An early Friday morning greetings from misty St. Thomas. I am sure the mist will evaporate as soon as the sun heats things up a bit but it is still early. As much as I try I am just not a morning person and 6 a.m. gets earlier and earlier. Can't wait for summer when I can work on my own internal clock.

I read the cutest book last night - Chig and the Second Spread by Gwyneth Swain. The "second spread" refers to a second item between the two slices of bread for lunch. When Chig realizes Willy only has one spread, ketchup, between his biscuits she knows things are getting tough in Kaplik. It is a first time novel set in the hollers of southern Indiana during the Depression. Chig is a petite girl who wants to grow but no matter how hard she tries she is always going to be "not much bigger than a chigger." Shortness runs in her family, with her paternal grandmother being less than 5 ft tall so Chig being not a whole lot over 4 ft. at 8-years-0ld is not a surprise. That's when she starts school and with the help of Ms. Barklis the teacher she catches up to the rest of the 3rd graders. Chig is a delightful character who lives in a loving family. Would make a great read aloud in an 3rd-5th grade classroom. It's been out for awhile - 2003 copyright date.