More Potter Please

Highlight of the week: Seeing dozens of normal-looking people reading Harry Potter 7 on the metro.

Low point of the week: Running out of Harry Potter 7 to read.

On Monday, the metro had a few people here and there who were reading Harry Potter, but by Tuesday, people were no longer ashamed and every third person had a copy of the book tucked under his or her arm. I have said it before and I'll say it again, but it's a rare cultural phenomenon that can get adults and children alike around the world to read a nearly 800-page book. There really was something magical about reading my Harry Potter with a bunch of other suit-wearing business people on my way home from work Monday. Thank you J.K. Rowling for making me believe in the good in the world and bringing good old imagination to millions.

Odale!

Neil and I spent a week in Santa Fe attending two weddings, rafting, hiking, relaxing and seeing friends and family. Being at Nancy and Justin and Britten and Brooke's weddings was fantastic. There is not much better than seeing your friends happy and celebrating happiness. I do a lot of complaining about going to weddings (we sure do have a lot of them this summer) but really, what better way to spend a day or evening than basking in the joy that surrounds weddings?

Being back in the southwest was fantastic. We slept with the window open every night and I woke up early every morning and always in a good mood. There's nothing like breathing crisp mountain air all night long - it was amazing. If I were to sleep with my window open in DC I would a) choke on humidity and b) breathe the aroma of chinese food all night long.

We got to see my brother who came in the second weekend we were in town and we spent time with my grandma and my parents and cousin Pam. We even got to see some old friends from our time living in Albuquerque. Of course, there were people we didn't get to see as well... but we will be back in NM for Labor Day!

Other than the weddings, the highlight had to be rafting in the Rio Grande. It was so much fun and it was so fantastic to spend time with Britty, Brooke, Rachel, Brian and Neil - five of my favorite people. Neil fell out of the raft which was both terrifying and then when he was ok, hilarious. The boys went to Dairy Queen and made a pact to never admit it. Britty posed for photos while the rest of us paddled. It was a blast. Thank you to Britten and Nancy for scheduling your weddings a week apart and forcing me to take summer vacation. It was much needed.