The slew of worried emails and concerned calls from you loyal readers has convinced me that it’s time to come out of hiding. Apologies for disappearing on you people. All is well. But it has been a busy stretch of days.

On Wednesday, I went to Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi, if you must know.

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In Jackson, the arrival of spring is not in doubt.

Back in Chestertown, on the other hand, it feels just like March.

We walked to the farmer’s market this morning under threat of rain. But still managed to have a good time.

What else? August has been learning how to sit.

And has finally graduated to the bungee bouncer.

But this is not why we have been ignoring you. The truth is that Robbi is busy drawing, drawing, drawing, night and day.

And so I have been sitting on the children around the clock. And not writing blog posts.

But all this industry seems to be paying off. At last check, Robbi almost done illustrating the first Bobbledy book, an exciting milestone that will bring us that much closer to launching the new press.

For now, Kato and I are watching basketball. He in his tutu. I in my flannel pants. August’s pick to win it all, Kentucky looks strong in the early going. I’ll check in tomorrow with the penultimate standings.

I’m not sure if Alden and Kato even know the phrase, but the two of them sure are doing their best to keep the doctor at an arm’s-length.

Or maybe not. I’m pretty sure the idea is that the apple in question should be eaten in its entirety, not merely gnawed at until rendered homely and inedible. While I am delighted that my children seem to enjoy eating fruit, I wish that either one of them demonstrated a shred of follow through.

Anyone interested in making applesauce or a cobbler is welcome to stop by and collect the unholy remains.

When it comes to assembling a bracket for the tournament, it seems the less one knows, the better one does.

Case in point, reader “bracketphobia,” who, until last night’s game, was in first place in the Idiots Hoopla standings in spite of the following (wonderful) self-assessment of her basketball knowledge and picking process.

The drawing above is from her blog The League of Lost Causes, which features daily web comics.

I particularly enjoy this post called “That Hussy of a Rock,” but you will have to go to the blog to enjoy it.

The tournament-related post above goes on to include this illustration of bracketphobia’s excitement to have succeeded against such long odds.

For the time being, bracketphobia has fallen into second place, but I’m not betting against her. She trails our friend Ming by the narrowest of margins, and while Ming (who made the tragic noble error of picking Duke as champion) can feel smug for a moment, bracketphobia has a much higher PPR (points possible remaining).

As does August, who currently sits in (gasp) seventh. Good thing he’s too little to roll over, or he might do so in outrage.

More games coming tonight. Another update as a changes in standing dictate.

Now go visit The League of Lost Causes for your daily chuckle.

At long last, our shipment of Baby Apocalypse has reached the barn.

This means that subscribers everywhere will soon have to wrestle with the decision of whether to open the Vol 34 mailing or use it for late-winter kindling.

You have all been warned.

Something sad happened on Friday. We don’t have to go into it, but a certain team failed to win a certain game, busting my bracket and causing poor Kato to look like this.

I won’t show a photo of how I looked as the game clock ran out. The sight of my sadness might ruin your Monday morning. Let’s just say that Friday night we all went to bed miserable. But Saturday we woke up with renewed purpose. There is a silver lining when one’s team makes a premature exit from the tournament—the ability to move on, go outside, and enjoy a day in the sunshine.

And so we did. We drove out to Eastern Neck Island to take a walk on the beach.

We discovered ladybugs.

Wrote names in the sand.

Took a first shoulder ride.

And went out on a limb.

Later that night we had a dry-run birthday party. Alden’s real birthday is next Saturday, but my sister Lindsay and her family were in town for the weekend, so we decided to spread the fun around a bit. As is her usual habit, Alden invited Kato to participate in the candle blowing.

It was a beautiful day, a wonderful day. And I did not watch a single basketball game.

Speaking of basketball, however, in case you are wondering, August has slipped into second place in the Idiots Hoopla standings, courtesy some jerk named mikeman who thinks its ok to beat up on a baby.

The tournament is still young. We’ll see who is still standing come April 2

I can tell you one thing: it won’t be me.