“Always keep a bottle of Champagne in the fridge for special occasions,” author Hester Browne once said. “Sometimes the special occasion is that you’ve got a bottle of Champagne in the fridge.”

Well, it was actually Asti Spumante sparkling Italian white wine, but we were still excited to open the bottle. The happy occasion was getting together with our wonderful neighbor Jen for the first time since the Marshall Fire.

She brought over delicious appetizers and we toasted to survival and friendship with my riff on a French 75 cocktail. The company was fantastic. The cocktail, uh, needed work.