Morning all:

“It’s the friends you can call up at four a.m. that matter.” — Marlene Dietrich

A little bit of classical music playing in the background, fresh coffee in the mug, and everyone else still sound asleep; this is just heavenly!

Even better than Dietrich’s friends is my family for they expect Marcia and me to call at four a.m., for any reason. And for the past two days the house has been filled with the sound of laughter, young voices, music, and pleas to play “just one more game”; should I go on?

I haven’t even brought up the fact that the grill has been laboring overtime.

Yesterday we went to the city’s museum center where the little one’s spent hours exploring all sorts of wonders from the power of water, the mechanics of moving objects, to construction technique. For each differing thing they brought an amazing intensity to their “work”. It is the ‘hands on’ aspect of today’s children’s museums which just captivates.

When a one year old and a four year old both ‘plop’ to sleep in a strange house that you just know that their day was absolutely filled to the brim.

For our whole gang this afternoon it is off to a pig roast complete with horses, games, and even cotton candy. Then tomorrow night it will be the city’s annual extravaganza Fireworks night.

This week it was Happy Birthday to my nephew Pete, many more guy! There are several more this week but these are all for folk who are of an age where they really don’t want to be reminded. In their cases I’ll drop them a private line where I can ‘rib’ them in private. However, today would have been our Omi’s 96th birthday. Her independent spirit and influence still lives on in my own children.

During Omi’s final years she was slowed down with vision problems caused by Macular Degeneration. One of her activities, well into her later eighties, was to volunteer at the local Association for the Blind. This week our Adrianne started on her new career path as a Licensed Social Worker. She will be expanding the outreach program—at the Association for the Blind.

Make it a great week everyone. I’ve heard it said that inanimate objects are classified scientifically into three major categories — those that don’t work, those that break down, and those that get lost. Let me assure you that having very animated youngsters around is much better, the difference being that even though they still break down and get lost, they cause me much more work.

Happy Labor Day weekend.

Cheers,

Dirk