Guten Tag

Approximately 26 million years ago -- okay, okay, 26 years ago -- I went on a business trip to Hamburg, Germany and met the lovely Katrin. I left my cute new boyfriend at home and completely hit it off with my German counterpart in the press room (meaning: xeroxing copies of speeches all the day), who spoke German and French and, thankfully, English, since that's all I've got, forever and ever.

We got along so well that Katrin came to America to visit us that November, then Bill and I went to England and Germany the following spring. Three visits in one year, and then twenty-five years of only letters and Christmas cards . . . until Friday.

Katrin's in New York for work and took the train up to see us on Friday, and the Full Moon joined us in welcoming her to New London.

Our planned 23-hour visit became a 22-hour visit because Amtrak is a jerk but we made the most of every second.

Meaning: we never stopped talking.

 On Saturday morning we basked in the Field . . .

. . . where it was very very bright. And where Mistah brought us brekkies.

And then we reminisced over the photo albums:

Hamburg in June 1990 . . .

And then Norwalk in November 1990 . . .

. . . for Thanksgiving. Hi Mom and Dad! And MB and Jane.
We were a wee family that year.

. . . and then West Haven where my cute boyfriend lived . . .

. . . and then, of course . . .

. . . New York City. . . 

. . . and that epic par-tay.

And in the Spring of 1991 . . .

. . . back to lovely Hamburg . . . 

. . . and oh the fun we had.

And then 25 years later? Well, Ocean Beach, naturally.

"Katrin, smile!" "I am. This is my German smile."

"How about a big American smile."

It was a sparkling day and Bill and Katrin could not stay out of the water . . .

. . . and why would they? It was a sparkly, beautiful, fun, perfect, wonderful, memorable visit.

And we're not waiting 25 years until we get together again.

Because we still have a lot to talk about.