Since it’s hump day, and I’m smack dab between two weekends, I think it’s still OK if I make one final comment about last weekend before the new one begins.

On Sunday morning, Irene and I took off from the Marriott at which the New Jersey Romance Writers annual Fall for the Book conference was being held, and after a visit to the grave of my late Uncle Jack, conveniently located directly across the street, we headed to Long Island for lunch with mirthful Marie Severin, our favorite person from all our days at Marvel. (Except for each other, of course!)

Since the three of us always used to have lunch at Lotus Eaters back when we worked together, Irene and I tried to find the best Chinese food in the neighborhood. Using my iPhone to track down nearby restaurants, we eventually ended up at Dragon Gate. The place was empty when we got there, which worried us. But the food was so good that we’re sure it was football, and not any fault of the menu or chef, that kept people away.

So we had a great meal, filled with dumplings and gossip. We caught Marie up on the latest doings of every name from the ’70s Bullpen, and Marie cracked us up by telling us exactly what she thought about each of them. (Don’t worry, she wasn’t being snarky. Marie couldn’t be snarky if she tried. But, as always, her opinions were dead-on … and hilarious!) As for the details, uh-uh, not so fast. What’s said on Long Island, stays on Long Island.

After lunch, we headed to a nearby Carvel. We have fond memories of Marie and ice cream, ever since she once ended up face down in an ice cream cake we’d bought for her birthday. There’s no photo of that from the (sadly) pre-digital days. You’ll have to settle for this picture of her holding a humongous cone, which amazingly, happens to only be a medium.

Irene, not wanting that much ice cream, made sure to only order a small. Based on how much she got served, we figured the owner was joking with them both. (Three scoops? For both medium and small?) Or maybe he was being nice to them because he assumed we were taking our mother out for a day on the town.

As usual, once we dropped Marie back home, we couldn’t bear to leave, and so ended up spending about six hours with her—including about an hour giving her a tour of all the kind things people keep saying about her online—before we broke away. We’re unlikely to see her again until next October, and so we have a long and mirth-impaired year ahead of us.

We’ll miss you, Marie!