We had a meet-up for coffee this morning to say "bon voyage" to Suzanne, who is off on vacation for the next week and a half. We'll miss her, but there isn't anyone who doesn't believe she not only needs it but deserves it. Everyone who could help stepped up to pitch in so that things get done while she's gone. Hopefully that takes some of the anxiety out of it for her and will make it easier for her to enjoy the trip.

Eric brought Alex to coffee, so a lot of our time together was all about him. (Alex, that is. Eric had his turn back in the late Seventies, and he was just as cute then as his son is now.) Alex isn't very demanding when he's out like that, but there really wasn't much for him to do until Suzanne gave him her pen and some paper. He spent as much time clicking the pen as he did drawing with it. He loves pushing buttons of almost any kind.

Suzanne gave me Kylie's soccer schedule so that I don't have to miss any of her games, except of course for the one that's at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. At her game last night she played goalie for half the game, but she really does better as central midfielder, where her coach had her playing the rest of the time. That's the power position in soccer. She's an aggressive little girl when the situation calls for it. She's not afraid to use her body for leverage to get in front of an opponent on a throw-in, for example.

After the game ended Alex and I chased each other up and down the field, to great hilarity. When Kylie finished her postgame snack, she joined us. She is very gentle with him, and he's very patient with her. Or maybe it's the other way around. Anyway, they get along well.

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Today, the best part of my day was over by noon, and it was all downhill after that. There was already work waiting for me on the fax when I got home, and it didn't really stop all afternoon. I would have appreciated a little break, because I needed a nap, but I can't really complain. Because really, who would listen?