My sweet wife

About two weeks ago, Clerie asked me to hold this last Tuesday open from 5pm on. So I did.
But it was a surprise.

I racked my brain. Why a special surprise for me? I hadn't done anything special; I'd just been working out too much and going on bike rides across the country. The only special thing I could think of was the recent return of an old friend from Iraq, but he's in Arizona for...some time. But I knew a t-bone steak and black cherry soda were involved. Black cherry soda? Why black cherry soda? Who likes black cherry soda?

I thought I had it about figured out. I'd guessed that it was dinner with Danny & Melanie and that old friend. And at work Tuesday, folks were talking about the U2 360 concert. Danny loves U2. And it'd be worth friends coming to town for.

But when I quoted some U2 songs over the phone, Clerie was confused. "I love you," she laughed, "even when you're crazy." By the time she picked up Jonathan from pre-school next door, though, she'd figured out what I was aiming at. "Well that would be really cool. I hope you're not dissappointed when we're not going to the U2 concert," she said.

I came home from work to see Val's car in the visitor parking lot. Val, Clynn, and Kallton were all here. (By the way, Clerie's family is all about black cherry soda.) Then Keenan, Calee, and Kael showed up. Then Andy and Kenzie showed up. So Danny and my old friends had nothing to do with it.

Just before dinner, Clerie handed Kallton a gift bag, explaining that we all got to unwrap one layer of the gift, since it was to all us guys. Ah hah! Father's day. Clynn opened up the last layer, and then we all quietly passed each ticket around. When it got to me, I read "U2 360," and smiled.


"I hope you're not dissappointed when we're not going to the U2 concert," she had said.

So we guys all went to the U2 360 concert courtesy of the Josephson gals. It was fun, and the whole time, all I could think was how sweet Clerie'd been to think about me all this time.

Thanks, Clerie.

Photos are here.