The title of this blog kicked me in the butt tonight

Circles.
I thought to kill a little time catching up on one of my favorite strips. It had been since summer when I read it last. I like to read it several editions at a time. More to savor and immerse in.
Well tonight I got the unexpected. It ended.
Nearly thirty years of a best friend. Done.
A world without Opus.
Let the five stages begin.

smart kid

The girls went for a bike ride this afternoon. For just in case they took a cell phone along. About half an hour into it the house phone rings. I climb down from the ladder and answer it. It's Ember.

"Hey Dad."
"Yes?"
"If you have a minute, look to the west."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"Okay, bye."

So while I'm heading outside I wonder how many people would use a cardinal direction to direct somebody on the phone where to look? How many children for that matter?
She said "west." And she did it so naturally. She could have easily said over the Gama's house, or out the back door, or toward Kickapoo, or toward the general direction the sun will set. "West." West was the correct direction for both of us to look - me, at home, and her, a mile away in another neighborhood.
Dang that kid is smart.

Oh, there were four hot air balloons in the distance.