We've begun week 5 of Latin for Children, which is a review week. Therefore, you get a wrap up of our lessons over the past month. We are making steady, forward motion in most areas, and for that, I'm thankful. Besides, what better time to review than during a period of absolutely no progress at all?
LfC: so far, so good. The boys have learned the first declension, two maxims, a ton of vocabulary, how to identify which nouns belong to the first declension, and several grammar chants. They "get" inflection. They're now able to spot the different cases, and decline nouns on demand. The vocabulary moves more quickly than we've been accustomed to before, but they don't seem to mind (or notice - but I'm not going to be the one to point it out). They look forward to doing Latin, which is good, considering it's a daily part of our lessons.
On the daily front, we'll segue into Math. James has moved his work from paper to the white board for now, and we've delayed the move into Delta for a bit. His housekeeping skills aren't what they need to be for him to be quick and comfortable with the multiple digit multiplication, so we decided to linger and loiter a bit until we can iron those kinks out. Graph paper helps quite a bit, but right now it's a focus thing, and the white board seems to be big enough to block out any distractions. *grin* He's got the technical aspects of it, so now we're working on, like I said, the housekeeping. We'll work on the board a bit longer, then move back to graph paper, and then into the next book. He still does his peripheral math for fun, and continues to learn, even as we hover a bit. Yet another reason we love homeschooling: what they need, how they need it.
John is in Alpha now, moving quickly through the review portion of the first few chapters. We review telling time daily with a manipulative clock (it's one we picked up at the Dollar Store, not related to the MUS materials), with his goal being his very own wristwatch for Christmas. He's pretty psyched over the "serious study" aspect of Alpha, compared with the "experiment and explore" tone of Primer. Primer was absolutely worth the initial investments for him (both in time and money), but I think he feels like he's a *real student* now, and he loves that.
History... mmm, honestly, I need to sit down, print out all the student pages, buy the audio tapes, stock up on craft crap, and throw a Story of the World, Vol. I Weekend Bash with the kids. I had hoped to be finished with that book by now and deeply enmeshed in Famous Men of Rome. We're so not there. Our tried-and-true method of reading History during lunch has fizzled with the repeated addition of children to the mix. Smidge is far too busy cracking jokes, or making bodily function noises for my voice to be heard over the ensuing din. Miss Emily is far too much fun to watch and interact with, as well. So when the boys are not laughing at Smidge's antics, they're staging their own open mike night in the hope of making Miss Emily laugh. I'm going to have to regroup and try something else. History should be something engaging, not something your mother shouts at you over her Fritos and coffee. This is where my end of the deal kicks into high gear, and I'll figure out something. Or die trying. What we do get through, they "get", and it's sticking. That's a good place to start. Now I just have to find a way to quiet the roar enough to get through more of it, more efficiently.
Science is going quite well. We're actually doing the notebook pages and narrations regularly, although we could stand to do more experiments. With a house full of boys, though, I suspect we could do experiments daily and they'd still think we should be doing more (more, MORE!!!) We spend computer time each week on astronomy sites, which has added not only a little more interest to the lessons, but the opportunity for the boys to learn some new skills on the computer, as well. In the spirit of using the resources available, I'm hoping to cap our study of astronomy with a full-scale trip to the Marshall Space Flight Center up in Huntsville. In the meantime, though, we have plans to blow up a planet between Mars and Jupiter to see if we can create an asteroid belt.
We've enjoyed studying a bit of Baroque in our music studies this month, and the boys seem to have found the joy of Domenico Scarlatti. (And here, my inner self does a little happy dance. I've always loved this stuff, and it is fun to watch their faces as they listen. Sometimes they'll make up stories to go along with the music. Other times, they'll "hush" one another and just listen...) I'd like to supplement our studies with more hands-on material. If anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.
The rest of our studies we slip in through our reading. Tons of reading, but I'll have to to a Reading Roundup in a separate post. It's time to finish the evening chores and rest up for tomorrow.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, October 16
Sunday, October 15
"You Owe Me"
This news echoes across the kitchen, from my beloved's mouth, as I'm standing by the kitchen, peering at him over the mounds of dirty dishes. I shout back (because we can't get within five feet of one another due to the entire contents of the cabinet under the sink being strewn about the floor), "Shyah. For what?" He smirks. (This usually indicates that he totally has me, and he knows it.) "For not having company."
