Orel Family

So it was cloudy Friday night, not really pool weather, and I had gotten home early. My friend Alexander was in town and I'd mentioned The Romantics concert as a possible meeting spot, but his family obligations meant not being able to call. What the heck, now that I'd put forward the idea of seeing the Romantics, I thought it'd be nice to take a ride downtown and do it. The first problem was convincing Aaron, initially he said no. He asked if they played kids songs, and he didn't like the answer. A while later, I came up with a better reply: "two guitars, bass and drum, just like The Beatles." That helped, but I needed a clincher: "And we can go to the show in the convertible with the top down." I also had to promise that we'd leave if he didn't like it, in exchange for which he agreed to give it at least half an hour. Elianna has taken to wearing dresses, and she was in a bit of a princess getup, with a pink dress and a little pla...

Gwen writes: Gwen's byline in the Times! http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/theater/19roma.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Since you are family I expect this to be up on your websites and blogs. :) Just kidding! We don't kid with the blog. There it is, on the blog.

We just returned from a week at Michigania , a one week family camp for University of Michigan alumni . One of the great things about the camp is its range of activities for youngsters. Aaron was able to spend his mornings with other 8 and 9 year old boys, and Elianna with other 5 and 6 year olds. The nursery staff handles the 5's and 6's. They teach them songs, go on hikes, go swimming and boating, and engage in a bit of story-telling, including the legend of the sunken pirate ship in Lake Walloon ( Ernest Hemingway once lived by the lake ), and of the Michigania unicorn. Elianna soaked it all in. When we took her kayaking, she refused to go near the buried ship. When we crossed the bridge in to north camp, she told us of the unicorn's home. Aaron was skeptical. Aaron: There's no such thing as a unicorn. Elianna: Yes there is! Aaron: No there isn't. Elianna: Yes there is! I know everything about unicorns. Aaron: ok, then, what do they eat? ...