The next day was Ben's 16th birthday, cause for gifts and a celebration. Ben started with this card which accompanied his iPod touch making him happy for quite some time.

And then it was time for the celebration with sweets brought from Puerto Rico by the Straus as Alan engaged with Geofferson and then Jane arrived with a birthday hug for her brother as Jeff read Jane's thesis and Alan and Joel and Audrey wondered about the spicy pretzels as I took this self portrait and recorded Cara before we went to the set table and slowly settled into our seats as Alan Cara Joel and Ben led the way and my plate was set before the fruit and Puerto Rican sweets appeared accompanied by the sinful candy before the birthday cake appeared with candles lit which were extinguished before I could get a photo so that we had to simulate the blowing out of the candles to the amusement of the assembled even with my own self portrait. as the clutter was building on the table so that the painter could return for the never ending home rennovation project Sarah, John and Ed appeared for a discussion about how the whale was assembled and Sarah and Suzanne posed as did Ed and John and then Sarah and Ben posed for the birthday photo making Suzanne happy to see the wonderful celebration.