It's beautiful outside, and the girls and Martin are off somewhere bike riding. I am rearranging furniture and otherwise preparing for Elspeth and Merry's joint birthday party. We are expecting almost thirty people and seventeen of those people are children ages 2 to 9. So far, I've baked two sheet cakes, filled the dining room with tables and seating, and made the kitchen grown-up friendly. Still to do: cook, favors, games, fruit and vegetable platters, decorate, with time to spare to split a beer pre-party with dear old Martin, who is co-charge of the games with Sally. Brave people.

I'll try to take pictures. Hmm. . .maybe I should delegate that task, seeing as I won't be here due to a last-minute duck-out to the local, (nonexistent) pub. Just kidding. I wouldn't miss all those happy delightful people for the world.