Friends and Neighbors

When I got my dad from Hyderabad to come live with us, Jo thought it was time to make the house bigger. I suggested that we call a real estate agent and look at some bigger houses. But we both knew we couldn't do that because Vivian and Ava wouldn't be neighbors then. Here's what they do every afternoon. Ava is dressed in Vivian's Turkish belly dancing outfit that Minal got her from Istanbul and a fuzzy glittery tiara.

The other day Ava and Vivian and Eleanor were playing in Eleanor's home. Some words were spoken and Vivian said that she did not want to be Ava's friend any more. Yesterday she made this card for Ava and went and gave it to her. Note the two stick figure girl's hair. She wrote that she was sorry ("sree") that they broke-up ("brocup"). They are back to being the best of friends today.

Srampoline

Evan thanked us for putting together his new"srampoline". And he asks if he can go jump on it at all hours of the day. Karen and Jo went in on it together and bought the kids a bigger nicer trampoline. And on a coolish windy morning this weekend Jo put it together. Here's a picture of Vivian getting staticy in there. And all three kids jumping on the srampoline. You can see the old one in the background. Know anyone that  wants a well-loved and well-used old trampoline?

Exclamation!

We have two new baby sitters. Sam and D! Sam is very good and professional (I get text confirmations from her about an hour before her appointments. Thanks, Linda). And the exclamation is a part of D!'s name as far as we can tell. She is full of enthusiasm and excitement and Vivian and Evan love it. She used to be Evan's gymnastics coach ("nastics" in Evan-speak) at Crenshaw's. Since we met D! I've been on the lookout for other unusual uses of the exclamation mark. Have you seen a "Hecho en Mexico" or a "Made in China" ever followed by unrestrained excitement? But Belizians are pretty darn excited about their organically grown dark chocolate.

Austin

Here's a photo of Austin that I stole from a recent Four Season's newsletter. We spend a reasonable time around that body of water variously called Town Lake, Ladybird Lake or Colorado River and the downtown area. Though this photographer has captured a breathtaking sunset view from a perspective I've never seen before I am often spellbound by the beauty of the town I have lived in for 28 years. It's nice to be home in Austin.