Major Doug is 50!
It was a last-minute thing, but we all trooped up to Doug & Laura’s for Doug’s 50th bday party. (No, Doug’s not really a major. He left Major behind about 10 years ago, but I can never remember what his rank is now. It’s some big, high thing. He’ll always be “Major” to me.) Doug just got back from Iraq with the Marines in December.
Stuck in rotten traffic, tired, thirsty, and grouchy.
Laura & Doug, the birthday boy. He may have retired from the Marines & be working for PG&E now, but once a jarhead, always a jarhead. He helped train reserves who went to the first Gulf War, and this time he had to go himself. They’ve been married for 25 years. I babysat their kids when they were little and I was a clueless grad student/20something. From what I understand, I was one of the babysitters they didn’t “torture” or try to manipulate b/c they knew I wouldn’t put up with their garbage. I hope I didn’t scar them for life!
Laura didn’t tell Doug who all was coming, just let him see as people arrived. For me, it was like a reunion. I wish I’d thought to pull out the camera earlier, but I was having too much fun. Hubby reminded me when we were getting ready to leave, so I missed a few people. Ah, well.
Molly (one in a long line of former roomies, the first wedding I was ever in, also knew her slightly in high school in SoCal, works with at-risk primary school kids doing play therapy, her own kids are…I think she said 16, 14, and 12, but I’m probably wrong), moi, Glenda (therapist who works for the county doing mental health assessments, was a newlywed when I met her, now has a son in high school), Carrie (I used to babysit her kids. I remember when “Little B” was a preschooler and Kassie was born, and now Kassie’s in college!), Laura (great graphic artist, did the decorations at our wedding, hosted my lingerie shower a few days before our wedding, hostess w/the mostess; I’ve known her since her kids were 4 and 2, and now they’re 22 and 20!), Nancy (I’ve known her since before she was pregnant with her first, and her kids are in high school now).
Dale (former bee-keeper, former glass-blower extraordinaire, former math teacher, super-sub who hopes eventually to teach physics), Glenn (Nancy’s husband, long-time friend of Molly’s hubby Mike), Al (big-time business guy, works for Seimens or somebody, Glenda’s husband)
Hubby & Barry (Carrie’s hubby, younger than the “snow on the roof” would tell you, former Coastie, drove all the way from Tracy to attend Paul’s memorial when I hadn’t seen them in years).
