Double Birthday Shout-Out

I suppose at some point in life I would be blessed with enough friends that they would--in addition to sharing a common link through me--start doubling up on birthdays.

Today we celebrate 60 fabulous years of Claudia. She's on the left in this photo, taken at a Barack Obama rally on the Boston Common last October. She came along despite a former home in Little Rock and one-time social relationship with the Clintons. Which is enough of a reason to celebrate her as a devoted confidant. (As I should middle friend Beth....a Texan and decidedly non-Democrat....)

My acquaintance with Claudia dates back to 1999 and our first semester at Emerson College....travel-writing class....the classy Canadian ex-pat with the most superb enunciation, who slipped a bottle of wine into our final class. She currently maintains one of the most lovely properties in Truro, Mass. I could create a list of her top 200 qualities and it wouldn't scratch the surface of her essence. But to say she loves beauty in all things....and chooses to share it with all people through her writing, photography and other artistic gestures....might be a start. Someday I will write a book and she will be the main course.

Today we celebrate 28 fabulous years of Dave. He may work for a nursing home company, but he is singer. Of live-band karaoke. Of musical theater power ballads. Of eight-part a capella arrangements. Of Bobby Darin and Jason Robert Brown and "O Holy Night" and the entire Beatles catalogue.

He loves his friends and his home state of Delaware, plays passable guitar covers, and as one of my FwaBs (he's the bare-chested tights dancer), gives me rides home when I ask. But I daresay he might love singing more than Delaware. And yes, he works for a nursing home company, but he should be a full-time baritone.

Luckily, Dave likes to sing while I play the piano, so we've begun practicing together. Last night we hung out and ate pizza, drank 16-oz PBRs, and trolled YouTube for our favorite songs to try....and then played and sang them for many hours. I do appreciate a friend who has the chops to be a rock star and makes me feel like one too.

Happy birthday, y'all marvelous folks.