What the well dressed seven year old is wearing

My mother used to joke about someone’s birthday going on for a week like the Queen of England? That seemed to be the case for Max this week. We took Max out to dinner on June 16 for his birthday, the same day he had had a celebration with his mom and that side of the family. On Saturday, we had Kathys' sisters and their husbands over for yet another birthday bash. Max certainly cleaned up on presents this year with all these relatives chipping in. His dad's girlfriend, bought him the winner—a new game and movie player with all the bells and beeps. Shane dazzled our hero with a big mounted poster of his favorite video game with Max’s face Photoshopped into the character’s helmet and armor. Shane also bought forty yellow and green helium balloons for the party. We tied a few to the porch railing out front and Shane and Michelle put together several balloon trees that sprouted around the living room. Later we released a few balloons into the wild. OK—not the most environmentally sound action, but it was fun. Even more fun was watching Max play with his new water toys. He and his father donned (do people still “don” things, or do they just “put them on”?) plastic vests. When you hit your opponent’s chest with a stream of water, a little ball moves up a channel—kind of like the indicator on a dehumidifier—and when it hits the top, you lose. So they chased each other around madly while the rest of us civilians stood safely back from the fray.



In other news, I am still wrestling with my new computer, trying to make it truly mine: changing settings and such. iTunes is an issue, since it won't recognize my original ID; Sams Club suddenly doesn't know who I am; and they've shrunk the darn keyboard so much I can hardly use it. It's too much like a laptop, with the keys all squished together. My big fat fingers are always hitting wrong notes

Where have I been?

Jeepers, I didn’t realize that it had been that long since I last posted—May 17. So here’s what’s been happening:

I spent Memorial Day weekend in NJ visiting my dad and sibs. We had a great time catching up on everyone’s doings, especially those of all my talented nieces and nephews. One niece’s summer job involves delivering clothes from a fashion designer to celebrities’ houses. She’s met some au currant people I never heard of, though. A nephew—a law student—is working for a judge, another niece leaves soon for a teaching job in Switzerland—they are a busy bunch.

On Memorial Day itself, my sisters and I were drafted as marchers for the Democrats in the town where our brother is on the town council. We were a small but popular group as we slung candy at the kids lining the parade route. It’s gotten to be like Halloween now, as kids expect treats at every parade, even to the point of bringing bags to haul away their loot.

Back at home, Shane and Max went to a classical kids concert on Saturday, both of them dressed up in pants and collared shirts like young gentlemen. Since Max knows all the words to some song called “Holla back” and likes a song by Beyoncé, Shane thought he better get some culture. They both liked the music, sitting in a box in the big concert hall. Back on Election Day, Shane took Max to the polls and allowed him to fill in the circle by the issues on the ballot. Later Shane told us that Max had voted. He reached out his hand and touched his father’s arm saying, “Technically, Dad, technically”. Earlier in the week, he had to go to the ER for a cut on his heel. They put a purple bandage on it, and he groused about how everyone would laugh at him at school since to him it looked like a “girl’s “ bandage. What did he do when he returned to school the next day? Went around saying, “Hey everybody, look at my cool bandage!!”