Harry & Yarn

I spent my weekend the same way several million other people did: reading the seventh installment of Harry Potter.

Even better, I spent the time reading it aloud with my husband, just like we've read all of the Harry Potter books. It's been a treat for me to get the new book and snuggle next to him as we take turns reading aloud, and every time we've read the last page and closed a cover, there's been a sense of loss for me. Not only because the book is done, but because we won't be reading another Harry book together for a couple of years. This time it was particularly poignant: we won't EVER get another Harry book. Sure, we can read other books together (and I'm sure we will), but this marks the end of an era.

Back in February we decided to reread the entire series so it would all be fresh in our minds. So for the last five months, we've been reading together at night before bed, a chapter or two here and there, gradually working our way through the books.

And then, of course, we got #7 on Saturday. We've done little else since. Our poor kids; it's been, "Make yourself a sandwich" for several days, since it takes longer to read aloud than silently. Monday night the kids slept at their cousins' house. We ordered pizza and stayed up until 4:00 AM trying to finish. By that point, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. It was hubby's turn to read, and as he did, I kept dozing off for a paragraph here, then jerking myself awake, then falling asleep again, so we called it a night.

Yesterday we finished. I was a sobbing wreck. It was my turn to read during the emotional part, and it was not a pretty sight.

There are a few things I would have liked done differently, but overall I absolutely loved the final installment. Like so many others I've heard talk about the book, it is, in a word, "satisfying."

In addition to getting through Harry's story, however, I got something else accomplished too. Every time it was my turn to listen, I'd pick up my knitting. The joys! I haven't had that much knitting time in ages, and I got a lot done on my daughter's jacket that she's been waiting for. (It's still not done, but I'm definitely going to get it done so she has it before it gets cold in the fall.)

One bad part? As I listened to Harry, I'd get distracted and mess up on the design my cutie girl wanted on the back and have to unwravel it. This happened several times, to the point that I'd probably be six inches or so ahead of where I am if I hadn't gone gaga for Harry.