to kill a mockingbird

I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird to my kids right now.  Actually we are almost finished it.  It’s my all time favourite modern novel. I've read it at least twenty times. I frequently have wished that Harper Lee had written other novels.  So sad.

For the benefit of the youngish folks around my table, I use assault or attack instead of the word rape.  We sometimes operate on a need-to-know basis.  I chose this particular book at this time because we just finished studying WWI and its aftermath so I wanted a story set in the Depression.  That fact, and that I like sharing it with my kids.  After that, we can just sail on into WWII.  It’s a great plan and considering that sun will not shine and its too wet to play, we might as well read all the cold, cold wet day.

Oops, another Suessism.

Speaking of rain...Professor Calculus (not his real name)  set off with a group of adolescent people, and three adults to hike the Juan de Fuca Trail.  Its been a pretty wet spring and I vacillate between worrying my head off that he'll end up at the bottom of a ravine somewhere to appreciating the fifteen or sixteen less vehemently dispensed opinions per day that I will not have to contend with.  I imagine, before the professor leaves that I am going to think of this a little respite.  But as soon as I wave goodbye, I start missing him.

I love that kid fiercely but he drives me nuts.  Just saying.  Helps me cope.