“Whose birthday is it again, Aunt Alice," my nephew Eli asks, his mouth full of cake batter.
I wipe a stray drop of the chocolate batter from his cheek and tell him, "June 30 is Linda Day. My mom--your mom's mom, too--was Linda, and we celebrate her birthday every year to remember her and talk about how much we love her, even though she's not here with us." It's hard for a five year old to grasp, but today is a big day for my family.
My brothers are both here, wearing nice pants and clean shirts for a change. We all get takeout from Mom's favorite barbecue place and every year, I bake her favorite cake. Rich, flourless chocolate cake pairs nicely with fresh raspberries this time of year. My sister took the boys out wandering to pick some in the wild along the trails in Highland Park y
