Today, is Nicholas’s birthday. He’s my nephew, my sister’s eldest son, and today he turns five. He’s out celebrating with his family at the moment. Sunday, we’re having a big birthday party for him. Nicholas is one of the major reasons I decided to move back to New England. I tend to spoil him rotten, but what else are uncles for? Happy Birthday Nico.
It is also Brian’s birthday. He’s one of my best friends. Brian, his wife, Katy, and two daughters, Charlotte and Amelia, live in California. I wish they lived closer.
A few years ago, when Brian and I both still lived in Northern Virginia, a bunch of us went out for his birthday. Gee and I went out to meet them for dinner at a restaurant in the Potomac Yard mall. The funniest part of the evening for us was when I told Brian how old he was in dog years…it was after he had had a few beers, and for some reason this was hilarious to him. This year he turns 287 in dog years. Happy Birthday Brian, hope you like your gift.
Note: This is a different Brian than the one in the previous post. 
I know what you mean – one of the biggest things that is tempting me to move back to Europe is that I get to see so little of my nephew.