Friends saw the touring production of Mamma Mia in Hershey and gave it very big "thumbs up" . . . When I was a youngster every kid had a cigar box in which to stash his treasures--a shiny pebble, a foreign coin, a feather. The box was hidden under one's bed and occasionally taken out to admire the contents. With the cut back in smoking I wonder if there are enough boxes to go around these days, or have kids found something else to house their most precious possessions. Maybe they just snap a picture and story that on their Ipads . . . I haven't been but scouts tell me that this weekend on the river is a real dud with nothing in particular to recommend it. Feel sorry for the couple of vendors that did show up . . .

Heat oppressive, so we closed early . . . The pottery personalized with HARRISBURG or CAMP HILL sells well, but the companion pieces which are not personalized have done poorly so we've decided to close out those. What remains will be 20% off . . .

Concessionaires are moving into the city for a big weekend on the river . . . TheBurg for July has arrived. You will love the cover from historic archives--swimming on city island in 1921 . . . Thought I would help beautify the city by pulling weeds on the Forster Street divide. Bad idea. My bum leg started to pain me almost immediately. This sciatica is unbelieveably agoniizing. Finally gave in and made a doctor's appointment. But the earliest they can see me is July 12 . . .

A belated happy birthday to Tyler Simmons . . . Today's TripAdvisor visitors were from Frederick, Md . . . Received a nice shipment of Bill Campbell vases in various shapes and sizes which will certainly enhance your summer bouquets . . .

Nice dinner with Dr. Bob Coldren . . . Today's TripAdvisor visitors were from Connecticut . . . the Patriot-News stuck it to us again today. They had a nice compendium of long-lived attractions (and some not so long-lived) in the Harrisburg area. We would have been among the oldest had they thought to include us, but of course they didn't. How can we get a free mention in their columns, do you think? And don't mention advertising: we were clients for at least twenty and perhaps thirty years . . . I sent an e-mail suggesting a feature on us for our 40th anniversary in October . . . we shall see . . .

I am sorry to report that a little bit of happiness will cost more in the future. I placed an order for our popular bluebirds of happiness today and learned that they now retail for $10.50, a dollar more than previously. However, if you hurry right in you can still get one of the three that remain at the old price . . . Kathy MacNett reports that there have been car break ins in the 200 block of Liberty Street in the last two weeks . . .

A beautiful evening to linger on the porch and await the arrival of the fireflies . . . Spent most of the day with my nose in a book . . . Bob went shopping to replace my microwave which had popped its last kernel of corn . . .