OK, you know how sometimes your liver rebels against your body and tries to escape through your mouth? Yeah, that happened. I didn't even bother to scan the terrain: archaeological dig in the kitchen, yard sale-style clothing piles in the hallway (14 loads - it adds up when you're wringing it out by hand, okay?), the mess-hall-mid-air-raid decor in the dining room, and the children strung over random pieces of furniture.
"Dear. God. No. WHO would want to come over? NOW? No. Tell me they're not coming." (I don't even know who "they" are, but I don't want "them" here right now. And yes, he totally has me on this one.)
"I explained that we'd have to switch from renovation mode to cleaning mode, and that I really don't want to. Actually, I explained that you'd feel compelled to and would make me do it."
OK. I'm good with that. I'll take the heat. So, who was it?
My friend with the uber tidy wife and no kids whose home is always immaculate. (That's not actually how he put it - he just told me their names, but that's what the translation reads in my head.)
I owe him more than he knows...
The dishwasher finally went into place, and doesn't leak. We're working it hard now. Andie, thanks for removing the curses. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that. I kept offering to wash the dishes after each meal, and he kept saying, "No, no, it's just about in... damn... ok, I've got to run to town one more time. THEN it'll be ready. Just hang on." And so, the dishes piled up, and up, and up. But now, they are gone. And we have a new soldering iron. Yay!
And, thanks to the motivating power of gut-wrenching fear, the kitchen is now just about spotless. Feels so good. I can almost feel the new floor beneath my feet (almost, mostly what I feel is splinters, so I just stand very still and imagine). We made some serious headway, and that feels really quite good.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
OK, you know how sometimes your liver rebels against your body and tries to escape through your mouth? Yeah, that happened. I didn't even bother to scan the terrain: archaeological dig in the kitchen, yard sale-style clothing piles in the hallway (14 loads - it adds up when you're wringing it out by hand, okay?), the mess-hall-mid-air-raid decor in the dining room, and the children strung over random pieces of furniture.
"Dear. God. No. WHO would want to come over? NOW? No. Tell me they're not coming." (I don't even know who "they" are, but I don't want "them" here right now. And yes, he totally has me on this one.)
"I explained that we'd have to switch from renovation mode to cleaning mode, and that I really don't want to. Actually, I explained that you'd feel compelled to and would make me do it."
OK. I'm good with that. I'll take the heat. So, who was it?
My friend with the uber tidy wife and no kids whose home is always immaculate. (That's not actually how he put it - he just told me their names, but that's what the translation reads in my head.)
I owe him more than he knows...
The dishwasher finally went into place, and doesn't leak. We're working it hard now. Andie, thanks for removing the curses. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that. I kept offering to wash the dishes after each meal, and he kept saying, "No, no, it's just about in... damn... ok, I've got to run to town one more time. THEN it'll be ready. Just hang on." And so, the dishes piled up, and up, and up. But now, they are gone. And we have a new soldering iron. Yay!
And, thanks to the motivating power of gut-wrenching fear, the kitchen is now just about spotless. Feels so good. I can almost feel the new floor beneath my feet (almost, mostly what I feel is splinters, so I just stand very still and imagine). We made some serious headway, and that feels really quite good.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
10:57:46
Had to mark the time, as this was a long one. I'm now officially no longer "at work", per se, just on-call. There's still the wash to finish up, the kitchen to tidy, and some planning to do, but the children are, finally, all down.
(And then, at 11:54, I was called back on duty and didn't get to finish the post - it's now Sunday and here we are...)
Today Yesterday, we didn't do much of anything, really. It was one of those deeply normal days that might cause me some blogging angst, but in reality, soothe the soul and uplift the spirit. I actually uttered a sigh of exhaustion, er, relief at the end of it all. It was nice. We hung out, watching cartoons, eating cold cereal, playing with the dog. We made Smidge put on a shirt because just looking at him made the rest of us cold. We ran errands: Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart. We looked at flooring. We got updated quotes on the Swiss Army Cabinet. We stopped at our favorite buffet and ate until we couldn't move.
