“Mommy, can you help me write something?” Gresham (age five) asked.

“What do you want to write?” Becky asked.

“How do you spell ‘Averi’?”

“A-V-E-R-I”

“Is?”

“I-S”

“Hot?”

“What?”

That enlightening conversation took place two days ago.  Last night Hot Averi, Redneck Neighbor’s seven year-old, spent the night along with her brother and oldest sister, Brian‘s four, and two kids from next door. Twelve kids total, up very late, high on S’mores, eventually drifting off in tents in my backyard to the sound of crickets and suburban traffic.

Two tents: One for boys and one for girls, separated by a grassy gulf and a chimnea, their entrances heavily guarded by lightly-sleeping parents.