Frith O’Steen

So, Sean is a pretty understanding guy…because for the past 8 years he’s had to share me with the other man in my life, Harry Potter. My sis Tully hooked me on the series back in 1999, and it’s been a true love affair ever since. New books have been anticipated with only slightly less excitement than the arrival of my kids (jk Decker and Sutter! maybe!), and this past Saturday the final chapter, Harry Potter #7, was released into the world. Here’s how awesome my weekend turned out to be, thanks in huge part to Sean and my sisters:

Saturday morning - Where’s my book? Where’s my book? Oh where oh where is my book? Sean takes Sutter with him, and goes to the UPS store (where it was due to arrive, although we didn’t know when) and waits there for almost 2 HOURS for it to arrive! (Out of fairness to me, I did take Decker to get his haircut that morning - but still!). Then, when the book made its way into my eager lil’ paws, Sean bid me farwell and sent me off to Tully’s place for some uninterrupted reading poolside. Katil and Tully each got their copies very quickly after I did, and we spent the next 6 hours reading in silence, puncuated only with gasps or giggles. The book doesn’t disappoint - it starts off with a bang on page 1. Sooo good!

Saturday night - I return home, resigned to having to spread out the pace of my reading, as I do have kids to feed etc, responsibilities and whatnot. Sean however, instructs me to go hide with the book as soon as I can, and I get to read until about 2 am that morning. (Stopped to nurse Sutter, but it was for the best - my eyes were drooping).

Sunday - chat with Tully and discover that she and Katil are ahead of me - DOH! Sadly, I realize I won’t be able to pore through this last book nonstop, as two little boys tend to not give you that much uninterrupted time to yourself. Sean has to work that day, so I figure I will grap snatches here and there in the coming evenings, staying up way too late. But wait! Decker and Sutter and I go to dinner at my folks, and my sisters walk in, having finished the book just minutes before! Argh! I am distraught! And then…Tully tells me she brought her book with her, goes out to the car go get it, hands it to me, and then she and Katil and Dad take the boys upstairs and give me the next 2 1/2 hours to finish the book all by myself in peace and quiet and wonderful wonderful suspense!

Between Saturday and Sunday - what a gift of time you all gave me. It was perfect, and the book is everything I could have hoped for and more. I can’t wait to read it again and again! Thank you to my reading pit crew! And JK Rowling - I salute you. You have created a work of fiction that I think will never be equaled. I feel so lucky to have been able to be a part of the original generation to get to read them. Now PLEASE PLEASE write an eighth one! It can be an encyclopedia, that would be just fine! But I want to know more! Please oh pretty please!