We held the regular poker game at our place tonight. Quarter-50-dollar stuff, but mostly about fantastic food, music, vino, cigars, and friendship. I won early, lost it back, came back at the end, and ended up exactly a dollar ahead. One guy won around $35, the losses spread around among several players (I think).

Hanging with the cronies for an evening is such a blast. Two of the seven players around the familiar card table are retired these days, and deservedly so. The rest of us keep punching, with dedication and experience and skill. There was a time when we paid more attention to the odds on the hands we were dealt than we did to the person who was sitting next to us doing the dealing. No more. We are in a sweet, sweet spot. Long may it be so.