One Bracket, One Shot, One Deer

My friend Pitt won the Big East Championship on Saturday night, starting a media frenzy and inspiring a bold prediction by Bob Knight--that our Panthers will win it all. I regret to say I'm not revealing who I've picked yet in all of my brackets (keep those invites coming, Friends!), but here's hoping! In Pittsburgh, we like to celebrate every big victory like a holiday.

My friend St. Patrick's Day was a good time. I sang Irish music, had the best salad and nachos of my life from Atria's, got sad that my camera died, got happy that Pitt won, and I still made it up in time for the early church service on Palm Sunday, which was shared by Easter Shot Hunt.

My friend Easter Shot Hunt was interesting. As Larry put it when it began, "There are people at our door, and I don't know who they are." They were strangers who became friends, and I was lucky that they helped me hide shots. Not that it mattered. It eventually just turned into people standing around the kitchen, refilling shot glasses--except for Larry, Ryan and Ryan who drank from the living room while they watched the Pens game. And Jes, who won the prized chocolate bunny, also drank shots from the Stanley Cup replica, which was straight Stoli and earned her bonus points. Because she did it four times. We definitely had fun, even though we didn't really advertise it. It was a successful first run, with bigger plans for next year, when Easter and St. Patrick's Day aren't so close together. (Next year, Easter Sunday is April 12, 2009)

My friend Husband Larry is incredible. Seriously. He's been more amazing lately than I can even describe. He wakes up so early for work, usually after staying up late with me so that we get in a lot of QT during the week, and when he comes home, I'm sure he wants to sleep. But he doesn't. He drives us all to the gym, makes dinner when we get home (unless it's my turn) while I get ready for work, and while I'm at work, he really holds it down. The kids are bathed and tucked in with storytime, and then when he's probably ready to sleep he makes sure I go home to a clean, stress-free home. We usually chat each other's ear off half the night, and he just says these unbelievable things sometimes...And when I know how tired he is, to think that he's making an Easter basket for me is just so touching. Because he's always so thoughtful and loyal and loving. And every time I say that, I think of this card that his friend Spence sent us for our wedding, in which he wrote a message telling me that he knew Larry would be a great husband because he was such a great friend. It's just so true. And, well, amidst all this Spitzer scandal and articles about corrupt men, I just thought it would be nice to remind you folks that there are great men out there. And I'm a lucky girl to be living with one.

My friend deer...Larry says amazing things, it's true. And he also says things like this: "Oh, look, a deer crossing the street during rush hour. Normal. Move, dumbass!"