1st Friday ...on Saturday

As Tim's most recent writing suggests, September is here! With the coming of the new month comes another 1st Friday, that monthly gathering of friends that has taken on such meaningful significance for me and I suspect the others in the group. It all started several years ago (I don't know how long ago, but I think that we may be in our 12th year of doing this) when our little group of friends were at our annual 4th of July celebration at Tim's house ( This has been going on for around 30 years, believe it or not) and we all came to the conclusion that we just didn't see each enough. It had gotten to the point where jobs and families and the vicissitudes of existence had kept our tight little group so busy that we just didn't get around to taking care of one of the most important things in our lives, our friendship. We decided to meet on the 1st Friday of each month and spend the evening talking and eating and drinking and smoking, but mostly talking. It's true that we now meet on the 1st Saturday of each month, but we still call it 1st Friday. This is the same group of friends  that goes to the Chicago Pipe Show together. We have plans for a camping trip next month. We are talking about spending a day in downtown Memphis riding the trolley and picnicking (hanging out) on the river. Meeting as we do each month has forged a stronger bond among old friends and I, for one, am extremely grateful for it. -M

Pictured above from L to R- Chuck, Tim and David