December 9th, 2024
The 90th birthday of Judi Dench begins with hardboiled eggs, further conversations regarding earthquakes over text with Elmer (five 2.0+ in Missouri since midnight), and Puck complaining about soap… Yali and Patience quickly add some funky attitudes during morning studies
Shift… La Bonne Bouchee… Patience and I meet Mom for lunch in a cafe so packed with middle-aged women, I have to turn my head to hear conversations over a plate of French quiche, green beans that I ignore, and a small cup of French onion soup (probably another “first” for me, and very good)… Mom pays the bill and adds a box of seven macarons (all hand-picked by Patience at the bakery) before she leaves to visit G-ma in Florissant with a paper bag of turnovers
Home for more funk from the kids that rolls in and out as I begin researching Chinese culture and history resources for January for the young ones
Darkness arrives with hand-wrapped burritos (no complaints from the masses) and honey dew melon (which Oxbear earlier lightly seasoned with sugar and they all seem to now like)
Reserve a Judi Dench autobiography at the library before we pack into the Toyota for a drive to Tilles Park with the whole family, including Cheese the cat, who is impressed less than the rest of the cargo