It was a school day on a non-school day. Usually Marcela is home on Thursday. Today she worked. I walked to the Community School to pick up Maxim at 11:30. The winds were still blowing, cooling everything off. We walked home and then picked up Noah at noon. He drove around in his little plastic car, and she pedaled her bicycle until napping. When they awoke, Ken, Coralie, and Nico were here. They did not mind that I left them behind to pick up Marcela at the train. We barbequed chicken and sausage and asparagus. As the twilight set in, the kids chased each other around the yard and we all began to get bit by mosquitoes. I have known Ken since 1985. We roomed together in college. Our kids play together now, twenty years later. I noticed the leaf that had fallen off my jade tree had something on top of it this evening. If you look closely, you can see it. A new jade tree sprout coming out of the top edge of the leaf. A small root reaching for the ground. Maxim learned another dance with Catherine tonight. Noah and Nico built buildings out of blocks.