I just become an official backer of "1955: The War of Espionage" board game on Kickstarter. Can't wait for it to be produced. They only need $132 in the next 5 days.

* Bengt tested for his orange belt and passed!
* Jaya finished up her performances in the Star Theater production of Annie.
* Tried to stay dry.

• Hell Is Upon Us: D-Day in the Pacific--Saipan to Guam, June-August 1944 by Victor Brooks - There aren't many books on the Marianas Campaign (except for the naval Battle of the Phillipine Sea) so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately this is one of the most poorly-edited books I have read. The author has some good material and you do get a good feel for the invasions of Saipan, Tinian and Guam, but the errors and never-ending references to the Civil War are bothersome in the least.


• Persian Gulf War (America At War Series) by Rodney P. Carlisle and John Stewart Bowman - A decent basic history of the 1991 Gulf War.

Here are some good reasons why I love board games and play them with my family.