Mama's Magic Trunk, or Harry Potter Comes to Connecticut

I first suspected there was magic afoot in the trunk of Mama's Civic one Christmas almost three years ago. There had been an unfortunate accident and Bud needed to go to the emergency room because his elbow had been pulled out of joint. He was wailing hysterically as we buckled him into his car seat (and, also magically, relocated the elbow in the process, thereby rendering the next 3 hours at the ER unnecessary), and suddenly an orange child's digital camera appeared before him. Where had it come from (the very camera Mama and I had discussed NOT buying for Christmas)?

Mama's Magic Trunk.

And I had thought Mama was Muggle-born.

Over the years, Mama's Magic Trunk, truly something straight out of the Wizarding World, has issued forth all sorts of fun, like a mobile Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop. Just yesterday, two magnetic science kits appeared to occupy the kids at church while I gave the homily. And it worked. Like magic, of course. There have been activity books, picture books, animal tubes, stuffed critters, a marble run, . . . and even things for me, like spices from Penzey's and chocolate bars from Balducci's. We could stock all the shops of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley!

The kids are entranced, of course, as am I. And the magic never ceases to work!