Surprise

I was just begining to stir after an excellent night’s sleep when Tenzing announced himself excitedly at my door. “Markie,” he bellowed, “you need to come down to the garage quickly because there is a surprise for you!”

A great lover of surprises, Tenzing sped down the stairs leading from the door of the house ahead of me and disappeared around the corner. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I got my surprise: a snowball right in the chest. This was indeed unanticipated, particularly on a brilliantly sunny, 70 degree California morning.

Zing had just returned from two days in the mountains at his grandparents and, with the assistance of my sister, had packed an ice chest full of snow to bring to the Bay Area for our snowball fight.

As with most snowball fights, there was really no loser in ours.

Ride of Passage

As rights of passage go, I consider this a big one. With this afternoon’s frosty sunshine filtering through the forest of Pacific Spirit Park, Zing went for his first mountain bike ride.

Football in Parc Du Sceaux

Malgudi Days

More than one friend has complained that I have neglected to report on Tenzing’s visit to South India at the end of March. I have been a bit busy. But better late than never.