Michelle, at left, invited her friends and family over to officially christen her new patio.
We’ve heard word of this big patio, my dear wife Karen and I, from the planning stages to the digging and pouring to the inevitable haggling about finishing touches with contractors. I was not pleased when damage was done to the steps that DJ had put in previously. Make it right, dude …
When somebody in the circle decides to get something exciting done to house and grounds, it’s always a welcome conversation piece. We’re extending our garden up front, how’s your backyard re-grading project unfolding?
Michelle spread word a couple weeks ago that she was throwing a Friday night, mid-September party to let everybody munch and mingle right on her bright, white patio.
Pretty landscaping and security for Rocky.
Michelle — you’ve met her in this space previously as Commish in our Tuesday night golf league, as I let that cat out of that bag — had the whole grounds looking quite wonderful for the noshing and mixing. I admired her red-mulched garden corner out past the green, green lawn, and noted that her dear pug Rocky had a safe haven inside her face. Rocky responded to my attention with a couple of kisses. I was forced to apologize to Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle when we got home.
My dear wife Karen, left, with our great friend Diane.
The crowd was an intriguing mix.
Michelle spent the bulk of her career working in the advertising department at the big daily with Karen, and she made sure to invite Dom, Steve and Diane, three retirees from that crew whom everybody was happy to see again. A half-year ago, Michelle took a new job directing the advertising sales force at the Syracuse New Times, the alternative paper for which I write my film blog. Because I do my writing for that from home, she introduced me to new co-workers.
The host’s sisters and parents were there, of course. Karen and I have known Cindy forever. Cindy lives in this great house with Michelle, and I always talk about work and such with her at our many gatherings. I even think she’s gotten over that time from when the four of us spent, oh, 12 hours tailgating and watching the NASCAR race a couple hours down the road at Watkins Glen International. Caught in a monster traffic jam, I was, shall we say, more than a tad slow in finding a suitable spot for the potty break requested in increasing volume by passenger Cindy. Julie lives further out with her husband, but we see her at plenty of the social occasions, too. Mom Linda, yes, indeed, is Linda from our golf league. Her affable boyfriend thanked us profusely for giving them our Syracuse football tickets last season when we couldn’t go to a game. I met father Ron and his wife for the first time, and after Ron and I huddled up to talk about SU football, I told Michelle that he and I got along quite well.
Her father was full of advice on how to keep the firepit going strong.
As night fell, this baby became increasingly popular.
It was. In fact, on this 60-degree Friday night a couple miles outside of Syracuse, N.Y., its pull became quite magnetic.
As people were leaving, Michelle said she was sad because it appeared the old crowd had become more splintered. I patted her on the back, hugs all around, and said, “We will get together soon.” Sure, we don’t all see each other at work every day anymore. But nights like this prove the ties were always much stronger than that in the first place.
Are you and your friends at the point in your lives where you share tales about improvement projects? What are some of the best stories you’ve heard about things going wrong amid work getting done? Why do you think that people you meet at work somehow make the most lasting friends?
Mark Bialczak 
Love the fireplace. Don’t like that it’s cool enough to use it. Hate that it reminds me winter is coming.
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Frost tonight, the guy on TV just said, Cat. Yeah, it’s coming. Already. Yikes.
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love the parties 🙂 Especially the ones that bring groups of different friends together to mix and mingle. Any reason is reason enough to get friends over. Hurrah!
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Yes, mingling in different groups rocks, Liz! Are you and hubby in Kentucky today? Bourbon-izing, are we? 🙂
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Finally got one (ok, two) in the hotel lounge. Forgot how good bourbon tastes in KY. Even better than the same bourbon in MN. Hitting the fest tomorrow 🙂
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Kentucky bourbon in Kentucky. You two are in bluegrass heaven. Enjoy the fest tomorrow, Liz!
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nice pictures my friend; Happy week markbialczak
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Thank you, my friend Leyla! You don’t need a firepit down where you live yet, do you?
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not yet jejeje
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The party doesn’t stop just because it got cold.
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Not in our part of the world, Kim. We have to keep going outside. Until it’s really winter, anyway. Some still do then, but I have always left the skiing and snowboarding and tubing and ice skating to others. 🙂
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What fun! That’s a gorgeous backyard! I have to admit, I’m a little envious that everyone in your photos have on jackets and long sleeves. I thin the work friend thing is kind of like school… Fate sits you in a desk next to someone and if you have something in common, there’s a connection beyond “pass the stapler” and it clicks. Then you see them everyday for years and are with then through all their life’s problems and highs and lows, and you connect. I love when that happens. 🙂
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I love when that happens, too, Rachel. It sticks and then work doesn’t matter anymore, it’s the life part that takes over!
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Exactly! 😀
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Love the firepit! The yard looks great! Nothing like good friends and a good fire
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It was a great schmoozing night, UpMom. Catching up and warming up. Yay!
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What a super-fun time this looks like. I want you to know that we JUST this weekend bought our first little firepit. Can’t wait to ….er…..fire it up…sorry, is there any other term……very soon!
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No, Barb, that is the perfect term for it, I think! Fire it up, it is. Enjoy the pit in Virginia.
