February seems to be a month of transitions (thought that was supposed to be January!)

The biggest transition, of course, is the birth of our first grandchild, a boy, Alexander Jeffrey Winter to Christopher and Carly. Alexander was born on February 2nd at about 10:22 p.m. (ET), in Minneapolis, MN. It was not an especially easy delivery, but Mom and Baby are doing fine and Christopher is loving being a Dad!

Bob is transitioning to the Bifocals Club, a group he resisted joining for a long time, but the hassle of switching from one pair of glasses (for distance) to another (for reading) and back finally got to be too much (to say nothing of trying to do it on a boat—switching between charts and horizons, with sunglasses adding to the problem). The new glasses will have magnetic clipons, so sunglasses will no longer be a hassle (I hope).

Bob is also gong to be transitioning to the Windows 7 operating system, which Microsoft has complicated beyond all reason. (I am seriously thinking of going "Mac" when the time comes to replace my laptop (hopefully not for a long time yet!).

Meanwhile, Photoshop classes and "Hot-Button Issues" classes continue at ILR (see January). This month's "hot buttons" include gay marriage, global climate change, American exceptionalism and (of course) health care.

Alexander as a newborn (above) and in utero (r)

Carly looks as though she was "born to be a Mom" and she has taken to it easily and with joy. She and Christopher claim to have mastered "Alexander" (the language) already , so he never cries for very long. May it always be so!

Ever the teacher, Andrew adjusts the embouchure on a would-be hornist.

We did do a few other things, such as attending a concert by the "Sounds of Sousa" band, in which Andrew plays horn.

Young man with a horn.

The craft fair (at which the band played) also featured a model circus (Above). Amazing! To the left, one of the three rings. To the right, the ticket booth, animal transport wagons, and concession stand! The "Wilson Bros. Circus" was a real treat.

These trucks all have huge fan followings, many of whom (like Deadheads in the 1960s) follow their favorites around the country. Points are awarded for longest leaps, longest time in the air, etc.

Penney won a pair of tickets to a "monster truck" event; Bob and Andrew took them off her hands! Left: The crowds with "pit passes" inspecting the trucks before the show. Above: The monsters in action; (it was actually pretty tame because there wasn't much room to get up any real speed).

Always was a Cadillac family!

Above: Emily helping Penney wind yarn for a project.

Far Left: Penney with some more yarn for the sweater project.

Penney and Bob reading about art forgery in the Netherlands before the concert by Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester at the Cleveland Museum of Art on February 28..