By Caitlin Kelly
If there’s one activity I’ve missed more than maybe any other thanks to this pandemic — it’s hosting old friends for a delicious meal and hours of great conversation.
Finally, yesterday, we did, and a married couple — both journalists — came up, and with us outdoors, with lots of breeze, it was pure pleasure!
They live in the city but we hadn’t seen them in six months, and a parent had died in June and we had a lot to catch up on.
We baked a salmon and I tried out two new recipes from my Gordon Ramsay cookbook — a green bean/almond salad with honey/mustard dressing and a fantastic cooked lentil salad with roasted zucchini, red pepper and sun dried tomatoes.
Plus our favorite champagne and a bottle of sauvignon blanc and two gorgeous creamy cheeses and baguette and chocolate cake…
The weather was perfect and, with the change of seasons, the balcony was still in shade by 4:30 as they left…it had been sunny by 2:00 p.m. just a few weeks ago.
Our friend was a Times colleague of Jose’s who since re-trained as a medical yoga instructor. Her husband is mostly retired but does translation work. We’ve all covered major stories, have lived in different countries, have shared memories of work and our families.
A deep friendship takes time.
It takes attention.
It takes remembering.
Broadside 
De-Lovely! (with apologies to Cole Porter)
Thanks!
No, thank you; your post brightened my day!
I’d mentioned what has since come to be known as a Covid Klatch, that convenes of a Friday pm for impolite conversation and refreshment in my co-op courtyard. The same group organized a birthday celebration for moi last evening. Suffice to say, it will be one of my fave NYC memories when I depart (in a month or so) for my next permanent venue. Among other pleasures, the conversation was totally hilarious: six women gave the lone male guest an education (an MD, he managed not to blush).
PS, yes, Caitlin, cool indeed that you caught my WNYC call-in — thanks for telling me. I try not to miss a call-in op to allude to my jumping ship to Paris…. As a native new-yorker with so many Manhattan years under my belt, IMO, I’m entitled.
It will be very freeing to flee the utter insanity of what the U.S. has become. Every day here is another nightmare of lies, incompetence, police brutality, racism — and environmental hell.
I recently joined 2 Facebook groups focused on Living in France — and am learning a lot — and discovered I can get a 2-year reprieve with a re-entry visa that allows me to keep my green card.
We’ll see what happens.
Exactly! I absolutely cannot stand the nightmare much longer.
France, though not perfect either, definitely is LIVABLE. The French don’t hesitate to complain, of course — better than going along, mouths shut, with what needs change.
Glad to hear about useful FB groups.
Bon courage.
that sounds like a wonderful afternoon for so many reasons. you needed this, body and soul.
That sounds delightful. I’ve been reminded so many times during this pandemic of how much an extrovert I actually am, because that is the one thing I miss the most: gathering with friends over food and drink and shooting the breeze.
Thanks! It’s just getting harder and harder to stay away from everyone…