Joint celebrations

Tomorrow Sophie, age 4, starts kindergarten in a New York City public school & I turn 64! Linda & Sophie & I spent the last four days together at our bungalow at the Jersey Shore. We did new things--played miniature golf & attended a lecture on edible plants that included a nature walk at Island Beach State Park--and familiar things--frolicked in the ocean, ate Jersey corn and ocean scallops, drank smoothies that we made with Jersey peaches and blueberries, and indulged in a daily trip to the ice cream store.
Nine of us are gathering for dinner tomorrow to sing Happy First Day of Kindergarten & Happy Birthday. My present for Sophie is a copy of Merriam-Webster's Primary Dictionary with illustrations by Ruth Heller. (Teachers who take my courses at Queens College know I'm a fan of Ruth Heller who wrote & illustrated wonderful nonfiction poetry, including Chickens Aren't the Only Ones.