Grace made me quite envious, though, when she reported that they had encountered three – count 'em, three – blue whales on a whale-watching trip while out there: a mother and calf, and another one nearby. I have always hoped to see whales myself, but never have, other than a passing glimpse of orca dorsals off the Atlantic Florida coast, once when I was in junior high. But it's the blue whale especially that I've hoped to see, the biggest animal ever, ever since Andrew Long got me thinking about them back in the 3rd grade or so. So I told Grace that she had managed to do by age 7 what I still haven't accomplished in my whole life. She immediately dismissed that, pointing out the Sophie had seen them by age 2, after all, but I know that Grace will likely remember this event, even in a fuzzy way, while Sophie will likely lose it, other than the sort of "refreshed" or "implanted" memories that will come with the story, and with the photos and video that they took, which I'm itching to see. All told, though: too cool.
And Haley, alas, is still too shy to talk on the phone.
