Category: Z3 Adventures

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Potter for the Win

When my boys encountered a puzzle contest at the library, I wouldn’t let them use the internet since I knew the answer could be found in the stacks.

The puzzle was a shredded copy of a Harry Potter (that much was obvious from many of the visible proper nouns) book in a clear plastic barrel. This volume had been banned in certain places and the puzzle was to figure out the title of the book.

The boys asked me to look up which Potter book had been banned, but since we had read all of them, I knew we could find out for ourselves.

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A couple of the names narrowed our guesses to the last couple installments. We found copies of those books and started to compare. Ultimately, we spotted some fragments of chapter headings and compared them to the two tables of contents. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows matched two headings and we had our guess.

Our correct choice won us a car load ticket to Winterthur’s Drive-In Movie Weekend. It was an easy choice to go for the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone showing tonight.

My girlfriend and I walked the grounds for an hour before we settled in for snacks and hot chocolate during the feature.

It was a beautiful night from our close encounters with two bats in the woods to the chilly finale of the film.

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Minibuilds Are Back!

This is the second month that Lego Stores have been hosting free minibuild events since the Lockdowns.

I’m unclear about official sources for the Lego Store calendar, but Toys N Bricks has been a reliable source of information on sales and events.

I love the colors of this space shuttle and I’m amazed how this shape still fascinates people years after the shuttles were retired from use (I’m ready for a Concorde).

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An Almost Fail

My younger son, Isaac, remains a moving target of satisfaction.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

It was a hot day at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, but we were all set up and there was little work to do. My sons are responsible enough to stay at camp or go their own way while I enjoy the music I want to see. I don’t compel them to do much. Still, with this freedom, and plenty of his favorite reading material, he was surly.

We headed out all together to see later afternoon music and between the five of us (three Zerbeys and my girlfriend and her daughter) it took a while to get to the desired stage. I was frustrated and pulled them into the next tent with music pouring out.

We sat down to check out Cat Ridgeway and the Tourists and I was immediately captured by the seven-piece band and Cat’s powerful vocals. They reeled me in with an inventive mash-up of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of my Heart” and Steve Miller Band’s “Space Cowboy.”

Isaac had been so cranky that I didn’t really check in woth him until the end of the set. He was genuinely enthusiastic, “Dad, that was my favorite artist so far.”

Cat was breaking down her gear and all was quiet around the area, “Buddy, she’ll love to hear that, go tell her.” He got shy, but I wasn’t having it. I tried to lead him by the hand back to the stage, but he resisted (and giggled). I picked him up clumsily and onlookers must have been confused. He toppled a couple folding chairs as I carried him to the stage, “This is Isaac and he wants to tell you something.” Isaac didn’t hesitate in saying, “I liked your music.” I said, “That is not what you told me, come on.” He reluctantly added, “You’re my favorite at the fest.”

Cat was appreciative and dug out a guitar pick for him.

She’s playing again on Sunday and we’re all excited for another set. Isaac has already scoped out the Cat Ridgeway shirt he wants to get signed and has higher hopes for the rest of the fest.

I’ll be sure to get pictures of that encounter to share here.

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Preparations

We’ve waited two long years for a big concert festival. As a family, we lost those experiences forever. Lockdowns took away outdoor entertainment, one in a series of unscientific, arbitrary, and harmful measures that have reduced the health and quality of life for billions around the globe.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Tomorrow we head out to the Philadelphia Folk Festival for four nights of music and camping. My girlfriend and her daughter are joining us and I get to share some of Mary’s favorite music with them. Having mostly missed out on concerts for two years, I’m sure to be extra emotional when I hear Michael Franti and Dom Flemons (my younger son was one year old when he first saw the Carolina Chocolate Drops) perform some of our favorites. The joyous tears just might out do the grieving ones.

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Seal Watching: Pt. 1

We trekked out to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for a homeschool adventure to see harbor seals enjoying the last of the winter waters.

I have better pictures, but have to charge my camera before I can load them.

Fortunately, I had my phone to capture some candid moments.

Isaac was crew for Westen’s Steve Zissou-inspired documentary. I’ll have to get ahold of that memory card for a possible Pt. 3.