Bringing the Party to the Birthday

When life brings you raspberries, bring on the fruit tart.  Life has given Mom a raspberry recently, so Doug generously bought me a ticket to see her for her birthday. I brought my sidekick Finn too. She was definitely surprised, as in jaw dropped, hand to forehead speechless. It was awesome!

We got to see Uncle Ron and most of the Biggars even in our short weekend visit. Uncle Ron took Mom and me to a Bruce Cockburn concert in Berkeley for Mom’s birthday, we did a little Christmas shopping at McCoullou’s and the toy store in Montclair and we had a Finn-picked really fun afternoon at Robert’s redwood picnic area and Chabot science center, where we visited a planetarium and played paddleball with my three beautiful nieces.

Yay, Mom! We hope you get lots more fruit tarts in the coming year.

Loving the Library

I would never have imagined in fifth grade that I’d be so happy to take my kids to the Bethesda library. But seriously! This makes me so happy! Finn’s reading The Great Brain is Back. Clara is reading the second in a trilogy about the Mount of Olympus or something by Rick Riordan. And Tatum has like 26 books, so I’m not sure what she’s reading. We are so lucky to live in a city with free books! Go Bethesda! (P.S. Mom, you can consider this an early birthday present.)

Melanie’s Song, Get Your Copy Today!

Acclaimed author Joanna Biggar, aka Mom, released her second novel, Melanie’s Song, in October. It’s a sequel to That Paris Year, but it can be read as a stand alone book too. It’s a mystery about the disappearance of a friend. It’s set in all kinds of familiar places, like Mendicino, Pasadena, San Fransisco and Accra. I guess that’s what we get when the author digs into the ink well of personal history.

We felt a little famous at the book launch at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda. We got photos with the author, autographed books, even hugs from the author. She did her reading of the week this week at Book Passages in San Fransisco. She has to stop dont readings because we are waiting for book number three. Stay tuned!

Working Backwards, as Usual

Waiting for Dad to complete his epic hospital journey, and to be with him in it, left little room to keep my head above water on much else (beside caring for three little pigs and starting my new job). But now that Dad is blessedly, blissfully back home, let me catch you up on other things that happened in the meantime.

I guess one milestone would be that school started, sometime back in September (Sept. 3rd, after the longest summer ever, but no need to keep records of state wrongdoing). Tatum started 7th grade and Finn and Clara started 5th. They are not enamored, but they’re coping. The 5th grades still don’t embrace homework and the 7th grader generally finds Pyle distasteful. We secretly call Clara’s teacher Ms. Killory Ms. Killjoy.

Obligatory first day of school shots published exclusively here! A prize goes to anyone who can find Finn’s face in the group pic. Tatum’s face says exactly what it needs to say for the start of 7th grade.

Poppy’s in the House!

Group email from October 9.

Wow, it’s real. Dad is HOME. After all our lengthy updates, it’s hard to know what to say about Dad’s arrival back home today except it’s awesome having him back. In more ways than one. He said next he dies, he’ll do it quickly and just get it over with! But that’s going to be a long time from now.

Thank you for all of your support, prayers, calls, visits, emails, texts, understanding and humor over the last couple of months. We made it!

Feel free to contact Dad if you would like, by email or phone or visits (we will space them out to help him keep up his strength). We already know you’re with us in spirit, as you have been through this whole perilous journey. Can’t wait to read Dad’s next novel about it.

Photos attached.

Love,

Camp Biggar

5016 Hampden Lane

P.S. We agree, if you want to challenge him to thumb wrestling or Blockhead, now’s a good time.