Dear Friends,
My lovely mother-in-law is visiting from New Mexico. Today I took her to Barnes & Noble – one of my most favorite places. As Karole went off to browse Wally Lamb books, I perused the children’s section. Perhaps it was the time of year. Perhaps it was imagining the big son entering high school in September. Maybe it was the delicate daughter’s recently acquired driving permit and employment. Whatever it was, my eyes transfixed on two small, green chairs. These made me blue-

The delicate daughter, big son and I used to frequent Barnes & Noble. Every year when they were much smaller, they participated in the B&N summer reading program. Gosh, was it so long ago she swam with Emily Windsnap–

And he travelled to far off places and distant lands in a Magic Treehouse–

Have ten years slipped by since I painted these faces-

Weren’t they little, only minutes ago?

Thank you and goodnight. If you have children, hold them tightly…