And the Half Blood Prince is....I really don't know. Yet. Last night (this morning?) we got the latest Harry Potter book. It worked out something like this... After a long day of work battling a nasty trojan attack spreading in the system as well as addressing the usual vanship maintence, I got home and Lavie, Alvis and I planned the attack.
We went to a local area book-store around 8:30 pm. Masses of people, employees doing head-counts at the door to ensure no fire-code occupancy limits were exceeded, long lines at the Starbuck store inside, masses of people, Alvis and Lavie getting "tattoos" painted on them, more masses of people... At 11:oo pm everyone was moved outside...time to make the lines. (Thank goodness the rains had let up!)
There were two categories of people where we were at. Yellow banded people and Orange banded people. The blessed and the cursed. The haves and the have nots. The pure-bloods and the half-bloods. The Wizards and the Muggles. Ok, too much drama. The Yellow Bands had made reserve purchases for the book while the Orange Bands (like us) just showed up hoping they didn't run out of books before all the Yellow Bands got their chance first. (We cleverly came up with a backup plan. It they ran out, we would make a dash to the local grocery store that also was selling them at midnight.)
There must have been over 500 people there. It was like a strange block-party. Kids, adults, seniors. Some in costume (Alvis had her cape and wand), some in pink hair (Tonks?), some in knee-highs, white buttondowns and plaid skirts (Hermionie). A smattering of Harry's and one small girl in a "we love Ron" shirt.
Things were not looking good. We were Orange Band #81. The 400+ Yellow Bands had to go first. I was confident we would be getting a book, but it might be at 2 am. Fortunately, we ran into one of Lavie's friends from her day-job who was a blessed "Yellow Band". She had reserved 3 copies in advance and the owner of one of them was a no-show so she GRACIOUSLY!!!!! offered Lavie the 3rd. She was also a blessed "Yellow Bander" who had a number under 100. In no time flat she was in and out and by 12:30 am Alvis was dancing under the misty half-moon in the sky twirling around, HBP clutched to her chest. Pictures taken, 1000 thanks given. We loaded up and flew home. Orange Band #81 now used as a bookmark instead of its original purpose.
I read the first chapter out loud this morning upon arrival in our burrow. Alvis was asleep 1/2 way through the first chapter. Lavie was falling in and out of awareness. Lights out at 1:40 am. Lights on at 8:30 am and I got breakfast tacos going (and coffee!). Now we are three chapters further along. (We read the story aloud to each other.)
We are taking a short break (lunch and short nap for Lavie). Then back again. Will keep you posted. (--Chapter 2 was a real surprise! Or was it?) In the meantime, check out Mugglenet to see more of the madness!
See you at Hogwarts!
--Claus
We went to a local area book-store around 8:30 pm. Masses of people, employees doing head-counts at the door to ensure no fire-code occupancy limits were exceeded, long lines at the Starbuck store inside, masses of people, Alvis and Lavie getting "tattoos" painted on them, more masses of people... At 11:oo pm everyone was moved outside...time to make the lines. (Thank goodness the rains had let up!)
There were two categories of people where we were at. Yellow banded people and Orange banded people. The blessed and the cursed. The haves and the have nots. The pure-bloods and the half-bloods. The Wizards and the Muggles. Ok, too much drama. The Yellow Bands had made reserve purchases for the book while the Orange Bands (like us) just showed up hoping they didn't run out of books before all the Yellow Bands got their chance first. (We cleverly came up with a backup plan. It they ran out, we would make a dash to the local grocery store that also was selling them at midnight.)
There must have been over 500 people there. It was like a strange block-party. Kids, adults, seniors. Some in costume (Alvis had her cape and wand), some in pink hair (Tonks?), some in knee-highs, white buttondowns and plaid skirts (Hermionie). A smattering of Harry's and one small girl in a "we love Ron" shirt.
Things were not looking good. We were Orange Band #81. The 400+ Yellow Bands had to go first. I was confident we would be getting a book, but it might be at 2 am. Fortunately, we ran into one of Lavie's friends from her day-job who was a blessed "Yellow Band". She had reserved 3 copies in advance and the owner of one of them was a no-show so she GRACIOUSLY!!!!! offered Lavie the 3rd. She was also a blessed "Yellow Bander" who had a number under 100. In no time flat she was in and out and by 12:30 am Alvis was dancing under the misty half-moon in the sky twirling around, HBP clutched to her chest. Pictures taken, 1000 thanks given. We loaded up and flew home. Orange Band #81 now used as a bookmark instead of its original purpose.
I read the first chapter out loud this morning upon arrival in our burrow. Alvis was asleep 1/2 way through the first chapter. Lavie was falling in and out of awareness. Lights out at 1:40 am. Lights on at 8:30 am and I got breakfast tacos going (and coffee!). Now we are three chapters further along. (We read the story aloud to each other.)
We are taking a short break (lunch and short nap for Lavie). Then back again. Will keep you posted. (--Chapter 2 was a real surprise! Or was it?) In the meantime, check out Mugglenet to see more of the madness!
See you at Hogwarts!
--Claus
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