LONG-TIME FRIENDS

 I received a photo in my email yesterday.

It was taken in Paso Robles, California, at a winery introducing a new "bubbly", as my correspondent noted.

The handsome couple enjoying a taste of the new bottling are friends of some 52 years.

I first met them (as newlyweds) in 1969 in Indianapolis when Tom joined me in the newsroom at WIBC Radio.

Lana, at the time, was teaching school.

Now, Tom is the proprietor of the blog Light Breezes and Lana is an accomplished artist, master gardener and ace bread baker from their retirement home on the coast of California.

Though Tom and Lana remained in Indy until retirement beckoned them while Judy and I moved far away to Arizona and multiple other ports over the years, our two couples have managed to maintain our friendship.

It bothers me a bit to say we're "old" friends (though I suppose we all are now) so I'll stick with the words I used to title this post, "long-time friends."

As we say, Salud!  And as Tom says, Slainte!