News stories were filed, parents hounded by reporters, t-shirts made (“I survived the 2007 A2 measles outbreak”), and lives were disrupted. This is probably the first time for most of us that we were on the receiving end of a public health alert, and it was an opportunity to see how the system did (or did not) work. It affected our kids, our schools, and our community.

Discuss.

At the suggestion of a parent, I thought we’d try out a “classified ad” item, for families with household items for sale or trade. If you choose to try this out, please keep your postings short, and leave contact information. If you see something you’re interested in, please contact the seller directly rather than in the discussion. Comments and suggestions welcome!

If anyone is interested in Saturday or Sunday morning canoe trip on the Huron, Jackie and I have some experience with doing this with our kids. This is a safe and fun summer activity and a great chance to see turtles, birds and fish right in our community. We typically float the prettier stretch with moving water upstream of Ann Arbor from Hudson Mills Metro Park to Dexter-Huron Metro Park (2-2.5 hrs total, inluding driving) or Delhi (add an hour); a stop in Dexter for ice cream or lunch (or cider in the Fall) is recommeneded (this adds some time, but is also a fun break). Our 6 and 8-year-old daughters do fine riding with the two parents in one canoe. We have our own canoe, but you can rent one: http://www.michigan.org/travel/detail.asp?m=4;2&p=G5080

This is the place to ask questions about entering Kindergarten at Burns Park, or to offer unsolicited advice to those whose children are starting on this exciting journey.