when callie was born i had a neighbor who had just had a baby girl, as well. chloe was born on march 21, the first day of spring. her mother had a sense of humor and a sense of style unparalleled by anyone i'd bet before, and rarely matched since.

every year she would throw a good old party on chloe's birthday. certainly much more suited to the grownups than the birthday girl. and, i always thought, appropriately so, as we were celebrating becoming and being parents as much as anything.

she always made me feel good. as though i had something she liked, and i was valuable to the cause. to that end, i was a part of the prep work for the party. whether i was reading something validating into it or not-perhaps i was just a good worker?-i certainly loved being a part of the in crowd, and a part of the behind the scenes crew.

mostly, what i did, was move furniture and hang paper lanterns.
and eat sandwiches.

one year-maybe when the girls were three?-my friend's sister was here from california. rather, not here...but there. i was living in connecticut at the time. it was an unusually balmy march 20th, we were "hooshing" up the place in preparation for the next day's festivities, and we took a break for lunch.

the "place" was a tiny antique cape, painted sunny yellow with blue shutters, and filled with the loveliest of vintage furnishings and nostalgic collections. it's true that my friend bought these things for a living...but her home was for real. most of her things came from her and her husbands' families. pictures of her sisters and long-gone parents. quilts made by her mother-in-law. gifts from her husband, truly a good guy.

i loved that house, i loved her style, and i loved her.
our relationship, however, was not uncomplicated, and she is a friend i have long since lost touch with.

but every year at about this time, i get a hankering for a certain kind of sandwich. and to sit outside, on break from the grueling work of hanging paper lanterns, take long sips of cold beer, and listen to sisters reminisce about their own long-ago birthdays.

this is the sandwich that my friend's sister made us. it's best eaten out back in the lukewarm spring sun, with a cold bottle of beer, and strings of colorful tissue paper hung across the porch behind you.

multi-grain bread. the fresher the better.
avocado...sliced.
cheddar...sliced.
apples...sliced thin.
sprouts...if you can get sunflower sprouts, grab them.
just a little bit of good mustard.

pile on. use a pretty napkin. listen closely and laugh a lot.
you will never have this moment again.

enjoy. and thanks for reading.
tt