Yesterday, we ended up going to look at the ocean at Marblehead. There were a couple of teenage boys tossing around a frisbee. Gus had part of a strawberry smoothie--we thought about introducing him to an egg cream or a lime rickey, but thought they might be a bit sophisticated for a 2-year-old palate. (Or I did. Edward, being English, doesn't know from egg creams and lime rickeys.)

It was a nice day. And I think that's not a bad tradition, a nice day, though I thought we should have an actual activity of some kind. Someone who'd lost a child told me that she and her children release balloons on the anniversary of their lost child's death, and I though that sounded great--sort of joyful and melancholy, something that kids would like. And then I thought, but what if Gus and Matilda become highly concerned with litter? What if they're super green? And one or the other says, in a few years time, that we CAN'T release balloons because it's bad for the environment? That would break my heart.

My friend Lib points out that the world needs a biodegradable helium-fillable balloon. Get on it, entrepreneuers!

UPDATE (seconds later): I guess latex balloons ARE biodegradable. I found this out at balloonhq.com. The important thing is to leave them "tailless"--even biodegradable string can be hazardous for wildlife.