A Late Summer Weekend

Both of my sons, Joe and Keith, were born in August, 2 weeks and 3 years apart. This year they are 25 and 22, respectively. We have always celebrated their birthdays together the weekend in between. This weekend.

Being that both are in college and don't live at home, planning and implementation of family get togethers can be a lesson in strategic planning. First, they have to get off work, not have any plans with friends (those are most important) and be able to get here. Second, we have to be off work, have no other plans and get the house clean.

This weekend, it all worked out fine. I usually give the boys an option on a birthday dinner: Go somewhere or I'll cook a favorite meal. This usually means we stay home and I cook. This year was no exception.

The meal chosen was homemade lasagna - a favorite of all the men in my family. I don't do it often as it's an all day affair, so it is considered "special" at our house. I usually make enough sauce that' I'll have plenty for a few extra spaghetti dinners and at least 2 extra pans of lasagna put together and frozen to be baked at a later date. Add some nice garlic bread, Angel Food cake with strawberries and cream (for Joe) and chocolate brownies (for Keith) and dinner is a hit.

There were eight of us around the table - good noisy conversation, laughing and stories - just the way it should be. After dinner, the boys (er, men) had plans to meet up with some friends for a "Suit Up!" night (a la Barney from 'How I Met Your Mother'). Both got dressed up in suits with ties (!) and went to a cigar bar/restaurant where Keith sampled some fine Scotch. Neither smoke and Joe doesn't drink, but the atmosphere and friends were the chief attractions.

The next evening, Keith made dinner for us. He's always been interested in cooking, but when he got to college and realized he couldn't live on fast food and stay healthy, he took his skills to a new level. He made chicken with prosciutto in a white wine & sage sauce, homemade risotto (I didn't know he had even heard of clam stock) with Romano. I made fresh green beans with onion and garlic as the side. It was fun being HIS helper for a change!

At dinner with us was the young lady Keith has been seeing this summer; a bright, lovely girl named Chelsey. She will be moving to Chicago soon to pursue her masters at Univ of Chicago. Whether a long distance relationship is at all feasible remains to be seen. Joe is currently single having dissolved his relationship of 3 years early last spring. And if I know my son, he's got both eyes open.

Today, they are back to school prep for fall: Keith starts Band pre-season rehearsals on Monday at MSU and Joe is finishing up his prep for the freshman English class he'll be teaching this fall while continuing work on his Masters at WMU. This is Keith's last year in the Spartan Marching Band and our last year for season tickets (we think). Joe is hoping to have his 'Zodiac' plays from his 'Leap Year' project produced at the Whole Art Studio...they were originally chosen, but the Studio has new management and he's not sure of the status. If produced, they will be his sixth.

This weekend is in many ways, my official end of summer. In two weeks, we'll be tailgating at the football games and the theater 'season' will start. Joe and Keith will be back to school and that always meant 'Fall' to me.

This is my favorite weekend of the year.