Thankful

11/26/09 (Small) bottle of wine, consumed

The hardest part of leaving The Big Apple back in 2003 was moving away from great friends. Jason, Jenny, Marc, and Gianna were not only an important part of my life, they were a constant presence in it.

Jason, Marc, and I had our (supposed to be) weekly Boy's Night Out. (During one of which we saw Natalie Portman in the lobby of the movie theater -- Whoo-hoo!) We shared countless dinners, game-nights, and Central Park strolls. Gianna even survived a flaming sambuca incident that the NYPD may still be investigating.

Five months after moving up to Maine, we invited the four of them up to celebrate New Year's Eve in our new home. I wish we could have had them up every year since, but distance is a great logistical roadblock.

When Jason and Jenny arrived, they brought with them a small bottle of apple wine from a winery they had visited in Upstate New York. It was a summer desert wine, so we didn't drink it during their winter visit. We placed it on our dining room bookcase and thought of them each time we looked at it.

For the next seven years. It even still had a fabric bow attached to the neck.

I opened it yesterday and had a glass with dinner. Hey, I figured nothing's better with chili in November than summer apple wine. Today, Joanna prepared the most fabulous Thanksgiving dinner and I polished off the wine with my turkey and stuffing. Don't worry, like I said, the bottle was small.

We love Thanksgiving because it reminds us of how much we have to be grateful for. As I sipped that wine I was reminded of how lucky I am to have amazing, lifelong friends. We live too far away from each other and don't see each other often enough, but our friendship hasn't dimmed in the least.

I know they are always there for me when I need support, reassurance, help, or advice. Actually, right now what I need is another bottle of wine.

You listening, guys?