Another weekend has come to an end. After reading the Sunday newspaper I "tried" to put together the no-tools-needed small computer desk from Office Depot. Well, after much use of a hammer and several bruises on my legs later from trying to use my knees as tools too, I have part of it put together. I gave up when my hands quit working as "tools" - all you are supposed to need. Yeah - right! I'm the one who has a bottle of Club Soda in the fridge I can't get the cap off, so my hands are not great tools! Let's just say that when I am through with it, if I do finish it, not much besides my laptop will be safe on it! I'm not even going to try the bookcase. I'll wait until Steve gets here next month. Then I can drink that Club Soda too.

It has been a good weekend. Friday evening Kevin, one of the really cool people from the LSIT Dept. at ECU, had a picnic gathering of friends out at his even cooler house in old Washington. The house dates back from the 1800s and it filled with antiques and Kevin has a story to tell for each one. Love the Christmas chair that his grandmother sat in only to open her Christmas gifts. :-) After much great food and conversation small groups of us walked down to Music on the Street - a monthly event during the summer. Local musicians and groups line the streets and people stop and listen as well as browse through the neat shops. There were also classic cars parked along the streets to look at - from Model Ts to 50s Vettes. I was drooling! I fell in love with all the old houses in Washington - such chararacter.

Reading this weekend was Street Pharm by Allison van Diepen. The author taught in a Brooklyn area high school for three years so she has the street language and attitude down. Or, at least I think she does, as I have not lived in that environment. But, it feels all too real at times. Ty Johnson is street wise - he's gotta be since he took over for his father who is in prison. Teenage Ty is one of the biggest dealers in the area and he gets respect because everyone knows his father. Ty is enjoying every minute of it - the money and the perks. But then he is sent to an alternative high school and he falls for Alyse, an ambitious teenage mom who has brains and plans for college. Ty knows it isn't a good idea to get involved and at first they are just friends and partners in school assignments. Ty even gets good grades to impress Alyse. But, things get dangerous on the streets when a new dealer comes to town and wants to take over Ty's region. Rather than taking the competition out like his father insists, Ty tries to handle it on his own and gets shot. A painful wake up call as to the life expectancy of a drug dealer. Street Pharm is a solid addition to any high school collection. Should be in all alternative school libraries, but sadly many of these schools do not even have libraries.

All for tonight.