San Onofre, CA. Viva Bonita! 2009
My Pops hit the jackpot with this one. Much of the latent trauma of watching our parents split up when I was 6 was softened by the arrival of this lady, who has stuck it out and stuck around for 4+ decades with my dear old Dad—who's been known to get me agitated on a simple 45-minute trip on the 10 in gridlock. For that alone, the woman deserves a medal. While at least 2, if not all 4 of her girls (Tracy, Rona, Julie & Jeni) were still in school, Bonita went back to school herself and became a nurse—a cancer and a hospice nurse. Yikes. She has described herself as my "wicked old stepmother." A quick glance at this photo will prove Bonita is far from wicked. I'd say 99% of the time she's one of the sweetest, funniest, most engaged, most generous people you'll ever meet. And when that 1% shows up you do not want to #$%! with this lady. But at her core she's all love and I'm excited by the fact when Molly and I get married on October 3rd, it will also be my Dad and Bonita's 43rd anniversary. The shared wedding anniversary is one of my favorite happy accidents in a lifetime full of happy accidents. Mucho amor, Bonita!