Best way to drink a diet coke

In honor of the college basketball season gearing up, I will demonstrate the best way to drink diet coke. Drinking it this way has a bit of nostalgia. My grandmother used to keep these little coke bottles in her cellar. In the 70's and 80's my sister and I would run with excitement to get our very own bottles of coke. First, grandmother would put a little sweat band on the bottom of the bottle so it wouldn't leave a mark on her furniture. Then, grandmother would give us a bendy straw, and we'd slurp it dry. We'd take the glass bottles to the grocery and get money for turning the empty ones in. They sell the little bottles of coke here, and from time to time I buy them for sentimental reasons.

The only bottle opener I have here is the one I packed in my suitcase. My dad gave it to me for Christmas one year, and since he's no longer with us, I especially enjoy using it and thinking of him. So, as the old saying goes, "Have a coke and a smile."

And the winner of the bookmark contest is NOT...

Annie came home with this bookmark she made at school, and it cracked me up! You gotta hand it to her for the creativity and urgency associated with reading, but it lacks a little on the politically correct side of things, especially if she had attended an inner city school. Anyway, this bookmark's a keeper. I may even get it laminated.

In case you can't read it: "Bust into Reading like a Police on a Case"

Stray Soccer Dog

We have a new stray puppy on the street! Since dogs usually run in packs here, they don't get near people. However, I'm wondering if this dog was either strategically placed here since there's a dog-loving family here (guess who?). Or, he was the runt in the pack and the mom left him. Regardless, our kids have been loving on him. Since most nationals see dogs as dirty creatures, they are rarely played with. So, I know it's counter-cultural to love on this street dog. Because he waits outside our apartment each day, it kind of gives away the little secret that the American family has a thing for dogs. His name was "Peaches" and then the kids changed his name to "Corey" because he was eating an apple core. Here he is showing off his soccer skills. So, do any of my canine-loving friends want to come over and adopt this sweet thing...Peaches Corey the Stray Soccer Dog?