Thinking Allowed: Quince

We made it to Gran Canaria and very quickly settled into the lifestyle of swimming at the beach, doing schoolwork, and going for walks. We are nestled in a cosy apartment on the peninsula of Las Palmas just a few block away from the beautiful Las Canteras Beach. Everyone here is very relaxed and good natured. We found a gymnastics spot for Sophia that is actually a gym setup in the coaches backyard in the hills: the equipment is a little rusted, the safety mattresses under the beam are actual bed mattresses pushed together, the bars are on the rooftop, the gym is dappled with trees cacti and chickens, but it is nonetheless an impressive team and welcoming space and makes Sophia very happy. Zadie has become our top ocean swimmer - first in and last out seems to be her motto. Tova is happily upping her Spanish learning now that we are back in a Spanish country and has started learning to surf. She really likes the beach lifestyle and is already lamenting the fact that we will eventually have to leave.

Aurora is very pleased that after a couple of months in Asia we are now back in the part of the world where there are ovens in houses. Right in time too because a few days after arriving the oven was needed to make Aurora a birthday cake. We are so thankful everyday that Aurora at fifteen is just as much and even more fun than Aurora at every other age. She is a content child. Whatever life turmoil awaits in her future she can always know that her go-to is contentment. We had a family breakfast and swim in the ocean and the girls all built sandcastles together. I took her and Sophia to a local escape room where we got compliments on our excellent teamwork and clearheadedness but nonetheless disintegrated as we were solving the last clue. I told Aurora that I was glad she could learn that you can have a great time even if you don’t succeed on her birthday. She smiled and shrugged unfazed. And then we had a nice family meal and an evening of chocolate cake and games. And just like that we have a fifteen year old. And now Aurora can spend the first few months of her fifteenth year perfecting the beach lifestyle.