been close to her and her family since middle school, so this was a natural thing, and a very happy reunion with some people we often see over the holidays. The menu was on the casual summery side, as seen below. 
The Menu ~ A Summer Gathering
– White Bean Dip with Herbs
– Fresh & Tangy Cucumber Bites
– White Peach Sangria
– Kick-ass Quinoa Salad (Cold)
– Bulghur Shrimp Salad (Warm)
– Andy’s Kickin’ Chicken (for Chillin’ & Grillin’)
– Hot dogs & hamburgers for the kids
– Carol’s Potato Salad
– Missy’s Veggie, Cracker & Pita Platter
– Carla’s Italian Pastries
Even better than the food was the company, and the two Abramo boys and their new addition Queenie made use of the pool space while we perused the gardens and settled in on the patio. It was the perfect summer gathering with some of my favorite people in the world. Hopefully we’ll get to do it again.
The importance of catching these moments is more apparent to me than ever now that kids are involved. They mark time better than any clock or calendar, and they remind me how quickly it’s going. Too quickly.
