Happy birthday, ‘Merica!  Another year older, and let’s hope we’re getting wiser (all evidence to the contrary).  We have had a packed weekend, as usual – we try to squeeze as much family fun into our weekends as we can, especially in the summer.  More to come on Wednesday, complete with lots of pictures, but we managed to squeeze in trips to the playground and farmers’ market, berry picking with friends, and a family retirement party – along with all-night partying with the little guy, who is teething.  I’m wiped out.  Not sure what we’re doing today… it depends on how much energy we have.

So, as for reading, the big news this week is – I got a Kindle!  I’ve been wanting one for awhile, and specifically the Paperwhite, because it’s backlit and I can read it in the dark while officiating bedtime shenanigans.  Now I can download all of the books I’ve been wanting to read which are ebook-only, including a bunch of Angela Thirkell’s Barsetshire series.  I’m starting with High Rising, because it’s the first in the series, although I actually have it in paperback.  And so begins my Summer of Thirkell!  In print book news, I finally finished The Romanovs 1613-1918, after weeks and weeks of plugging away at it.  It’s been a little here and a little there, and tough to get through because it’s quite dense and I don’t have much reading time these days.  Now I’m midway through Bill Bryson’s The Mother Tongue, which is fascinating and smart but not the funny, quippy Bryson I’m used to.  Still liking it, though.

On the blog this week, a full recap of the fourth of July weekend on Wednesday, and some musings on making summer memories on Friday.  Check back!

What are you reading on America’s birthday?