mmerriam | Jul. 18th, 2005

We had a long and fun filled weekend here at Merriam Central. Friday

williamofoccum came over and we cooked chicken breasts on the grill for sandwiches. Afterward we went to Barnes and Noble for the Harry Potter VI release party, because frankly, I wanted to see this particular cultural phenomena. There were a lot of kids. A lot. Kids ranging in age from about 9 to 16. We did buy a few things besides the Potter book, including a Chris Smither CD for me and a Manager's Desk Reference for

careswen.

Saturday was a lazy day. I read the Potter book and read Pay the Piper by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple. It was a YA/Juv Lit kind of day. I enjoyed both books quite a bit. Rowling's latest offering might be her best yet, with stronger writing than in the last two books, and more nuances and shading as the series begins to wrap up. I enjoyed this book far more than her last, and Harry is starting to become a real hero, as opposed to the child-as-hero he has played up to this point. Piper was, as you may guess from the title, a re-tooling of the Pied Piper of Hamlin story, set to a modern backdrop. Yolen and Stemple have written a solid YA urban fantasy with enough elements to keep a slightly older and jaded adult interested, and the ending has a nice twisty pay-off that the reader could have seen coming, but probably didn't because of the very subtle misdirection of the writers. You think the story is going to end one way, then Yolen and Stemple give you a very satisfying ending that goes a slightly different direction.

Sunday we drove over to

porphyrin's new home for the painting party. I managed to help tape, as this is something still within my visual acuity range, and I can do it almost as much by feel as anything else. When it came time for the paint, I took over Roo Wrangling, which was an absolute delight (which should come as no surprise, as Roo is an absolute delight of a child). We played Super! Roo for, oh, I don't know, a long time. And Super! Roo repeatedly (I mean repeatedly) saved the day. And not just one day, but several days, yes indeed. Because Roo would save a day several times, fly over the "old couch" and get in his car and go to his castle, only to emerge and save the day again. There was also a musical interlude where Roo and Uncle Michael played with a variety of children's instruments. It was a joyous noise, at least.

The rest of Sunday was spent lazing around the house, which has its own charms.

And hey, I even wrote.

Progress Report:
Old Blood's Fate