Sorry I had to take off San Diego, and drive through LA fast - Pulled off of my eight hour drive at 10pm Thursday; I was driving into San Francisco in my suit by 7am Friday.

I had a date at an elementary school. It was "Grandparents and Special Friends Day" - time to represent for my nephew and neice.

I wore my grandfather's jacket and my father's tie - a bit of family history in the mix. I sat through an entertaining presentation of song and science from the students. Cassidy introduced me as her uncle and some other family members were shocked - I looked too young they said. The other special friends were fascinating - from Guam, Japan, France, Ecuador. Cassidy and I filled out a survey - what was my life like at her age? Considering our nineteen year gap, my Chicago childhood was less radical than tales of writing with coal on birchbark. But she did find my young enthusiasm for cheese hot dogs offputting. Then we joined Eli in his science class, testing vingear with baking soda and lighting sugar on fire.

Cassidy wrote me a letter, which finished with this line: "Also, thank you for letting me give you a hair cut! (lol!)" Chat language permeates down to nine years old!