Today was The Newbie's first birthday. This is the birthday girl, greeting us upon our arrival. That look is pure, "Where in the hell are my presents? Did you bring any presents? What's in the bag? That'd better be a goddamned present."
That, or, "How in the hell did you get in here?"
Actually, The Newbie was watching Dave (who was standing behind me, 'cause that's the back of my head) take pictures. She is fascinated by cameras and cell phones, which is why the first gift she got to handle was this:
A play cell phone that my older brother, her great uncle (Ha-ha! you're old, too, Rudy!) gave her--along with about a million other toys, all of which make noise.
We left early, so we didn't get to see the opening of the other gifts, including my own. But The Newbie took time away from her lunch of what my niece calls "raviolies" (yes, from a can--thank you, Chef Boy-Ar-Dee) to enjoy a few minutes of play with her new cell phone.
Ah, and this photo is included because it's where the party was held. We all grew up in Los Duranes (with the exception of Dave, who could perhaps be said to have come of age here). The community center, when I was a child, was not much to look at. It's quite a grandiose space these days, but I remarked to my brother as we walked out, "It used to be more like a big Tuff Shed," and he said, "With a pool table in it." Which is the perfect description of the Los Duranes Community Center, circa 1977.
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