Happy Independence Day, America!

Jul 4, 2016 | Extra Extra

To celebrate Independence Day this year we are taking Pickle and Porky to California to enjoy the festivities the way I did when I was growing up. My grandfather is 95 years old and we are ALL making the trip back home to eat homemade ice cream and hot fudge, sit on his back patio, and watch upwards of five different fireworks displays. And when I say ALL, I don’t just mean my little family of four. I mean, my ENTIRE family. That means, this year, on July 4th, there will be 29 people celebrating at my grandfather’s house. His son and daughter-in-law, five granddaughters, their husbands, and 17 great-grandchildren. I sure hope he’s ready for the invasion!

Happy-4th-Of-July-Greetings-American-Flag-In-Background

Vial vs. Vile

Jun 28, 2016 | Tuesday Tips

The Tuesday Tip this week is short and sweet.

A vial is a noun. It is a small (typically glass) container, usually with a cap.

Vile is an adjective. It means disgusting or morally reprehensible.

Here is a quick photo to help remember the distinction.

vial vile

Summer’s started.

May 27, 2016 | Friday Fun

It’s the second day of summer vacation in our house, which means long lazy days and plenty of vacations. So here is today’s request:

Vacation Reading

Here vs. Hear

May 24, 2016 | Tuesday Tips

Today’s tip is short and sweet.

Here is an adverb meaning in, at or toward a location or position.

Hear is a verb meaning to listen or perceive sound.

A quick tip to remember the difference? Hear has the word ear in it. You use your ears to listen.

here-hear

Pickle Picks a Passage

May 22, 2016 | Living Life With An Editor

Pickle sent today’s quote to me during spring break as she was reading Michael Buckley’s The Sisters Grimm series. It’s a nine-volume series that kept her entertained during our road trip. I’m not sure how many times I asked her to stop reading and enjoy our journey, but I do know she read the whole series during the five-day trip. If you’ve got a 4-6 grader, you might want to check it out.

“Then I suppose we need to sentence him, and I tell you folks, I’m going to give him a full sentence.  Not a sentence fragment but a whole sentence with a verb and a noun and possibly an adjective. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a conjunction in there as well.”

Tales from the Hood
By Michael Buckley