<h4>Monday: Bill (and six divorced writers)</h4>
Bill is my only sibling. There's also no one I'd rather spend time with (besides Jason, of course). He's smart and funny, he has great taste in food, music and people, and he simply just about the kindest person around. The downside, of course, is that I hardly ever get to see him—once a year, if I'm lucky. On Monday, he was waiting for us in the airport, standing six-feet-three-inches, with his dog Henry under his arm. He took us to his house, made us delicious sandwiches, drove us downtown to my reading at Powell's, listened to the reading, and then took us out to one of his favorite casual bars for drinks and amazing burgers.

We sat in a booth, instantly falling into deep, real talk about everything, as we do. Ideas, emotions, the past and how it shapes the present, choices we make, regrets and dreams we have. I could have talked all night. (On Monday, of course, I also met six women whose very personal stories are included along with mine in the book Ask Me About My Divorce. I wrote all about that here.)
<h4>Tuesday: Valentina (and Jeremy)</h4>
OK, pay attention, because this is bizarre. Valentina is one of Bill's closest friends in Portland. They met soon after he moved here about a decade ago. Valentina also happens to be an old girl friend of my husband Jason. They dated in high school, in Evanston, Illinois. Last summer, after we posted pictures on Facebook of our Lake Michigan vacation with Bill, Valentina, who is Facebook friends with both of them, put it together. Much to her shock and surprise, I might add. Can you believe that?

Anyway, I've been excited to meet Valentina and her husband Jeremy ever since we put it all together. Tuesday night we met them for dinner at Pok Pok.
<h4>Wednesday: Heather (and Henry)</h4>
Bill's closest friend in Portland, who has become a daily part of my life these past several months via Twitter.
<h4>Thursday: Ellen, Aunt Linnette and Gabrielle</h4>