I tried to post this last week when all my technology was confounding me. In defiance of everything I'm posting it now, late, and not linking to anything, and writing about the weekend in a new post,

{Pretty}

My walk is so glorious, the clouds so delicate, the sky so clear, the leaves so perfect. I have a hard time knowing which direction to look as I drag my lazy dog behind me up the hill. I love these fat bushes that flame so intensely. Need to go find one and plant it somewhere where I can see it all the time, whatever it is.

{Happy}

{Funny}

The whole dinner conversation was taken up planning all the other up coming birthday meals. Will Gladys have Meat Pie or “Chili”? She still hasn't decided. She wants Bacon and Eggs for Breakfast, Ham and

Cheese Sandwiches for lunch allowing Romulus to skip the cheese if he would like, and then probably Meat Pie with Pumpkin Pie for dessert, no cake. Marigold, who is only a week and a half later, wants cornflakes and toast with chocolate on it for breakfast, poached eggs for lunch, and, because everyone as shouting it very loudly, tacos for supper. And cake. Bermilla Cake.

{Real}

The children assembled a variety of presents for Matt–an angry bird, a tank, a car, a camping fork/knife/spoon and, as you can see here, a stuffed duck that walks along the ground but whose battery has run out. The little kids were So Excited. Gladys in particular, her whole soul in her throat and on her face, stood trembling with hope as Matt took the duck out of the box and exclaimed over it.

Of course, as soon as the moment had passed, everyone reclaimed their treasured items and put them back where they came from. Phew.