Our eight-year-old son got his own library card yesterday and we celebrated it like a holiday. As he filled out the form, full of pride, he asked me what to do on the signature line. I explained it is a place to write your name in a fancy way. The bubble letters that ensued were puffy with enthusiasm. As my friend later told me- “regular letters could not contain him.” We meandered around the library;
Keep readingThis past Saturday, while on call in my office, I saw three newborns. Each one was a few days old, newly discharged from the hospital. Each one was warm and tiny and made me long for those first few delirious days when my sons were new: milky, mewing, and soft. Looking ahead on my schedule, there are another three newborns tomorrow. Two on Tuesday. Nursery rounds are full. I am not suggesting that perhaps people
Keep readingIt is a good week to be grateful. It is a good week to think about dessert. Therefore, Apple Cake: a Gratitude. This book is delightfully simple. The text could easily be a lullaby and when you read it, a soft smile creeps into your voice. Dawn Casey uses sweet couplets to describe a girl and her dog gathering ingredients to make an apple cake. As she goes, she thanks each source for its contribution
Keep readingOn March 16, my county went into a forced hibernation. School buildings closed, indoor dining (the only winter dining we have in Syracuse) closed. Groceries stores went into overdrive. The libraries closed. Shelves were bare. We were bartering toilet paper for flour and yeast. I could go on, but why? I think you were doing your own bartering as well. The point is, the libraries closed. This was a very big deal, and would have
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