Happy Birthday to my First Born Son!

His birthday was yesterday, but this IS his first full day of being 21 after all!  Born 6#'s 3oz., this @ 7:30A on October 2, 1991.  He is a guy I'd want to know even if he wasn't mine, I really believe that.  Of course I love him, but I really like him.  I always have.  He was such a good baby and such a fun toddler.  We were buddies.  There was only one point, age 15.5-17.5 that neither of us really liked each other, though we always knew we loved each other.  But other than that 2 year period, I can honestly say I have always really liked him.  He is a Sophomore now @ Kendall School of Art & Design and resides in Grand Rapids with his girlfriend Carly Cox, whom I also really like (as Colin says, "she's definitely part of the family").  He's matured so much even over the last year, finding his niche with his art and knowing what his strength's and weaknesses are in general and working with it and through them well.  He has brought much light and laughter to everyone who knows him and I'm very proud to call him son.  Happy birthday Casey - you are a fine lad!

Additionally I wanted to share some fun facts about life here on Terceria Island in The Azores of Portugal.  For the past few days I have begun weeding out the perennial flower beds of their HUGE garden.  I keep my worst pr of jeans and an old shirt hanging in the garage.  Especially viewing from my 3rd floor - the section I've done shows an amazing difference.  I was, however, not neurotic enough to take before and after photo's, but I've unearthed buried border rock and realigned things.  It is fun for me and as I've always loved to dig in the dirt - I get things sorted out, inside myself out there as well.

Wendi's husband, John is a permaculturalist and it was fascinating to walk the garden with him and how he knew, what I might mistake for a weed, by smelling it that it was a viable plant that I should avoid pulling out.  He grows things through the house and finds cooking to be a creative outlet.  Wendi and I have the ability to cook, but we are like minded in thinking, why should we ever deprive him of such an outlet.  Here are some things on the kitchen counter.

When he came out with these, he looked to Wendi and with very genuine pride, asked her, "Isn't this beautiful?"  Like me, she would never think Sauer Kraut and beautiful would be words that go together, but being a supportive wife, with a straight face, she said, "Those are beautiful!  What exactly is it again honey?"

This is Kefir and I have consumed it.  It is fermented something and I can't say that I have tasted it - though it definitely has been in/on my food that he has served.  I just don't know that it has or hasn't added any flavor that I could decipher.

And, over the weekend, on his day off, we'd thrown together peanut butter and banana sandwiches for lunch and Wendi called out to him, "John, if I use your left over Indian food from last nights dinner, can I make a lunch plate for you?"  After a long pause and Wendi almost pleading with him to please let her make him a plate, I inquired as to why it was such a big deal.  She said, "Because, when John makes something for himself for lunch - THIS is what it looks like!" and showed me the photo below:

oooooh - okay, totally get it.  Note to self, never EVER offer to make a plate for John for lunch or any other meal!