Happy Birthday, Theron!

First, let's back up a week. We were SO EXCITED to go see the new Harry Potter. I couldn't believe, though, that we couldn't go see it in IMAX last weekend, all they had was ONE theater showing it in IMAX 3d which I was not interested in. But we still wanted to do something fun so we took advantage of living in LA and went to Graumann's Chinese Theater.

I'm sure there are better theaters, but none other with this out front.

Skip to this weekend. Theron decided he wanted to have a party at home this year. At first he asked for a disco ball and a dance floor. He conceded that a dance floor might be too expensive. Anyway, we went with water balloons and a bounce house. Below are a few of the specially selected friends.

Ashley got up at 5 a.m. and started working. He went to the hardware store, bought supplies, and built the pinata gallows in only one hour.

Theron and I just adored the pinata and agreed it was a shame to break it. My friend Jorge advised being careful not to overfill because the hook can come out. I filled it to the armpits but it was on the edge of too heavy. But what to take out?

Here they are scrambling for goodies.

There's more to add, but really, those are the basics. The kids were very cute and the parents very nice. We weren't any where near ready when people started to arrive but everyone pitched in to keep the kids supplied in water balloons, and Grandma Mary and Grandpa Richard were put to work in every which way.

And now - we need a vacation.

Ants, or Ode to Raid

Oh. No. Not. Again.
The lemon-fresh smell of death.
Die little buttholes.

Drawings

Some of my favorite kachina dolls from the collection.

July?

I really don't know how this happened. I feel like the summer's almost over but is it? We got the supply list for the new school year in the mail today, and please, no one here even wants to think about it. Theron hasn't had a normal school year since kindergarten. He went from 1st grade to 2nd grade in one year, then 3rd grade to 2nd grade the next. So it would seem the goal is to keep him out of 2nd grade this coming year.
Anyway, he's having an okie dokie summer so far. One very sweet thing is that he's taken an interest in cooking so he helps me when ever he can. He can: stir scrambled eggs, flip patty sausage, cut up mushrooms, and peel cucumbers. When I ask if he wants to help he comes running, this from mister king of the artful delay. Reformed Through Cooking: How Stirring Saved My Life by Theron Birdyhead.
The fourth we had a little barbeque, set off poppers from the grocery store and watched the local display from lawn chairs in our front yard. It was grand. Ashley spent the long weekend transforming big pieces of wood into useful household products and I experimented with making my own underwear out of old t-shirts and fold-over elastic.
Then back to work. Today while assessing clothing for a gallery changeout I found a pack of Lucky Strikes in the pocket of a duster worn by Clint Eastwood, with one cigarette remaining. I put it to my face and it smelled sweet. In another jacket worn by Steve McQueen I found a mostly full book of Red & White matches. These are the kind of tiny surprises that keep me buoyant.