Parallel Lives

Maya and her birthday cupcake She has a big cake at home

We went out for ice cream

Maya tickling Allie

Me sometime in the 90s with the twins. Nothing more cringe worthy than those glasses But see, I wasn't always fat

San Francisco parade

NYC parade

Naomi and I with trick mirror yesterday

Within minutes of each other this weekend, my twin nieces posted photos of the parades celebrating the recent Supreme Court rulings in their respective cities: San Francisco and New York City. They do not communicate with each other so it was completely coincidental. Their styles are very similar; both have a good eye for color though it appears that the SF parade was much more colorful. Both travel around the world sharing though not with each other, their photos. They seem to go to different places. They both got their doctorates from Ivy League schools (Columbia and Harvard) in very similar subjects. At one point, they both lived within a few miles of each other in Boston but they never saw each other. They seemed to be at odds with each other from the time they were little. For a while, they lived in Michigan and I would take care of them occasionally. There were subtle differences between them: one had a huskier voice (this difference disappeared with puberty) and their face shape is very slightly different. They each had separate clothes (many of them hand-me-downs from Shanna who is 6 years older). Woe to me if I dressed one of them in the others clothes! At some point, we would travel around with 6 kids inviting lots of stares. Once they moved to California, when I visited, I started the one-twin-at-a time rule on various field trips because they fought incessantly. Their little sister, usually neutral, could come. The photo above is rare as they are together.

Twins are supposed to share this special bond and have their own language etc but it doesn't always work that way. Steve had identical twin aunts who even as adults would physically attack each other.

It was too cold yesterday for the planned waterpark adventure with Allie but Maya had a good time anyway. She blew the candles out on a sprinkle festooned cupcake; we went to a farm petting zoo with Allie; out to dinner where her favorite fries were served; out for a ice cream picnic and then to Allie's house for another present. She is afraid of animals excepting cats and dogs. She was excited in principle to see baby pigs but would not get near them. Allie meanwhile enjoyed petting the baby goats. Finally she gingerly touched one when it was pointed out to her that the much younger Allie wasn't afraid. But she was excited, from a safe distance, identifying all the animals she could see.

A beautiful day for a bike ride. My friend comes in an hour to do it with me. As soon as I opened the door this morning, 6 swallows swooped into my face. Nest building has resumed in earnest. The parents started the nest; now the children are helping too. I assume the parents will use the same nest over our garage again and again but the babies need their own houses (seems to be the start of 2 nests). The rose breasted grosbeak came back to eat some fruit last night. I assumed he left to breed up north. The finches are eating my seeds way too fast. Usually I would fill the finch feeders once a week but to keep them happy, I need to do it daily.

I am not happy with some of my wild life: deer must have eaten the tops of the Asiatic lilies. I should have lots of them blooming in a week or so but now, I will have hardly ever. They trampled down, though did not eat, the tiger lilies. I did not see them there. They must have done it the night before. I am now sleeping with the windows open alert to plants being trampled upon but I expect it will be a losing battle. My tastier vegetables are under chicken wire so hopefully they are safe.