Doing the Old Man Proud

I've already taken up too much of my blog and your attention lately bragging on my kids, to their dismay. I'm going to torture them once more by posting two photos, then leave them alone a while. Unless they do something to deserve more bragging. It's up to them.

In the context of blogging about my daughter Robin's sick cat, I mentioned a while back that she spent six weeks of her summer at archeology field school. The cat survived for their reunion and is still doing pretty well, while Robin survived camping in the Sierra Nevada foothills and digging holes in rock-hard soil in 100-plus-degree heat every day. It was genuinely tough physical labor that I think drew on some previously untapped reserves of fortitude. Anyway, we sent along a disposable film camera (an electronic digital camera would not have survived), and just got the photos back this morning:

Archeologists coated in the dust of ancient civilizations prepare to break through the roof of the hidden Map Room and use the crystal headpiece atop the Staff of Ra to locate the Well of Souls where the Ark resides.

I also just got a picture of my daughter Laura's booksigning at the SacAnime manga and anime convention last Saturday. It sounds like she, her sister, and a small group of their friends had a great time at a nice little convention. My wife Karen and I made sure she set aside enough copies of her first published work, sure to become a future rare first-edition collectible, to allow us to retire in comfort.

My one-time assistants Laura (left) and Kristen, the first- and second-place winners in the convention's manga contest, ready to sign their opus for fans. A third former assistant, Kristen's sister Kelly, won an art contest at the same event. Unfortunately, I'll never be able to afford their services again.

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There. I think I've done enough damage for one day.
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