Some of my dearest girlfriends from college came out to Salt Lake City this past weekend. We went to San Diego State University which probably explains the basic theme when we get together. (Here’s a hint: we’ve all have done keg stands.)

We’ve known each other for 20 years. Wow, that makes them sound old!

There are a group of 5 of us that get together a few times every year. Now they all live in California…well, all except me. I moved to Utah to ski. They stayed in California so they could spend all their money on mortgage payments.

Only 4 of us could make this trip. The one that didn’t make the trip loves her dad more than us. We have nicer boobs than her dad, but whatever. She’s an attorney so I’m not fucking with her choices. She’ll sue me.

Back to the weekend. It was a fabulous! I love these girls. This weekend filled with:

• drinking
• eating (completely unplanned but we ate at Porcupine Pub for 3 of the 4 meals)
• a hike
• drinking
• shopping
• very little sleep (mostly my doing since I’m known for waking up early and making sure everyone else has that opportunity)
• drinking
• lots of talk time in pajamas (I said pajamas, not nighties, as pictured below)
• middle of the day beer drinking at a dive bar (picture also below)
• lots of fucking love

The beginning of slumber party on the first night!

Hang over hike up Bells Canyon.

Bar shot looks just like us in college…bad lighting, not showered, drinking mid-afternoon.

Before dinner on the second night.

Having these ladies in my life (all 5 of them) for so long makes me appreciate unconditional love and friendship. I don’t know what I’d do without them. We don’t talk often but when we do it’s like we hung out yesterday.

Do you have friends like this?

Photo courtesy of Boone's Farm

This Wino Wednesday post was inspired by my favorite color. PINK. Which leads me to pink wine. Which leads me to Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill. Just to be clear. I don’t drink this shit. Well, not anymore.

Don’t act like you’ve never had it. Everyone has. In college it was my beverage of choice on road trips. Want to know why? Because it was delicious mixed in with a slurpee on nights when drinking a beer in the car didn’t sound safe. (Disclaimer: Drinking and driving isn’t safe. Drinking anything alcoholic in the car isn’t safe. We were young and reckless and stupid.)

I went to college in San Diego. Several times each year my girlfriends and I would load up in my car (I seemed to have the most reliable car in college) and make the 5 hour drive to Las Vegas.

It was a tradition to pull over at the first stop after we crossed the state line into Nevada. We’d buy a large cherry slurpee and a bottle of Strawberry Hill, which I swear had directions stating “serve extremely cold”. Then we suffer through a quick brain freeze to drink down the frosty goodness before we could pour in the magical wine.

Then we’d start sucking it down. We were classy like that. And we’d continue our trek into Sin City! We’d always arrive with a lovely buzz, red lips from the flavoring and the energy to stay up all night long.

All these stories bring back great memories. We had so much fun.

Which leads me to a little secret I learned about 5 years ago. Involving the same girls. But this secret hurt. Bad.

Five years ago I flew out to Orange County to meet up with my best college girlfriends. The same friends who I went to Vegas with in college.  Three of them arrived earlier in the evening and they killed some time by having a few drinks. I finally arrived and hopped in the car. We started reminiscing. And by we, I mean them.

After a few minutes this is where the conversation ended up…

Friend 1: Susan, you were never around (in San Diego) during the holidays.  Seems you always left to visit your family in Texas.

Friend 2: Oh my god, remember the time Susan went to Texas for Thanksgiving and we piled in her car and drove to Vegas!

DEAD SILENCE

Me: What?! [tearing up] You guys took my car to Vegas and NEVER fucking told me.

Yeah, 10 years later I find out they took my car to Vegas, never told me and kept the secret the entire time.

I was crushed. Partly because they managed to keep that private for so long. But I was mostly crushed because I missed out on the trip. Fuck, those drinks made it worth the 5 hour drive.

Those bitches owe me. The drink. And a drive to Vegas. Luckily this road trip will likely be in a more luxurious car that is equipped with cup holders.

Wino Wednesday…this weekly feature is designed to share my wine related stories.

My dear friend Lisa flew out to Salt Lake City from Orange County, California, for business on Sunday. Lisa and I went to college together in San Diego and were sorority sisters. Go ahead, make fun of us. We already know that the best way to turn on the lights after sex is to open the car door. Duh.  Yep, we’re both blonde too. So the jokes are never-ending. 

I adore Lisa. She’s hot, fun, smart, successful and has an opened mind.

We were able to meet up for dinner on Sunday night.  Lisa specifically asked me to behave during her visit. She had to have a clear mind for an early morning meeting on Monday. It is sad that my dear friend must remind me when to mellow out and not get wrapped up in the fun? Well we did go to college together after all.  

So being on my best behavior I picked her up from the airport with a mellow diet coke and vanilla vodka cocktail. Then we headed to my favorite hang out…Porcupine Pub. We managed to have  a couple glasses of mellow wine there. She enjoys red, I enjoy white. Then we headed to my house for more wine. But don’t worry, it was mellow wine.  

It was at my house that I asked Lisa if she was getting sick. She was sniffling. She said no. Then I asked if she was allergic to my cat. She said maybe but probably not.

Then she broke my heart! She said, “It’s probably the Cabernet Sauvignon. I can usually only have one glass of Cab.” This is when the night got mellow. Tears do that to me.

Either I need to discover another drink for Lisa or I need get a new friend. Allergic to wine! I’ve known Lisa for 20 years, so dumping her at this point seems silly. I’ll keep her. And I’ll keep a stash of Pinot Noir on hand just for her.