We leave for Raleigh on August 22nd and so begins the process of making sure we see everyone and eat everything that we will miss. Had you asked me a few weeks ago how I might feel this close to the move, I would have guaranteed non-stop tears but I am happy to report that this is not the case. Every time we hang out with our friends, the occasion seems more like a celebration than a farewell, and above all, a reminder that it too started from nothing at all.
Yesterday, we invited a few friends over for dinner. One of them was Asha’s first and oldest buddy Quinlan. Both share the same birthday in addition to having shared a nanny for a year since they were 3-months old. The picture above is the two of them posing for the camera. It was hard to believe how little they used to be after seeing them spend the entire evening running around and having conversations with each other. He will be her buddy for life I’m sure. Other company included many of Asha’s teachers from her day-care Willow Tree which is just steps away from our front door. In the last year that Asha has been there, they all have become like a family. As a unit they are Asha’s third parent and the love and confidence that they have put in my baby will carry her through in life.
It is interesting throwing a dinner party when it’s time to close the kitchen for good. I planned the menu around things that I needed to use up (but without it being spaghetti..because god knows we’ve got a lot of that lying around the shelves). It looked something like this:
- Hot Spinch Dip from Martha Stewart
- Goat Cheese and Rosemary Sables from The French Market Cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier
- Mediterranean inspired Quinoa with dates and walnuts
- BBQ chicken with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
- Yellow cupcakes with lemon sugar drizzle
- No-bake Cheesecake on homemade graham cracker crush and blueberry topping.
- libations
The party ended as they often do, around the fire pit on the balcony eating smores, lighting sparklers, and waiting for the Perseids meteor shower.
Rick Steve once said something along the lines of travel as if you will return. I am leaving knowing I’ll be back to catch up where we left off.
You must log in to post a comment.