It's Patriots' Day - a holiday here in Massachusetts.  I love all the history that is around here.  Last week we have a colonial reenactor - Joe Brown - come talk to our third graders.  In his real life, he's a photographer, and his hobby is colonial life.  He told us all about the night of April 18, 1775 when Paul Revere rode.  He loves to ask what Paul Revere really said - "The Regulars are coming!"  This is because everyone was still British then, and the colonists called British soldiers "Regulars."  Then Mr. Brown told us about the battle on Lexington Green and the events of April 19th.  This year he had to bring a wooden replica of his musket - no more real looking guns in schools - and rightly so.  He also brought a canteen, a case for his ammunition, his hat.  It's always amazing to me that there are people who actually make these colonial clothes from hand so that they look authentic.  Of course, the kids immediately had to point out that his pants were ripped, but that was how people dressed back then. 
Happy Patriots' Day!