More Chapter & Character Summary Signups on FA

I've just added all the chapters for PoA onto the schedule - we're going to cram them all in between the end of March and the release of the film, so most of the discussions will be 2-3 chapters each. PLEASE don't sign up unless you are able to make the 1-3 hour time commitment needed to handle posting one of the discussions - but if you can, then sign up here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAWA/database?method=reportRows&tbl=13

Also, I've added in the rest of the character discussions to take us through to June 2. You can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAWA/database?method=reportRows&tbl=14 for the following:
"Dean Thomas - February 27", "Firenze - March 5", "Severus Snape - March 12", "Marietta Edgecombe - March 19", "Alicia\, Katie & Angelina - March 26", "Lily Potter - April 2", "Sibyl Trelawney - April 9", "Albus Dumbledore - April 16", "Peter Pettigrew - April 23", "Tom Riddle :: Voldemort - April 30 (aka Walpurgis Night)"

And you can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAWA/database?method=reportRows&tbl=15 for the following:
"Arabella Figg - May 5", "Ron Weasley - May12", "Dobby & the Hogwarts House Elves - May 19", "Molly & Arthur Weasley - May 26", "Harry James Potter - June 2".

Again, please don't sign up unless you can make the time commitment to post a summary and a few questions the day before, or the day of, the discussion listed above.

And a special thanks to everyone who's participated by leading or posting on one of the discussions! The conversations and give-and-take have been FASCINATING, and we're looking forward to continuing them as we go through the other books, and more characters, after the start of June.


Heidi for FA

Saying goodbye...

Yesterday was a day of emotions - from top to bottom. I had a great lunch with an old friend, and we resolved to get together monthly from now on. And I had a great dinner with one of my best friends from high school, and he may join some of us for Assassins on June 3 - and if anyone else wants to go, let me know so I can see if it's worth trying to get a group ticket thing.

And Jon is taking steps. Two, then three, then four at a time, then he goes down. He's so cute. It's so different than it was with Harry. Harry, at seven months, stood up and walked halfway across the floor and pretty much never sat down again. Jon is more tentative about it, but he so clearly wants to do it. I've been videoing it a lot, and it's amazing in 10 days how he's improved. I'm not sure I can say he's *walking* yet, but oh is he coming up close.

Now, a note for all of you whose children are more than eight and a half months old and not yet walking - YOUR children are normal. PERFECTLY NORMAL. MY children are weird, weird, weird. Don't let it bother you, please.

And now, for the sad news. Last night, my parents had to put their dog, Ruger, to sleep. Ruger was 14 years old, and a very brave and wonderful German Sheppard, but he'd developed edema and was in a lot of pain. He was on horse-strength medication, and wasn't really moving, and wasn't eating at all these past few days.

Harry loved him very much. They became best friends when we lived with my parents last year while we renovated our house, and I know he's going to miss him a lot. He put Ruger on his Family Tree at school this morning, and we put up some pictures as well, so we remember him.

But Harry didn't want to go and say goodbye. We talked about it, and he's known for about a week that Ruger was very ill, but when it came down to going there yesterday, he cried a lot, and he didn't want to go. On Sunday, Harry stayed at my parents' and they watched the first Superman film. When Clark's father died, Harry asked what had happened, and my parents explained that he was very sick and he died. Harry replied, "If what happened to Superman's daddy happens to Ruger my heart will break."

My baby is so sensitive at times, it almost makes me wonder who the kid that jumps on my head in the mornings is.

So R.I.P. Ruger Brown Howard. We will miss you, and the way you used to jump in the pool to rescue people when they went under water to do handstands and stuff, and the way you wrestled with balls and stuffed animals, and how you looked when you looked at Harry. We will not miss the way you smelled, though, poor thing.

And when my sister comes to Miami next, we will bury your ashes in the yard, next to my Kira, and we will put down a stone for you. Today, Ruger is being welcomed by Kira into Doggy Heaven.