Throwing Thursday Back To Last Month At Birch Bay With Uncle Mooch

A day or two or three ago I was made aware of the photo you see here.

August 11, 2017, near the end of an extremely long day four of my week in Washington last summer, this photo was taken at a restaurant on the bay at Birch Bay, a few miles south of the Canadian border.

As the end of the day approached we had been waiting for what seemed hours for the arrival of Aunt Judy and Uncle Mooch.

That would be Uncle Mooch you see in green at the far left above, and Aunt Judy, the lady in red, clapping near the end of the table. On the right, the lady in yellow, also clapping, is Uncle Mooch's first wife, Aunt Jane.

That cluster of kids, surrounding their favorite uncle, left of the center, is Theo, David, Ruby and Kwan, who is a short distance from Ruby, next to his mom, my cousin Amy, who also appears to be clapping. That is mama Kristin at the end of the table, also appearing to be clapping.

Why are all these people clapping? Except for Uncle Mooch.

Well.

We had finished our bowls of clam chowder and steamed clams, the table had been cleared, for the most part. I sat there thinking finally it is time to get horizontal so as to get a good night's sleep ahead of what was likely going to be a long next day.

Well.

Suddenly plates with round brownies and scoops of ice cream appeared. What fresh hell is this I sat there wondering? I want no dessert. I usually eat no dessert. I wanna go to sleep.

And then the final brownie plate arrived, plopped down in front of me, with a flaming candle stuck in one of the round brownies. And then that annoying Happy Birthday song began to be sung, followed by that aforementioned clapping.

Soon, it was over and I was able to go to bed.

I complain, but it was actually the end of an extremely long, extremely special day, one of the best ever, including a long swim with David, Theo and Ruby in the warm water of Birch Bay, and Uncle Mooch demonstrating, for sister Michele, for the first time ever, why we have long known him, affectionately, as Uncle Mooch...

That would be Uncle Jake closest to you, waving, then Ruby, then David, Theo and me. And I think, way further out in the bay, is Uncle Mooch and Aunt Jane, but I'm not sure...