I wasn't going to post today because I didn't really feel like I had that much to say, but my brother is stuck in a hospital room 3.5 hours from home with his wife, who is under observation to make sure her contractions have stopped, so they don't have a 6.5-week preemie. They had just started their vacation when she started having the contractions and ended up in the hospital. He has books to read (in German) and a TV in the room (in German) but not much else, and Simone can't even sit up so they're pretty stuck. She will hopefully get the all-clear on Monday and they can go home either Monday or Tuesday. Keep your fingers crossed that little Blitzkrieg stays where he/she is until the time is actually right!

It's 10:30 at night and the sky is still light with the last remnants of sunset. It will be light again in only about 6 hours. Last night, I drove home from the dinner at the castle at 11 p.m. and it was light enough to see by all the way home. And still several weeks to go before the longest day! The only drawback is how light it is in our bedroom at 4 a.m. For whatever reason, we have never gotten around to getting blinds in our bedroom, though we've managed to get them installed in all the OTHER sleep stations in the house. Summer mornings I usually end up with the blanket over my head trying to keep it dark enough to stay asleep, but then of course, I get too hot... Time to break out the fans! It was 28C today: absolutely gorgeous. I can't be out in the sun much, though. If I get sunburned it ITCHES like crazy. Is that a sun allergy? Or just stupid skin?

I have some questions for you, in the hopes that your answers will entertain my brother.

1) Do you think John Slaughter III is a good name for a baby?

2) Do you think BLITZKRIEG is a good name for a baby?

3) Did you know that blitzkrieg means "lightning war" and that it was invented by the Germans for WWII?

Strangely enough I ran into the term earlier today in the book I'm reading, long before the phone call with my brother in which it was proposed as appropriate baptismal material for an infant. I'm reading The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman...it's for book group, but I recommended it and it's been killing me to have to wait to read it all this time until close enough to the next book group date, but I couldn't wait anymore, even though it's not until the 22nd. It's SO good and I'm only a few chapters in. I love Ackerman's work, and have read several of her books and collections of natural history essays. This one is the true story of the Warsaw Zoo during WWII.

I'm not all that into WWII stuff in general, but strangely enough the next to last book I read ALSO figured WWII largely in the storyline. It was Making History by Stephen Fry and it was about 2 men who build a machine that allows them to go back in time and make sure Adolf Hitler was never born. I had a hard time getting into it at first and almost gave it up and then it suddenly took off like a rocket and dragged me along with it.

4) What are you reading right now? Is it dragging or dragging you along?

5) What book are you yearning to read next?

6) Heard any good jokes lately?