Maybe my Soapbox is a little high, but...
You should read a BANNED BOOK THIS WEEK!

The American Library Association keeps a tally and you can see a list of any of the books that have either been banned or someone has tried to ban.

I don't know what it is about people and banning books. If you don't want your kid to read something, tell them no. If you don't want other people's kids to read something, maybe you should tell their parents why you think it's a bad idea. The job of the library is to make as much information as possible available to anyone who wants it.

Read what your kids are reading. If you can't or don't want to or don't care, then you shouldn't really worry about it anyway.
Celebrate your reading rights. And these kids books won't take you long at all. I think Olive's Ocean is one of the greatest books for the 5-7th grade crowd ever written. It will take you forty five minutes to read. Twelve year old Martha's classmate Olive dies. She doens't know her very well. Martha's family leaves for summer vacation on Cape Cod, and she gets to know her grandmother better. Some other stuff happens with a boy, and the beginnings of teenage angst, and it's great.
That's it.
Read a book. Any book. You don't read enough for fun.

Happy Birthday, Richie!

It's my brother Richie's birthday today! And though I will say he is old, I will not say how old he is. Though I will tell you this: he is one year and one month younger than my brother John.
Now, start humming your Kenny Rogers "Through the Years":

Though John has the reputation for messy eating (ear sprinkles-wink wink), Richie apparently can "do it UP".

Adorable, though maybe an "unusually large head".

With Mom and Pop at Grammy's house. Now, I'm pretty sure that this is before Gail was born, so that would mean that Mom and Dad were somewhere around 34 or 35. Weird.

Sear's Portrait.

Richie and ME! (you know I always have to work myself in to the entry). I was just born here! Well, a few days before! And he's six or seven...

And here's Richie with HIS baby, Carter, who is much older than this now. But that's a story for another time! So, Happy Birthday, friend!

HAPPY BEAN DAY!



It's Bean's Birthday, and here she is, in all her glory! Except for the bug picture--that got cut off!
Happy Birthday, friend!

Hola, Fiestaware!
Katie, Katie's mom and I went to Brimfield, MA to a gigantic antique show that they have three times a year. We walked through eight miles of antiques. We were especially looking for the "Hoosier Daddy," who was able to tell her some new information about her old hoosier.
I bought:

Some tiny cars for Gail!

Some political buttons for Joe!

Mini place settings for Gail (she likes tiny things).

I got something super awesome for my Pop's big birthday, but I can't show you it. But it is rilly, rilly kewl.
For myself, I got these Hot Fiestaware Pitchers

and you should contain your jealousy. Because they are bee-yoo-ti-ful.
I also bought a buttload of yarn and fabric (for PAJAMA PANTS!)





Anyway, we had a great time. It was also my first trip to Cracker Barrell, which was, in itself, worth the ride (only three hours), and we stayed in Sturbridge, which is where I had gotten into a car accident a year ago, so I knew the area pretty well.
We also had dinner at Friendly's the next night, so you know I was happy. Fatty fat foods, shopping for weird stuff, hanging with half the O'Hara clan and yarn...I mean, really, can you think of a greater time?
No. You can't.

Sweet Clean Water Bike!

Check out this new invention from Google's Innovate or Die contest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao
Here is the AquaDuct blog:

http://theaquaduct.blogspot.com/

I first read about it in MAKE Magazine, but now I'm seeing it everywhere. Sometimes simple is best, eh?

Into the Woods
Sometimes, you think is a good idea to go camping with all your friends. And sometimes, it's a great idea! Especially when those friends include Cat and Shannon, who will plan everything, buy all the food, cook all the food, plan all the fun activities, book the camp sites, and generally make sure everyone is safe and happy.

They also may give you a special penny because you've got a sweet face. (I got a special penny, so you can draw your own conclusions!)
Highlights include:
1. My butch camping vest! (Buffalo check plaid)

2. Bocce! And bocce disputes!

3. The Beach!

4. Catherine's French toast, BBQ chicken, BACON!, and delicious hot dogs!
5. Campfire s'mores!
6. Music debates!
7. Quick trip to the outlets!

Lowlights include:
1. Bocce accidents:

Katie made me a splint out of duct tape and sticks...
2. Burnt fingers (Can you tell how graceful I am?)
3. A stop, drop, and roll drill in case we had to escape puke or something worse
4. Thinking cars were going to run me over in my sleep.
5. My own crankyness.

But we had a superfantastic time, we were well-fed, we were unbuggy. Visiting the beach was nice, and if we had more time, we probably would have planned a visit to a farm as we saw a lot of pick your own peach farms.
I go camping in the woods for three days, not a bug bite. Last night I went to a barbeque for two hours--twelve bug bites.
Also, I will share with you a sight that is almost never seen:

Me, at six thirty in the morning. Me, at six thirty in the morning, awake and smiling. A rare sight, indeed.