Steaks with a Mushroom Cloud

My wife's best friend's mother invited us over for a combined birthday party. My wife and her best friend, who have known each other since kindergarten, grew up next door to each other in Huntington Beach. The best friend's mother still lives in that same house. My wife's family had to leave their ancestral home for reasons that the government still maintains are classified.

It so happens that Mrs. Wasjawlueskovich (or something like that) was a Japanese war bride, born and raised across the bay from Nagasaki. Yeah, that Nagasaki. She was 15 years old when the second A-bomb was dropped. She heard the 'boom' and everyone rushed outside and watched the mushroom cloud blossom. She had a bunch of stories to tell me about the days that followed.

She holds no grudges. And she cooks like a dream. We had steaks that had been marinated for two days, potatoes, corn souffle, fried rice, steamed rice, teriyaki chicken, a yummy jello/fruit salad and then the cake and ice cream.

Here's the cake:

Liz & Pattie had their pictures taken together in kindergarten standing in front of Pattie's house. (I'm married to Liz...) They struck the same basic pose on high school graduation day. And last night they did it again.

Kind of weird seeing the same two females at 5 years old, then 18 years old, then xx years old standing in front of the SAME house, french-kissing! And what is it with airline food, huh? What's up with that? (Yes! A new episode of Family Guy tonight!)

By the way, lots of people living in Las Vegas back in the 50s saw mushroom clouds, including yours truly. And then they went to underground testing. For weeks after an underground test you could almost read by the glow from the toilet bowl water.