Excerpts from email written in 1995 or 1996 by Joanna.

Benjamin wanted to write a secret message in white icing between two
of the layers, so I made him make some cream cheese icing.

Someone just rapped at my window. I pulled back the
partially closed curtain to reveal Nathan peering at me from the other side
of the glass. This might not seem odd, except that my room is on the second
floor. “You gonna elope with someone tonight?” he asked. I pulled back the
curtain further. He was standing on a ladder leaning against the side of the
house.

I was talking to Paul on Thursday about my anxieties about the future, etc. After going through the different possibilities, I said. “And then maybe I’ll just meet this really great guy, get married, and become a wife and mother.” He lifted an eyebrow and replied, “It would take an incredibly wonderful guy… to put up with someone like you.”

I’d also like to take the opportunity to (maybe, if it’s possible) embarass Ben. Here’s what’s probably his first webpage.

In other news, our once blue house got painted “taupe” today. It’s just
kinda tan really. Looks okay.

Joanna adds commentary. “Every house that we’ve ever moved into has been yellow, and Dad has painted it blue. Until we moved into a house that was already blue, and he painted it taupe. And every kitchen we’ve ever had has been green, and he’s wall-papered it blue. Until we moved into a kitchen that was blue, and he wall-papered it green.”

Afterward, mom and I were the only ones left in the living room. She
said, “So tell me about Berck. There aren’t very many people you’d get
up before 8 on a Saturday morning after 3 hours of sleep the night before
to drive an hour and a half to go see.” I nodded as my sun burned face
turned even redder. I told her about walking 7 miles and debating about
DNA and stars. “Does he have a crush on you?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Ah. What do you do about it?”
“Tell him to forget it.”
“Be sure to deal with him gently but firmly.”
I nodded.