Ben and Matt Cooley stopped by late last week for a quick visit. They were in town on bereavement matters (which is always sad) but were down in Portland to see friends for the night. Their spirits seemed to be high, for the most part.

They came over to the pad and we did a little bit of catching up. Man, how they’ve grown.

We cruised over the Chris-n-Gretchen’s pad to chat and check up on Gretchen’s motherhood preliminaries. See, she’s carrying a little one, and even though this type is small, this information is very big and that much more exciting. Best of luck to the Hötz family. Good people. Like the Draplindustries Design Co., Chris makes a living in the Graphic Arts at NEMO design. Gretchen cuts hair at a sassy little joint called the Sugar Lab, chock full of “easy-on-the-eye” stylists. Next time the hair gets real bad, I’m gonna look to her for a solution.

It was good to see my little brothers. See, we formed a cemented brotherly bond moons ago in Bend, Oregon. My group of rat-tailed, slack-jawed friends took these little rugrats under our wings, teaching them the ways of the world. Ben snowboarded a bunch. Matt mastered the 3D Super Mario Brothers apparatus.

Nowadays, Ben is in the big city New York being a model. Matt is finishing up his Interactive Design degree at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Good things on the horizon for both of these kids.

I miss ‘em. Thanks for stopping in, men. Be careful out there.