Ben throws a bowl!

So, earlier in the month I promised myself I would blog five times during August.  Looks like I'm leaving it a bit late, so I'll have to scurry to get it in under the wire.  Expect some fast and furious blogging action this week.

Sooooo much has happened this summer.  In fact, that's part of the problem.  Trying to get caught up and fill in all the gaps in the story is overwhelming.  So y'know what?  Ain't gonna happen.  You, dear reader, will have to fill in the gaps yourself with your fertile imagination.  The short story is that we went on some more trips, Ben's Neptune processor is great, we're getting ramped up for the start of kindergarten a week from Tuesday (and the start of our own classes tomorrow -- eek!), Ben is doing amazing things all the time, we're seeing some progress on the social integration front ... whew, had to pause to catch my breath.

From tonight's dinner conversation:  Ben asked how long ago dinosaurs lived.  We asked him what he thought.  (He actually knows the answer, roughly, but this is his way of exploring a topic and attaching more meaning to it.)  He said it was probably about ten billion years ago.  After a little back and forth, he zeroed in on a more realistic figure.  "That was before you were born, right?"  Yes, considerably.  "That was before Grammy and Grampy and Grandma and Grandpa were born, right?"  Yes, believe it or not.  "That was before your great-great-great-great-great-grandparents were born, right?"  Yes, in fact it was before any people were born; dinosaurs disappeared long before there were people.  Ben, smirking slightly, "Even before Mozart and Beethoven?!?"

We visited Neil's parents at the beginning of August, and while there we visited a friend of theirs who is an excellent potter.  She was having an Open Studio day and demonstrating the use of the pottery wheel.  She let Ben help her throw a pot, and here is the video.  Enjoy!