Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

My hobbies are video games, football, and having fun with my life.

I love kids.

Things I Love Thursday

This little Buddha incense burner my son made when he was little.

P.S. Can you tell he grew up going to a Unitarian church? :-)

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

My hobbies are hula and singing lullabies.

I love kids.

In a pickle

While these students were hard at work during my writing workshop....

I snooped around the room, looking at the bulletin boards.

The students had drawn pictures illustrating idioms.

Luke was in a pickle when he couldn't decide wether [sic] to go to the football game or to his best friend's birthday party:

When I [was] playing outside it randomly started raining cats and dogs:

When Jane lost her softball game she was down in the dumps:

The Bushe's Baked Beans were to die for:

Sakura Medal

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester has been nominated for the Sakura Medal, an award voted on by students in international schools in Japan.

How to make a Yoohoo boat

Things I Love Thursday

This wall pocket I got in England.

I love it because I remember so clearly the little town in the Cotswolds where I got it.

Memories.

I love kids

From a reader:

My favorite hobbies are bowling and writing letters.

I love kids.

If you have to be stuck in traffic...

....you should be behind a Jelly Belly car!

As time goes by

Mrs. Mansfield's fifth graders at John F Kennedy School are eager to show me their timelines during a biography-writing workshop.

Things I Love Thursday

I have a box of letters my father wrote home to his parents during World War II.

I treasure all of them.

But here is my favorite (translation below pics):

It says:

Dear Dad,


I guess you are getting to think I am nothing but a spend thrift. I guess I did spend money.

I had better fess up and tell you the truth and quit beating around the bush. You already know how I made all that money I sent home. I won it gambling and I also lost all I had this month, which was only about $25.

I am going to quit gambling or I won't have any money in the bank. By now you should know I am building you up for something so here goes.

I am flat broke. Go ahead and give me a good kick where it will do the most good.

If possible (don't send your money, but mine) send me $30 by wire or air mail and I promise that I won't gamble anymore. I have learnt my lesson.

Don't tell Mom.

Also tell me how much I have in the bank. Mom said that she sold my car. How much did she get?

Well, that is enough of my troubles. Hope you are doing a better job at saving than I am.

I hope to get Harriet an engagement ring in Sept, for some day I hope to get married. Don't tell Mother that, at least for a while.

Well, be good.

Remember I will never gamble any more.

Your bad boy,
Bill

Here is Bad Boy Bill and Harriet (my mother):

Read this book

I loved Saint Louis Armstrong Beach

by Brenda Woods.

Combine one brilliantly-portrayed character (clarinet-playing Saint), the colorful setting of New Orleans, one heart-tugging stray dog, and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and you have one wonderful read.

Are we having fun yet?

I was sorting through family photos the other day and came across this one from a trip to Belgium a number of years ago.

These are tourists on a canal boat tour.

Are they having fun yet? Haha!

I love kids

From a student:

To me, your [sic] the best author of all time.


I love kids.

Things I Love Thursday

In 1944, my parents were sweethearts, window-shopping before my father went off to the war.

My mother saw a little red suede jacket that she loved.

My father bought it for her.

67 years later

I love it, too.