Yesterday�s family gathering was pleasant. We spent most of the afternoon sitting around talking and eating and talking and eating some more, with a brief sojourn to the pool with my nieces, followed by more talking and eating. AJ was in his element, the center of attention.

Today, however, he is feeling somewhat bereft, especially since I won�t let him go over and see if the little girl next door wants to play � I figure our neighbors need SOME peace. I tried getting him outside for a while, but he kept moping around and sighing, casting long glances in the direction of M�s house like a mooning lover. I finally got fed up with the sulkiness and dragged him back inside, where he is currently exploring the ocean floor by way of a computer game.

I taught my last water aerobics class this morning and followed it up with a pile of donuts I�d brought for my class. I think we�re all going to miss it (the class, not the donuts. Okay, a little the donuts.). They�ve already asked me if I�ll do it again next year, so if all else fails, I could always get certified as an aqua fitness instructor. Hmm. I can�t think of anything farther from my intended career goals. And yet, it�s not entirely unpleasant. AJ joined us for donuts. His dad brought him up to swim with me after class. He soberly got glasses of water for all the ladies in my class while they discussed how cute he was behind his back. They asked him what he was going to do in the pool and he said, �Practice my swimming.� He then added, �did you know that big things can float in the pool and small things can�t?� getting half the truth of a discussion we�d had about density yesterday when I was trying to explain to him why I could float but a penny would sink. To a four-year-old, everything is a science experiment.

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