maxwells

Today a fire pretty much has destroyed (so it seems) our favorite, and really only, regular hangout. For the past 7 or 8 years, we have shown up there. I can't think of a single Thursday that no one from our group has been there, including holidays. Now, to a lot of people you won't be able to understand how important of a place this was to us. It probably sounds weird to hear people so bummed about a bar, but here are some of the reasons why this place has played a significant role in not only our lives, but most of our closest friends -

* it's where we always knew we'd be able to see our friends in the midst of increasingly busy lives
* new friendships were made as the group got larger
* numerous games of cribbage have been played
* many family dinners
* celebrations...birthdays, achievements, goodbyes
* date nights for Mike and I...we loved the times we could go and hang out there just us
* many of those friends who have moved away try to make sure they're in town for a Thursday night
* this is where we told many of our friends when we found out we were pregnant with Sophie
* we had incredible service, and even had our own waitress, Kari, who took care of us and always stopped by to chat
* we were given Maxwells glasses for Mike's birthday, a Maxwells onesie when we had Sophie
* and finally, maybe even most importantly, it's the place that became a comfort to us whenever we needed to be together. Most recently when Carleton died, we all knew we needed each other and there was not even a question of where that would be.

Without getting too overdramatic or cheesy, it is tough to lose a place that has meant so much. I think we all feel a little lost. We rarely went anywhere besides there or someone's house when we'd get together outside of Thursday nights.

Sophie's first trip to Maxwells

celebrating Greg's graduation

mike's dream...

good memories...

sad day

fully covered in ice
(thanks to our friend Jim for sending us these pictures)