Last weekend was the end result of weeks of anticipation and zero planning thanks to a friend’s wonderful mother who kindly loaned her house (and her wine cellar) to five overworked mothers in need of a little down time.

At one point during the evening I declared my appreciation for having close girlfriends who I could share anything with. I may have had a couple of drinks and was therefore feeling a little more touchy-feely than usual, but the sentiment remains.

There was a time when I doubted that I would ever have close girlfriends. I made it through high school and then college without making the kind of lasting female friendships that I hoped for. Oh, I had friends (really!), but few of them survived the trauma of time and distance. Then Sex and the City became popular and, well, that show just rubbed it in. I didn’t have that group of women who I could confide in and talk about relationships, work, men, children and… well… sex.

As it turns out, I just had to wait until my 30’s.

So a toast…

to talking and confiding and letting go…

well, almost letting go…

To being so comfortable, that you’re not embarrassed to pair funyuns and pepperoni sticks with really good cheese and amazing wine…

To feeling like you’re not the only one with that particular problem or concern or worry…

and most of all, to laughing. Lots of laughing.

To the most beautiful women I know (not all pictured here). Cheers.