There’s nothing on earth longer than a Friday afternoon before a four-day holiday (kids probably feel the same way about Christmas Eve, of course.) Until I got the mid-afternoon phone call.

“I’m at your house – what time do you get out of work again? See, we’re putting together an outdoor barbecue cocktail trampoline party at L’s house (she’s got a 15-foot trampoline in her backyard, you see.) Wanna come and bring the kids?”

Outdoor? Barbecue? Cocktails? (I’ll skip the trampoline, thankyouverymuch – but the kids are way psyched, of course.) Sure, I’m in! So after instructing the guy to raid my liquor cabinet, promising to bring the Magic Bullet, and scrambling to get out the door at the office – well, we’re now waiting for our ride. I’ve got the mint simple syrup and limes. I’ve got the Magic Bullet. I’ve got plastic cups and soda water. We’lll be stopping for ice on the way.

I can’t think of a better impromptu kickoff to what promises to be a gorgeous holiday weekend (full of blues festival going and farmers market trips and a pool excursion or two, I’m sure) – can you?

If you, like me, are staying put in PDX this weekend – what’s going on in your world?