Ferdinand has two grandmas whom he loves, but from the moment he met my friend Gayle, he decided he needed another. He talks to her and listens to her and misses her like family. Every time we go shopping, we have to be on the look out for a pair of rocket shoes for Gayle.
Ferdinand has one grandfather, and not only is he an ocean away, but he isn’t the type that likes to write or call or visit. I have gone so far as to send a SASE to him with all the questions that Ferdinand wanted to ask–nothing threatening like, why don’t you talk to me–more along the line of, who is your favorite super hero and have you ever eaten an ant. You can’t convince someone to be a grandfather, even though I am sure that somewhere in his heart he wants to be. The good thing is, there are other guys who are hard wired for the job, and are ready to step up to fill in for anyone in their vicinity under four foot. This week up in Maine someone whom I had never even met before, taught Ferd how to fish, and even sawed the hooks off the decoys so that Ferd could take them home. Ferdinand will never forget that.

We had wonderful food this week in Maine, and spent whole days with everybody, just thinking about what to make next. We fixed lobster that the lobster man Henry caught from right in front of the house, and we steamed it over seaweed with red potatoes. Lightening struck and tried to get in the way of us making BLT’s and hand rolled pasta, but we outsmarted it and boiled the noodles in the lobster pot outside on a portable flame, and ate by candlelight.
It doesn’t get better. It is always nice to be invited to someone’s house, but it is a gift to be invited with family. Sitting around the table with my friends Pat and Cindy and Gayle and all their old friends and relatives made just sitting around the table a feast.

Here is how to make the lobster:
Build a good sturdy fire. Set a heavy metal tray on strong long legs, over the fire, and fill it with seaweed. Pour water from the ocean over the seaweed, to cover. Push a metal grate on top of that, and cover with lobsters and potatoes and corn in it’s husk. (If you can, try and hypnotize the lobsters first by staring into their little black eyes until they go still). Cover the whole thing with the table lid and don’t disturb for forty five minutes.