We joined friends from our Aluminum Pride group for a weekend at Airport Park on the northern banks of Waco Lake, a 79,000-acre reservoir fed by the Bosque River, which runs for 115 miles through central Texas. The weekend included Cliff’s 54th birthday, so we had additional reason to relax with like-minded friends. After a particularly daunting work week, it was nice to settle in to our lakeside group site and enjoy sunsets, mild temperatures, great food, and lively conversation all weekend long.

We arrived on Friday just in time to enjoy a spectacular sunset. We hadn’t camped with this group since September, so it was good to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. The current state of affairs gave us plenty to discuss and debate well into the night, fortified by Emma’s awesome beef stew and lubricated by our favorite Chilean Cabernet.

Cliff’s birthday arrived with a multitude of good wishes from friends and family, in person and online. He celebrated his birthday gift of a Surface Pro 7 by configuring it with his favorite apps and then using it to order an Instant Pot and cookbook. The group provided a breakfast of French toast, but we only sampled the offering so as not to spoil our later brunch. Although we intended to nap after brunch, we got caught up in conversation that carried us through the entire afternoon. Before we knew it, it was time to bring out the smoked turkey and spiral-sliced ham we brought for dinner. After supper, we circled the campfire for more conversation that lasted late into the evening.

Sunday found us doing what we do best: Drinking Bloody Mary’s, reading The New York Times, and watching “CBS Sunday Morning.” We eventually joined the group for breakfast tamales and scones. After a late brunch and afternoon nap, we packed up and headed back to Dallas.