Fly Away, Fly Back Home

"A successful parent is one whose child matures to walk away without a backward glance." Michael Mendizza

Well, that was Camille walking away at the airport for her flight to Paris, alone at 15.
I watched as she turned the corner, no looking back. I waited a while just to be sure all was well. The security guard understood. Then I waited in the car a bit. I guess part of me was hoping she wasn't really going.
And this morning I came across the site Touch the Future.
Hopefully.
As she left she invited me to come, maybe if ....

Shelter Island

Camille volunteered to keep me company on the way to Shelter Island to look at a Hoosier cabinet. The cabinet turned out to be really stunning. The trip was lovely. We came across a corner with three churches on it, with two more around the corner! We wondered if there was something about the location? The ferry was quick and fun. I don't ever remember being right at the front. The weather was drizzly all the way which troubled me as the tires are due for replacement.

We came home much later than planned, of course. The boys were really happy with the clothes we bought them on the way back. They faired well at home with left overs and no outside activities.

I was very happy to have spent the day with my daughter who would be leaving in two days to go to Paris for four weeks.

Happy Birthday, Gael

Six......

Gael's Birthday Party :)

Gael was born almost six years ago, during a lunar eclipse. I remember sitting on the edge of my bed with Camille, Lucien and Gabriel watching the eclipse. Yves was in Carmen and Yann was picking him up. Then I began to realize that maybe Gael wasn't going to wait until Yves was finished! But in the end he did.

The Farhis, Furmark-Hills, Cragnottis and Bernadette and Miles came to help celebrate.

Ready for his flourless chocolate cake.

There were many wonderful gifts.

Yves and Morgana organized games. Traffic was very popular.

Annie Workshop

Gabriel is learning two songs for the upcoming production of Annie for NYCHEA Players. He is really having fun. (in blue on the left) Subway view.

Esther Dress Rehearsal

Lucien getting ready for Esther. The wig is next. Gael, Camille and I saw the dress rehearsal. For opening night Gabriel, Yves and I went. Lucien had a lot of fun. Bravo, Lucien.

That night I went to hear Yves in Turandot. The children are off stage. I had standing room but after the second intermission an elderly gentleman gave me his seat as his knee was so painful he couldn't sit in it. Wow, what a view. In the end that was just too much opera for one day!

Pretzel Math

How many bats, how many pumpkins per bag? Pairs? Comparing.

This turned into a lot of fun and a lot of pretzel eating.