A few weeks back, Nyan’s friend Aiden came to town with his parents, so we all got together down at the beach, a 10-minute stroll from our apartment. We don’t actually go in the water at this beach — too much trash and lord knows what else, thanks to the scores of ships that drop anchor just offshore, as you can see in some of the pictures — but it’s a lovely place to catch some sun and breeze, kick a ball around, and build a sand castle or three.

Not a bad way to spend a January afternoon.