Since it is my and Jay's anniversary, thought I would dredge up an old photo of us "BC" (Before Children)



Man those were different days. The year was 1992. Jay was heavy into his motorcycle that summer, a 1971 Triumph Tiger that he rebuilt from the frame up. It was a cool ride, 650cc, silver tank, stock pipes, lotsa chrome everywhere that I would help him shine up with cotton soaked in NEVER DULL on sunny mornings, when all we had to do that day was get on the bike and ride. You can see in the picture how black with grease and oil Jay's hands were from working on it all the time. I confess, I actually used to think that this was sexy!

We were both in school that year, he at Mohawk and me at Mac. We lived in this house on Wilson Street with his buddy Boyter (who is now my brother in law as he hooked up with my sister pretty soon after we all moved in together) and this other guy Dennis who was a bit of a tool but paid his rent on time. There we made a music jamming room in the basement, soundproofed it with sheets of styrofoam, and we had a mixing board and stuff. It was a cool room, with posters of RATT and Steve Vai on the walls. We advertised around and a couple of bands would rent the room from us by the hour. It was actually quite lucrative. For about a year, I think we maybe paid $100 each for rent and bills.

This pic was taken at my parents place, August '92. I think it was during a barbecue for my sister and her boyfriend going away or something. When my parents still had their pool. When we would sleep in so late on the weekends we would barely make it to West Fifth by four o clock pm. When us four kids were all happily stumbling along in our own directions, doing the early 20's thing, finding ourselves, going to school, working at good jobs and bad jobs, dropping out of school, dating, shacking up, breaking up, moving back home....

Fast forward 12 summers. Jay and I are the same, I think, in a lot of ways. A lot less hair is involved, three kids are in the picture now, as well as a career or two, and lots of life lessons. The bike is gone, sold to a guy for 1700 bucks after being stored in different garages for ten years.

Reminiscing is great. I am grateful that I had this time to do it. Grateful for everything, matter of fact.

A.