After parties last weekend, it's all happening at the Zoo.

The first or second good weekend, weather wise of the year was spent celebrating family events. The first event on Saturday, the holy communion of Mathew, started around one in the afternoon at Karl and Madeline’s house. I didn’t recognize Mathew. I’d not seen him in two plus years because of Covid and recently because of life being life. I hadn’t even met Luke; who’s now a cute two year old running around. The atmosphere at the party was something I’d hadn’t experienced since I was a little kid in the early sixties. There were little kids all over the place. Women who were going to give birth, who’d just given birth or just plain old families with several young kids.

When Billy, Denis, Cory, Ryan and Amanda were all young, it was different, they were all family. Saturday, I didn’t know any of the parents, so I guess they are friends of Kristen and Matts. I talked to Teri about this afterwards and she said we could be in the same situation as Karl and Madeline in the next few years. I guess we could, but the girls have a smaller circle of friends. I made a mistake and voiced my opinion when Karl, Eric and Lynn were talking about politics. After I said, “That anti-vaxing asshole?” I quickly got up and left until they decided to speak of something else. I should have stuck to the weather. As it was beginning to break up I asked for a family picture. I should have asked to add Kristen and her two kids. Nastia and Elena were not invited to the holy communion. Elena was working anyway. Nastia on the other hand, if she’d gone, she’d have had a grand time with all of those little kids there.

Sunday was Billy and Alyssia’s engagement party. It was over at Alyssia’s parents house on Continental Drive over past Van Houten Fields off of Sickletown Road. The day was warm and sunny. One of the first truly hot days of the year. We arrive around one in the afternoon and sit at a table with other members of the Muller family. The food is very good, the day warm enough that several times Nastia asks me if it would be okay for her to put her feet in this gorgeous place they have. I tell her each time she asks, “I’ll mistakenly push you in if you’d like.” She doesn’t go for it.

They even have an escape room. Nastia, Elena and Sean went to do it. I didn’t feel smart enough to do it, so I skipped. I guess I didn’t have to worry. Elena applied for her car inspectors license. They needed a copy of her high school diploma and she couldn’t find it. I looked in all of the ancestry stuff and it wasn’t there. I did find Nastia’s, mine, two of my cousin’s diplomas, but not her’s. She had to apply for a copy and it takes time and money. I know it’s in the house somewhere. Tuesday, the day before Nastia starts her new job, Sean and her go to the Bronx Zoo. It’s been several years since we’ve gone. Every so often the girls will go. Last time it was with Jessica’s family (not Jessie with the child) and her mother. On this trip it was just Sean and Nastia. They left early and spent a full day there. The weather was great and I forgot to ask her to send me a picture. I’ll do it now.

Wednesday, Nastia started her new job. She works with handicapped children in Piermont. It’s a simple trip to get there, but on the way back, if you're not familiar with the way they reconfigured 9W a few years ago, you can end up on the bridge going to Westchester or the Thruway going north, not as bad. And if you haven’t guessed, Nastia ended up going to Westchester. She calls Sean in a panic. Should I be hurt that she didn’t call me. I know he’s number one in her heart, but… you know…

He calms her down and texts Teri. I knew nothing about it until it is over and she is home. I would have thought it was funny and maybe asked her to visit a good chinese food restaurant over there to bring some home. She had an adventure and she got home safe. All and all something we’ll laugh about later. I feel like I’m talking about one of our dogs escaping. On Thursday, today Elena and Matt are going to the Zoo. It is going to be the warmest day of the week. She sent a picture to her mother and I without me even asking. How cool is that! I like to see pictures and see what they are doing.