Can You Spot the Problem?

Sometimes it really sucks to be 15. Will is a high school baseball player--a center fielder. He has played baseball since he was old enough to hold a bat. I can remember him patiently explaining to me how to catch a ball with a glove, then falling on the ground laughing when he saw me throw it. He was about five. The other day at practice he threw the ball, heard a series of cracks and felt a pain in his elbow. After several visits to the doctor and an X-Ray, it turns out he broke off the growth plate on his throwing arm. We're told this is a fairly common injury in young people his age who are still growing. He will be in a splint and a sling and can't use it at all for two weeks, then he will start rehab exercises.

Do we "overuse" our kids in sports? When they love the game and have just realized a dream of playing on the high school varsity team? I don't know. He sees no entertainment value in any of this, but is stoically soldiering on....

We are having a party on Thursday for all the people who worked on our kitchen and their families. The most amazing part is that David's son, the one who sharpened all our knives for us, is going to prepare all the food, except for the dessert which his sister, the pastry chef is going to make. Not that we expected this level of participation, but hey, how could we say no?

We have been fixing up all of our numerous outside seating areas in anticipation of a party, but last night a fierce wind came up and blew oak leaves all over the place. We must remember to lower the umbrella in case it comes up again tonight.