Birthday celebration weekend

I have known my good friend Kathryn since 1988.  I call her my "sistah from another mistah" because we are so much alike, despite the fact that she is a straight African American woman and I am a gay white man.  Her birthday is 11/27.

I have known my friend Wendy since 1999.  She has a great sense of humor and we always have a blast.  Her birthday is 12/5. 

At 1 point Kathryn and Wendy and I all worked together in the same dept of the same company.  My birthday is 12/7.

Since all 3 of us have birthdays within a 2 week span of time, and since these will be 'milestone' birthdays, we decided to celebrate our birthdays together this past weekend. 

Kathryn arrived from VA at about 3:30.  We hung out and talked until 5pm then went to dinner.  None of us had eaten lunch so we were all game for an early dinner.  We went to Pig + Fish and all 3 of us loved our meals.  However, before dinner we ordered cocktails.  I'm a Cosmo guy for sure, but was thinking that I would have something different that night.  Hmmm... maybe a dirty martini.  Very dirty.  Filthy, if you will.  When the waiter asked Kathryn what she'd like to drink, she ordered a dirty martini.  "Really dirty" she clarified.  "Filthy!!" I added, and we all laughed.  Then I explained to Kathryn that although I usually order a cosmo, I wanted something different tonight and had decided on a filthy dirty martini.

It was a mild evening so after dinner we walked down to the boardwalk and looked at the ocean.  Then on our drive back home Wendy called and said she was almost there.  (She had come from NJ.)  We greeted each other with big, hearty hugs and then went inside to catch up.  Spouse joined in our conversation for a few hours but eventually took Marvin and went to bed around 11:30.  The 3 of us continued talking and laughing, completely unaware of the time.  We decided to have a birthday toast, then take photos of ourselves together.

After taking the 1st photo of me and Wendy, Kathryn let us see the photo.  The way the overhead light shined on my face and hair made it look like I had a giant forehead.  When I saw the photo I said "Oh no - why do I have the forehead of Glenn Close??"  We all burst into laughter.  On our 2nd attempt at the photo Kathryn asked me to tilt my head to block the reflection of the light fixture in the mirror behind us.  I didn't know that was her reason so I asked "Why do you keep asking me to tilt my head like I'm posing in an Olan Mills Portrait Studios photo?"  Again we burst into laughter.  Then Wendy got down onto 1 knee and propped her chin on her fist, a very familiar Olan Mills pose of children.  More laughter.  
Then I pulled a flower from a vase and pretended to lovingly give it to Wendy.  Even more laughter!  I could hardly breath!!  We didn't go to bed until 2am.

Sun morning the 4 of us had coffee and talked, then walked a few blocks to a diner for a late breakfast, then a walking tour through downtown.  Eventually it was time for them to pack up and head back home.  There were lots of hugs and promises to stay in touch more frequently. 

I believe we will.