Christening

Senegalese love to grill things, particularly fish, and they do so on a barbeque that is commonly sold in markets. Wood charcoal from the Casamance serves as fuel. It's a clever design, similar in principle to a charcoal chimney starter, though I followed Lena's advice and heated a handful of briquettes on the gas stove.

Marje, Almamy and I toured the Kermel Market yesterday, with the aim of purchasing seafood: two pink lobster and several large foot-long shrimp. The meal was a kind of christening -- for the barbeque, the new school year, and my wish to do a little more entertaining this year.

Sam and Stephanie came for dinner, two Floridians, on a evening that was pleasantly breezy, cool and relatively dry.

Stephanie is the daughter of a retired NASA engineer and was raised in the shadow of the Kennedy Space Center on Satellite Beach, Florida, at a time when the state was relatively unspoiled. The three of us are of a similar generation and experience: White Castle burgers, Jekyll Island, manatees, Florida summer thunderstorms, and diving in warm, clear water.

And thus a new school year begins.