We are hosting six adolescent boys and celebrating Junior’s birthday today. I’m looking forward to the cake. The local chocolatier, Cocoa West, makes this incredible flourless chocolate cake that is fudge-like in texture, very rich, decadent. Josef is going to make pizza and we’re giving each kid a pumpkin to carve and take home. I found some electric carving knives, like mini chain saws that I know they will enjoy, being teenaged boys. I can’t believe he’s fourteen! I took him shopping the other day, as he has grown out of most of his clothes. He needs Xtra Large in shirts and jackets, is a 34-32 in pants and wears a size 11 shoe. No more Boys Department and he delights in calling me “Shorty.” This means we need to arrange an excursion to Stanley Park to take his picture next to Lumberman’s Arch. My photographer friend Lincoln suggested we do what he did, photograph his child at the same spot on each birthday. Junior has to whine about it every year but I know some day he will appreciate this lovely chronicle of his growth and development. We should have gone today, the sun is shining.

I don’t think I will get much else done between wrangling kids and dogs but I’m going to try to Continue reading →