On the road (again)

and a Cherry Limeade was just the ticket!

... life in the fast lane ...

an educational stop we all enjoyed

I loved this really cool barn at Antietam

and the girls liked the Clara Barton Memorial.

After 13 and a half hours of driving, this little Union Soldier went to bed TIRED.

Generally, Young Men deserve what they get

Just for the record yesterday was one of my favorite holidays in Massachusetts.
Patriot's Day is one of Boston's finest days, and we're usually right out there with the masses, celebrating in some way, shape or form. This year we were anticipating a parcel of pavement at about mile 19 on the Boston marathon course. Instead we hunkered down and concentrated on taking our proper doses of medicines and resting. Of course, little did we know that Enrique was harboring the germ-du-jour while he hosted most of his young men compadres for a sleep-over prior to rising in the middle of the night to attend the re-enactment of the battle at Lexington. I wonder how many of them have become unsuspecting carriers?
You're welcome, gentlemen.
[Oh dear.]

another one bites the dust

[please ignore the fact that I've chosen to focus on the plush interior of our vehicle instead of the objects of interest in this picture] ...and just in case the last and only remaining healthy child in our house decides to become ill while we're trying to take our long-awaited vacation, our pediatrician has kindly filled a prescription for her, too.

And THAT will be the end of our Springtime schlep with strep.

...on to blazing healthy trails ahead...

Our newest addition

I couldn't be more pleased to introduce you to our STRAWBERRY garden! Planted today with ALL hands on deck... who wants to EAT the strawberries? I asked, and they ALL came to help. The little red hen has nothing on me!

the dispensary

Made my FOURTH trip to the doctor in a week, and then my FIFTH trip to the pharmacist for antibiotics this morning. Not only are we dispensing medicines of many varieties, we are also dispensing HOPE. (I HOPE that we are done being sick!)

Dear Roonie,

I read your book, and you were right.  I loved it!
I stayed in bed this morning, and didn't get out until I had finished.
(Having strep throat on a Saturday turns out to have some perks.)
One of the million reasons I love you is that you like to root for the underdog.
Me too.  And there were more than a couple of underdogs in When you Reach Me.
Thanks for insisting that I would really really like this book.
I love you tons,
XO
Mom

When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead

One of the opening chapters of the book is called "Things You Hide" and starts like this: 
I was named after a criminal.  Mom says that's a dramatic way of looking at things, but sometimes the truth is dramatic.
"The name Miranda stands for people's rights," she said last fall, when I was upset because Robbie B. had told me during gym that I was named after a kidnapper.
Miranda and Sal are best friends, and live in New York City.  After having just visited some of the same places that Miranda and Sal navigate on a daily basis, another chapter called "Mom's Rules for Life in New York City" resonated with me:
1.  Always have your key out before you reach the front door.
2.  If a stranger is hanging out in front of the building, don't ever go in--just keep walking around the block until he's gone.
3.  Look ahead.  If there's someone acting strange cross to the other side of the street, but don't be obvious about it.  Make it look like you were planning to cross the street all along.
4.  Never show your money on the street.
When You Reach Me won the 2010 Newbery Medal, and is an exciting adventure with mystery, science fiction and bullies.  I devoured it in less than three hours.  Two thumbs up for a book that just about everyone will enjoy.

Old Sturbridge Village

These were my field trip peeps.  Seems Leeli takes after her mother, needing to be in control of the camera during most of our visit to the village.  After trying to move a group of eight high schoolers through the crowded streets of NYC, this was a walk in the park.  Except with third graders.  Who don't seem to walk at a very leisurely pace most of the time.

In a cash-poor society, learning about going to market and the role of banks was interesting.  I'm sure that even though most people today are probably relatively cash-poor, they don't have the same concept of debit and credit as they did in the 1830s.  We would all do well to learn a few lessons from the past.

It was a good trip.