My friend Janet read my blog about pictures from the past and sent a few
I received them, studied them, all the while smiling
I leaned into the feeling it gave me, a release from the walls that imprison me in our current reality
December 2012, Janet and Chris brought their 3 sons to visit us for a bit in SF
They had all skied in Tahoe the day before
We took them out on the bay on Tom’s sailboat the next day
All 3 boys were in some level of middle school or highschool
Now, they have all graduated from college, began careers
2 of them are married, the 3rd is with his partner
My fun with Janet started back in the summer of 1984, when we both had to take a summer school course at William & Mary before entering into UVA’s McIntire business program in the fall
We were friends those last 2 years of college and continued that friendship when she moved a few years after graduation with her job to Atlanta
Chris, a year ahead of us, moved first to San Francisco, but then a few years later, a job transfer brought him to Atlanta
Neither Chris or Janet knew each other at UVA
In Atlanta, in the fall, there is a huge alumni event, or was, not sure if it still goes on, called the Bull Roast
Janet came with me; I told Chris he needed to come too so he did and brought a friend
That’s where they met. The story has elements, supposedly, that I gave Chris a wrong number when he asked for “Rebecca’s” number
Well, he remembered her name wrong
Not hard to understand getting a name wrong after the wild and insane partying we did that night
The dancing to the music–dancing on 6 foot tables which we had eaten the BBQ on earlier
We “pounded” those tables into the ground–its truly amazing no one got hurt, truly
Going back to the sailing adventure in December 2012, that’s when Janet said the words I’ll never forget: “CJ started this mess”–she was pointing to her possey of 4 guys because I was the one to introduce her and Chris
They are a beautiful family, successful one and all, its terrific to see
We saw them most recently in March of 2025 when they came out for a barrel tasting weekend in Healdsburg–I am not sure who is influencing who in all that but we always have fun!
The funny thing is they always bring friends with them and Chris, ever organized and wanting to squeeze as much in as possible, had a printed itinerary for the weekend
I teased him that he was a “professional wine drinker”
What fun we have had together over quite a few many years (no, don’t count)
This memory took me away from my current concerns, back to a time of fun with Matt and them on the bay, one of my favorite places on earth to be
Matt looks so very handsome to me in that picture, so much closer to what my soul wants to be than the corporate monkey or business focused person I have been so many years
Being in fresh air, on the water, sorting through the challenges of wind, wave, current, being with friends, these are the pleasures of life that live on in our memories
Thank you Janet for sharing these pictures with me, it has transformed my day
I can’t wait to find a moment to share them with Matt and relieve this moment together some how
For now, I cherish the reflection in private, in my early morning alone time
Uncle Lewy 
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