Say what you like about Harry Potter...

You can say what you want about J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter series, but the effect it has on children's reading is amazing.

Ottawacker Jr. is currently sneaking away from his allotted television time to finish the book. We've been reading it together - and I think we managed the right order in our post-Lord of the Rings plan, i.e. after the Narnia series - and after the initial slow start, it has rolled along like a, erm, rollercoaster.

Anyway, it enables me spend time with him and dust off my silly voices (my Snape impression is my personal favourite). And, if Mrs. Ottawacker ever reads this, don't think I've not noticed the cessation of keyboard noises from the room above when we get to a particularly exciting bit.

Other than that, Ontario's numbers are skyrocketing and the numpty Teletubby in charge of the province is humming and hawing like a donkey about to be mounted by a stallion.