It's amazing how somthing so simple can end up bringing so much joy.

 This afternoon, Mandy, the boys and I had lunch with my friends Kyle and Crystal Zuelke. I worked with them both at KLAS in Las Vegas. Kyle is a fantastic news photojouranlist and Crystal is a very talented news producer. In fact, Crystal has filled in for me on this column as a guest blogger.

 It was nice to see both of them again and get caught up on old friends and common friends. It's been two years since I have seen either of them in person, though I trade e-mails with both of them a lot.

 What struck me was the simple joy of seeing them and allowing them to get a first hand look at my life. They got to talk to Mandy and they got to see the boys. Both of them had seen Austin when he was a baby but now he's almost four and quite a character. And neither of them had ever seen Cameron which just seemed amazing to me. I consider both Kyle and Crystal good friends and the idea that they had not seen Cameron in person until today both surprised and saddened me a little.

 We had just about an hour with them before they had to hit the road and continue their journey. It was a brief respite to just sit and chew the fat with some friends. It made me realize how much I miss seeing them on a regular basis. The whole "absence makes the heart grow fonder" type of deal. It also again hit me right between the eyes how fast life moves and how quickly times can pass and things can change. I plan on seeing them again in December on a quick trip to Las Vegas. We will hopefully eat at the Mexican restaurant where we used to gather weekly to swap stories and find comfort from the slings and arrows of the news biz. By the way, the name of the restaurant is "Casa Don Juan". If you're planning a trip to Vegas, I highly recommend it. I will be looking forward to it for the next five months.

 It was a busy weekend. Saturday morning a quick trip to the Brookings Summer Arts Festival. A good selection of vendors again this year and a nice cool breeze. Saturday night was Hot Harley Nights. Thanks to everyone who took part and helped raise money for "Make A Wish". I had a chance to talk to a lot of people Saturday night near the entrance to Falls Park. Thanks for your kind words! I also got to listen to the rock group "Wakefield". Wow. That's all I can say. What a talented group and they sounded good! Again, wow!

 Quote Of The Day: "A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire." Francois de La Rochefoucauld.

 This Day In History: In Germany, all political parties but the Nazi party were outlawed on this date, July 14th, 1933.

 Thanks for stopping by Brian's Blog! Leave me a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.