I am grateful for time my kids get to spend with their cousins.

I am grateful for a walk along Locarno beach chit chatting with my brother in law.

I am grateful for a nap on a living room couch.

I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate my parents in law’s 50th wedding anniversary, and to be with them in their church to see them renew their vows.

I am grateful for the feast thereafter.

And I am grateful for the epic charades game that somehow came out of this experience, where the more devout followers of the Star Wars Franchise acted out their favourite characters, droids, aliens, spaceships, and military hardware while everyone else guessed who or what it was. We’re all surprisingly good at it. Salacious Crumb from episode V, for example, or the eyeball monster in the trash compactor from episode IV, we’re each guessed within 40 seconds, I’d say.

I am grateful for a drawing Farley made of our new trailer. He’s almost as excited about that thing as I am.

I am grateful for a safe journey to Vancouver, and for the ferry trip. I pretty much always enjoy the ferry, but especially so on a nice day like today.

I am grateful for time spent in Ikea.

I am grateful for time spent with my in-laws, seeing my boys run rampant with their cousin, eating great food, chit chatting on the deck in the backyard.

I am grateful for a full day. I packed it in.

I am grateful for time to spend checking out Farley and Coop’s projects at pickup this afternoon.

I am grateful for time in the studio.

I am grateful for time in the studio today.

I am grateful for a run in warm weather.

I am grateful for a good long conversation with my brother on the phone today.

I am grateful for Farley, who took charge of table setting, including place cards, and running up to get ice cream, bowls and spoons, and served it all up to us at supper tonight.

I am grateful for Coop, who got bigger today, yet again. Love that kid.

I am grateful for breakfast out with my boys at the grocery store cafeteria this morning.

I am grateful for a last visit from my folks this morning before they headed out for the airport.

I am grateful for dinner with some folks at our place tonight; another family with similarly aged kids that go to our kids’ school. We’ve been acquaintances for a long time, but it was a great night, with kids playing outside until they were tired right out, and grownups chit-chatting while they knew they had the chance. I am glad to know those guys a bit better.