Rehashing the week

I had a fairly slow week post wise. The only book I talked about was Peach Boy, a retelling of a Japanese folktale. I also enjoyed the short story "The Museum of Whatnot" by Kevin Wilson. I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who supported the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life this year. Our team raised more than our goal. Amber actually got to spend the night at the track this year with one of her friends. She had a blast. David and I walked for a while after his softball double-header, but we headed home at about 1:00 am, because while Amber may have still been wired, we were exhausted. Saturday evening we went to a baseball game and the Pirates actually won! Of course, the 1960 World Series commemorative steins they gave away had misprints, which is ridiculous in my opinion. Sunday was Father's Day here, so in the evening we went fishing at Raccoon Creek State Park....
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Game Night – Looking forward to the Origins Game Fair

Next weekend we're going to the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio. It runs the 23rd thru the 27th, but we'll only make it there on the Sautryday. This'll be our third year and I've been looking forward to it. It's a weekend of friends, fun and games. The list of exhibitors is huge and includes some companies I've mentioned here before, including Mayfair and Rio Grande Games. There are special events, tournaments, open gaming, guests, all of which are listed on their website. And I can't forget to mention the great people-watching. Amber'll be going for the first time this year. I hope she enjoys sampling all the new games and seeing the art show. Hopefully, we'll come back with some new games, some suggestions, some photos and who knows what else....
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Momotaro the Peach Boy

Today's Friday Fairy Tale post takes us on a trip to Japan to meet Momotaro, the Peach Boy. This is actually one of Japan's best-known folktales, although I had never heard of it before.  The story is available on-line here, but I read a copy I borrowed from the library which seems to be a fairly faithful retelling. Peach Boy retold by Gail Sakurai, illustrated by Makiko Nagano (Suggested reading level: Grades 2-4 ) An old man and his wife are sad and lonely because they have no children. One day, while washing clothes in the stream the woman finds giant peach which she takes home as a treat for her husband. Before they can cut it open, it bursts and a baby boy pops out, an answer to their prayers. They name the child Momotaro, which means Peach Boy. The boy grows up big, strong and brave. When he is a teenager, he decides to go on a quest to kill the ogres...
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Another Teaser from Montana Destiny

When Marilee remained silent she added, "For now, why not just enjoy his company. And if things start heating up, you're going to have to trust your instincts. Hey. You're a big girl now, playing in the big-girl league." (pg 70, Montana Destiny by R C Ryan) I have a feeling that I'm going to want to smack Marilee sooner or later. She's one of those women who is so wrapped up in her independence that she can't see that the man's one of the good guys and really loves her. Of course, that's a character often seen in romance and she'll figure it out before the book's over. Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. The rules are easy and I only cheated a little. Grab your current read, open to a random page, and give us two teaser sentences. Remember, no spoilers. I received my copy from the publisher...
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