It’s Avdi’s _?_th [classified] birthday, the one we celebrate!  Yesterday the 4th doesn’t really figure in our calendar, unless you like to celebrate genocide, slavery, and hypocrisy.  Or enjoy patriotic parades and fireworks in memory of the cost of greedy colonialism.  Anyway, Avdi’s birthday is what counts, though who’s counting!

Yesterday I finally made it into the pool!  OMG, it was womblike!  Only the brewing t-storm could coax us (S and I) out.  I just stayed in my wet clothes and didn’t feel hot anymore.  Oh the luxury.  Meanwhile, the garden was luxuriating in the eventual downpour.

Avdi went out, and I spent the night.  K had friends over for MtG, etc, and pizza was had.  They went to watch the fireworks.  Eventually the party moved onto the patio for celebratory setting off of bombs right under the windows.  S and Loucious and I bunkered down on Avdi’s bed all evening.  I said it’s like Gaza, S asked what’s that, so I told him about the genocide.  So appropriate.  Y just continued to camp in his room, where he’s pretty much stayed since camp.

Today, S decorated, and E got busy baking the obligatory birthday apple pie, plus a bonus STL gooey butter cake.  I brought a pie, too.  (We really do like pie.)  E put candles in the apple pie, and Jess brought vanilla ice cream.  Even Y came out.  We all did our part to let Avdi know he is loved and appreciated.