Sunday, March 31st, 2024

Signs of Spring

 

We have no neighbors living in the new house behind ours yet, so Akiva practices batting in the back yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iris brings the cat out for an airing.

 

 

 

 

Monday, March 18th, 2024

Homeschool

The children sit at the table working on math.

These two photographs make it look more simple and peaceful than it ever is.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, March 11th, 2024

Another Brick in the Wall

Akiva remembered the time I bricked up the doorway.

That was back when the current master bedroom was still the playroom.

The children could come and go as they pleased, but for me it was a squeeze.

“I want to do it again,” he said.

“But we have to have a bigger door,” I replied.

We made the door bigger, but still it was not big enough.

I prefer adult-sized doors.

 

 

The wall came down later in the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, March 9th, 2024

Cate’s Birthday (Almost)

I suggested Mom make a cheesecake for Cate’s 57th birthday. Cate used to ask for cheesecake on her birthday. I remember this mostly because one year, for some reason, it didn’t get cooked enough. This made the cheesecake mushy in the center, which wasn’t the end of the world to me. I didn’t know much about cheesecake. However, I remember Mom’s disappointment. She was so disappointed in herself! I do that to myself, too. Then my children tell me, “Mama, it’s okay. It’s okay.”

 

Unlike the cheesecake of the distant past, the cheesecake of 2024 was perfect.

 

Here, Mom mixes the perfect cheesecake batter.

 

 

 

 

Dad keeps her company to the best of his ability.

 

 

 

 

We called Cate on the phone and ate half the cake on the 9th, as we had to leave on the 10th.

 

 

 

 

(We ate the rest, just the four of us, in the car the next day, and while the cheesecake was definitely better, it was a bit much.)

 

 

Friday, March 8th, 2024

Spring Break

For spring break, we visit my parents in Syracuse. It is a good time to visit, as it is about half a year away from a summer visit. It is better than midwinter, as there is less chance of a snow storm while I drive. Between our visits to Syracuse, my family can visit us in Quebec. Then we can see each other four times per year, which might not actually be enough, but traveling is not easy.

 

Iris and Mom pick fix up a Kenmore for a friend of mine.