February 29

Leap year. No, leap day. How many weekly letters have been datelined February 29?  (Anyone? Alexa? Siri?)

I had an idea. Leap day should be a holiday. It's an extra day, for the whole world. People could be encouraged to take advantage of this extra day and do something different, extraordinary, memorable. The possibilities are endless and hopeful. What have I done so far? Gone to the gym, city hall, the barber, the grocery store and the library. Sigh.

What's memorable and wasn't recognized in the last letter is a father-daughter dance, that Billy and Auden and Elliot went to. In the same category was Claire's trip to Disney World with her school band as winners of a competition to play there. We need more details on both of these events. Perhaps we'll hear more this summer at the Poconos, but can we wait that long?

But wait, there's more big news. Luisa had a birthday! She's two. Where did the time go? We're heading down to DC tomorrow for the party on Saturday. Singing happy birthday to Luisa is one of her favorite activities, and the added benefit was this time, it was actually her birthday.  Joe had to miss the actual day, as he had a work trip to Fiji. Yes, you read that right. Fiji. Forty hours to get there, and forty hours to get home. But he's back and Luisa won't know for a few years that birthdays are really just one day.

And there's still more news. Simon was in his first fashion show. His pre-school celebrated Black History Month with a fashion show, and Simon decided to go as Jackie Robinson. So, you mothers will appreciate how Margaret had little advance warning, but somehow a baseball uniform materialized and presto, Brooklyn Dodgers #42 walked the runway.

Hold your breath, because there's still more news. We bought a house! Yes you read that right. Our offer on the house next door, the one Mary grew up in, was accepted. Sadly, the house has deteriorated to the point where it cannot be saved. A home inspector came by and confirmed what we could really all see with our own eyes. Anyway, we close on April 30, and we'll add a half-acre to this property. It also means we are back in the dreaming mode about what can go there. Mary nixed the idea of a Trump Tower, but we're open to suggestions, on landscape ideas, on tiny houses, sheds, fences, orchard, carousel. One more thing to talk about at the Poconos.

Finally, if you think once every four years is a long wait, Annie writes of her return after a couple of weeks of travel: "We had to be back in Thanjavur in time for a once-in-12-year celebration called Kumbabishegam at Sankar's family's ancestral temples, meant to re-energize the idols. We woke up at 4am to don our sarees and dhotis so we could get to the temples by 6am. The ceremony includes lighting oil lamps at the top of temple statues, and one step cannot start until an eagle passes overhead. At the end, they pour water over the lamps and then spray that water into the crowd. We attended the ceremonies at three temples, then returned to all three to pray. All together, it took about seven hours, and man were we all ready for a nap by the end."

Finally, leap day means that Daniel has to wait one more day before his birthday. Happy day tomorrow! And right behind you are Lur and Kiernan! Lotsa cake.

That's all from up here.  Love