Augustine was embarrassed and upset to be the only man who had to attend Galentine’s Day.

8 events I’m thankful for in 2011 (8 days before Thanksgiving)

1. Our first really snowy winter. 2009 was a bit of a dud year, so it was fun to get some real snow. If you’re going to live in New England, you might as well have war stories to tell.
2. This fall, my sister and her enormous-footed boyfriend moved to Brooklyn, just a few hours south of us. Since then, we’ve visited them once, and she’s visited us once. We’ll see them both next week for Thanksgiving and my birthday, and it’s lovely to have family so close again.
3. Storms. The hurricane in August and snow storm last month both meant for that best kind of mildly inconvenient hospitality, the kind that builds friendships. Deb stayed with us; we stayed with Ian’s family; Steve stayed with us. And they are all great visits, despite the circumstances.
4. The birth of our godson, Augustine James.
5. My childhood friend Layne’s wedding to a really great guy.
6. Another childhood friend, Cassi, is marrying her high school sweetheart, and I get to stand up with them.
7. Our extended tour of the South before and after Layne’s wedding. We got to see nearly all our family and Southern friends, listen to a half-dozen books on CD, and sweat a whole, whole lot.
8. A really intense (for me) camping trip with Jess and Ben. It really helped us to grow closer as friends, and reminded me not to be such a mouse — a lesson I need to relearn every few months.