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Very nice patio and fire pit! It looks like a lovely evening. 🙂 Mr. B and I have been dreaming about a patio in the back right off our 3-season porch for grilling and hanging. We outlined it, dug out the space but that is as far as we have gotten. It may need to wait until Spring at this point. Mr. B is quite busy and he doesn’t have Son B home to help him with manual labor. One of the disadvantages of an empty nest. We do have some friends we could invite over for Sangria and lots of food that may enjoy “helping” us. Hmmm. You just gave me a great idea. 🙂
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Yes, Mrs. B, patio party, shovels and work gloves included with the carafes of Sangria. There you go. You and Mr. B and a dozen of your closest workers/drinkers/schmoozers/pals. If Karen and I lived a tad closer …
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Oh my goodness, ya’ll are already wearing sweatshirts and jackets! So will we sometime in October. Nice party!
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Enjoy the month difference in cool-down, PJ. Watching the weather forecast last night, one of the night-time temperatures actually started with a 3! Already. Brrrrrr.
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This looks like a great night! I enjoy moments like these more and more, Chum. Home improvement parties are the best events. Everyone is so happy and proud of themselves.
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As well the should be. Pride in your home goes a long way in everyday life, Aud, as you so rightly point out!
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Looks delightful. I can’t do Bar-B-Q on balcony – condo rules.
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I think in general those are sound rules, Carl. Do they provide you with a common outdoors space to char up some food and socialize, I hope?
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I am jealous of folks wearing sweaters and standing by fires. I also enjoyed the red-mulched garden corner. It’s like an invitation to sit and chat!
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I know it’s still to warm in Austin for a party like this, Kerbey. I hope you can partake later, in the fall. Michelle does have nice landscaping in her yard. It’s an inviting, comfortable spot with that mulch corner, for sure.
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This was a great gathering and I can feel the ‘warmth’ from the people and fire pit, too! The yard projects are past in my life, but I am always ‘game’ at helping my good friends out, when I can weed, move rocks or dig in the dirt, that is a special time!
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That’s another great idea, Robin, the help-make-the-project-go-faster party! You have a great mind, my friend. Have a good week in Ohio. 🙂
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I used to invite ones who lived in condos and apartments over, when we first bought our house. This really was ‘therapeutic’ for those who didn’t have anywhere left to dig in. Then, when I got a chance, I would find a big pot or planter on sale at the end of the summer, wait until Spring, and ‘repay’ the ones who helped me out, by giving them new plants for their balconies or porches. Smiles for the good week wishes, Mark!
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You spread the wealth. Nice Robin. Very nice. I hope somebody gives you payback now that you’re back into apartment living!
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Looks like a great time, Mark, making lots of new, warm memories with old friends. It seems like I rarely make improvements to my home … although, last night, Michael and I replaced lots of light bulbs.
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Come on, Ann, share. Did you get the new eco-friendly bulbs or the old incancescent type?
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Guess!
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Eco-friendly.
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Unfortunately not, for these, Mark. We have eco-friendly ones in other locations. I am half-baked, when it comes to being environmentally responsible.
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I know what you mean. I bought some of the eco-bulbs recently and couldn’t put them in the ceiling fans because there were too long for the appliance. I switched them into a table lamp, though, and put those regulars into the fans. It’s always something.
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I LOVE THAT FIRE “PIT” /CHAIR!!!
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Not a chair, I don’t think, Colleen, though a great place to stand. I think the buns would get warmed too quickly if used as a chair. 🙂
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Wouldn’t they though? And unless you were using those buns for hot dogs there is no need in toasting them to that degree. Though from the pictures the fire pit “looked” like a chair. 🙂
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What a mistake that would be to make. I’m glad I stuck to one can of beer, Colleen. 🙂
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this looks like a great reunion of old friends at the new and improved locale. i love the fire pit and i know it draws people to it, as the night cools down, just like fireflies. funny you asked about the home improvement conversation, just last night my friend and i were laughing that we had just finished a conversation about windows. hah!
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I wish that I could have made it. So great to see these wonderful familiar friendly faces.
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Karen and I wish you could have made it, too, Bob. It would have been nice to see you!
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Look at everyone all bundled-up for autumn. Isn’t that great!? Bring it on! All day pots of hot coffee, roast beef, football, thick sweaters. I love it all. I lived in Phoenix for 18 months and it was insufferable. Just one season: hot. A change of the season is the way to go.
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I watched two noon college football games yesterday, Mark, one on TV the other on my iPad, then outdoor festival for Wednesday blog, wore jeans and long sleeve over shirt. Yup. Seasons are in, and they are here. I think I might like temperate zone for a month stretch at age 65 or so, but not Phoenix or Florida furnace hot.
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Just wait a couple weeks and the leaves will begin their miraculous transformation to stunning colors, followed soon thereafter by brown death. It never fails to please.
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The leaves have started the technicolor tints here already, Mark. Lovely.
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Typically, we do spend most of our waking hours at work with co-workers right, Mark? So, it isn’t that surprising that deep friendships develop.
I hope you guys get a few more warmer days before the fall. I am looking forward to temps in the 70s today and for the next week or so. Yesterday it was about 50f (and all the snow has melted) – what a difference a day makes!
Diana xo
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I think that some workplaces do not encourage the type of atmosphere that fosters deep friendships. Mine did, though, so … Yay for your melted snow, my friend!
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What a fun night – on so many levels (and that is a very cool fire pit!)
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I enjoyed meeting Michelle’s father for the first time. That was a great level for this one, Mimi. And right before we left, I toasted myself at that firepit!
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