It was our passion for the geometric dissections of American puzzle master Sam Loyd that led us to design Sophie's mysterious locket in "The Illusionist." — Ricky Jay and Michael Weber, in an article on magic tricks in film in today's L.A. Times.

It's been a while since I posted any photos, so here's a big batch of family snapshots. They begin with a visit from Diana's brother, Chaz, and his family, continue with Diana and Sara comparing foot sizes (they're almost the same!), and finish with Sara's 12th birthday party, in which we took her and her friends to a dinner magic show followed by a small sleepover.



After which, Diana and the kids spent the last week in Santa Fe, visiting more relatives and leaving me here to teach my classes and think about geometry. They're taking the scenic route home this week, via train with a stop at the Grand Canyon. I'm jealous, but the kids' schedule and mine just didn't mesh this fall.