Party Time

On Saturday I went to this beguiling little girl's 6th birthday party. Her father, who works where we live and is a friend, had invited me. I had never met the family - gracious and attractive mom, a three year old little boy who was pretty overwhelmed by the activity, cousins, aunts and uncles and the star of the day, Stephanie Maria Isabelle. The latter was practically levitating with delight the whole time I was there. She had brief moments of stillness, mostly posing adriotly for snapshots, and then off she went spinning and leaping and skipping. It was a delight for me to witness Pure Joy.

There were lots of kids of all ages there and a good number of moms, dads, grands. These are not parties where the kids are dropped off.

There were balloons, Tinkerbells ( the theme), two oversized pinatas, a huge cake provided by her grandparents( the bakers mentioned below), many bowls of different kinds of chips on the tables that were set up in the garage, lots of sodas and juices and water, a taco stand brought in by caterers who drive a van pulling a trailer with the stand et al ( this is not catering as you might think of it and something like it has been present at every latin party I have been to here) and most visible of all, one of those trampaline-ish jumping tents for kids. Stephanie's dad said: when everyone is eating I always sneak off and jump around in there. Sounded good to me but, sadly or fortunately, I had to leave for home before the opportunity to be a fool arrived.

There was also, at this party, a teenage boy who was representing his kind in typical misery. See above.