closed

If you can make your hand into the shape of the gate, it will open.  That's what Daddy said.

11

Having a birthday is hard work.  I'm so exhausted that I didn't even notice that a little sparrow is on the back of my chair whistling Happy Birthday (in Spanish).

crawdad fever

Yes they have them on this side of the pond too.

comfort zones

They told us, moving to France, you will definitely get out of the bubble.  We beg to differ...

duck!

What Daddy said was, "On the count of three I'll take a photo of you!" but what Grace heard was, "Freeze where you are and throw your shoe!"  (note object suspended on right side of photo...)

surprise!

I'll bet you want to know!  Not telling!

the dog is in the fireplace

I leaned in a little closer to hear what the large-headed man was trying to whisper.  The din of the parade was ringing loudly in my ears.  He said I would need to know something that could affect the future of flip-flop sales in the entire occidental world.  Just as I took one step closer, the gun went off, he grabbed me by the arm and with his dying breath, he iterated, "The dog is in the fireplace..."