Burlington's Church Street was hopping this afternoon, what with UVM graduation and all the relatives in town to witness it. Good vibes in the air. Look at the two romantics on the left of the photo. Just don't see enough people do that in public anymore.

So within a minute of snapping this photo,  two old friends pop up from different directions. Remember Chainsaw Liz, a.k.a. Democratic State Senator and later State Auditor Elizabeth Ready?

Alive and well is she. Son Kevin graduated UVM today. For over a year, Elizabeth has been the director of the John Graham Emergency Shelter in Vergennes. Seventeen beds and usually full, including homeless folks with jobs, said Liz.

Thirty seconds later, up pops Steve Goldberg, my favorite Burlington jazz trumpeter and playwright.  Known them both more than 20 years, so I was surprised they really weren't familiar with each other.  Different worlds - politics and jazz. But it turns out Chainsaw did know Steve's late, great wife Rachel Bissex, the songwriter/singer/performer who passed away from cancer in February 2005.

So I dragged them both into Uncommon Grounds for some coffee. Good chat, too.

Ol' Steverino will be playing in the Discover Jazz Festival this summer (as always?), and plans a revival of his play Curbdivers of Redemption in August.

Cool.