The big news: we picked up a dishwasher. In-stock. On sale. Happy day. Zorak is installing it as I type, but has not-so-subtly requested that I not take photos and blog it.
The bad news: I've got to call Sears on Monday because our washing machine seems to have work ethic issues. I'm not expecting it to do 16 pairs of jeans, or a king size comforter. I'd be happy if it would spin out one queen sheet (not the set, just one. sheet. which it won't do, as I learned during last week's bedding exchange marathon), or even two pairs of jeans. But no. Not gonna spin the water out, not for a million bucks. Well, no, I'm sure if I stuck a million bucks in there, it'd work just fine and probably catch all of it in the handy-dandy filter which I cannot access. But since it's still under warranty, I refuse to knock off a bank to get my washer to spin. So, we'll call in Mr. Repair Man and see if he can convince it to pull its fair share around here. I'm tired of hand-wringing the wash before putting it in the dryer. I'm going to ask him to neuter the buzzer while he's in there, too.
This morning, I saw that Miss Andie has pulled it off - a Thomas cake for the little guy's birthday!! It's gorgeous! WOOHOO! Way to go! Head on over, check it out, and give wee Leo some big birthday greetings.
And now, I've got a kitchen to put back together, and all that laundry and planning I was going to do last night. My mother would not believe I'm doing this and loving it.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
(And then, at 11:54, I was called back on duty and didn't get to finish the post - it's now Sunday and here we are...)
The big news: we picked up a dishwasher. In-stock. On sale. Happy day. Zorak is installing it as I type, but has not-so-subtly requested that I not take photos and blog it.
The bad news: I've got to call Sears on Monday because our washing machine seems to have work ethic issues. I'm not expecting it to do 16 pairs of jeans, or a king size comforter. I'd be happy if it would spin out one queen sheet (not the set, just one. sheet. which it won't do, as I learned during last week's bedding exchange marathon), or even two pairs of jeans. But no. Not gonna spin the water out, not for a million bucks. Well, no, I'm sure if I stuck a million bucks in there, it'd work just fine and probably catch all of it in the handy-dandy filter which I cannot access. But since it's still under warranty, I refuse to knock off a bank to get my washer to spin. So, we'll call in Mr. Repair Man and see if he can convince it to pull its fair share around here. I'm tired of hand-wringing the wash before putting it in the dryer. I'm going to ask him to neuter the buzzer while he's in there, too.
This morning, I saw that Miss Andie has pulled it off - a Thomas cake for the little guy's birthday!! It's gorgeous! WOOHOO! Way to go! Head on over, check it out, and give wee Leo some big birthday greetings.
And now, I've got a kitchen to put back together, and all that laundry and planning I was going to do last night. My mother would not believe I'm doing this and loving it.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, October 13
Just in case...
Just in case I was going a little too easy on myself over this whole Halloween preparation (or lack of) thing...
And just in case I was living (rather blissfully) in denial about Thanksgiving...
Somebody just had to go and mention Christmas (only 73 days left!).
Then someone else came to the rescue with a planner. A free planner. Oh, that's a good idea! YES. I like lists. I like planning things. I like free. So I opened the site to see...
...that I'm already behind.
Oh, well.
For those who might enjoy some festive lists to lose for the holidays, there's Organized Christmas. (How wrong is that?)
I'll print them out. And I'll lose them. And I'll feel quite in the holiday spirit about the whole thing. We go with the flow around here. And did you know Advent calendars are a LOT of fun when you just eat the whole thing on Christmas Eve while you read the story in one shot? Yeah, it's not all bad.
The one thing we definitely would like to do this year is get Christmas cards out. Before New Year's. Preferably before Christmas, but we're starting slowly. Last year, we had such lovely cards adorning the bare studs in the living room - they made the Forever Home feel very much like Home, even when it was still, technically, an uninhabitable shack. And something that can brighten a room that much, well, it's something we'd like to share.
Besides, we're always up for an attempt to get all four children pointing the same direction at once, and smiling. Or at least not crying. One at a time, it's easy...
Even two at a time can be done...
But we've yet to accomplish anything with the whole gang...
I wonder how much work it would take to make a composite...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
And just in case I was living (rather blissfully) in denial about Thanksgiving...
Somebody just had to go and mention Christmas (only 73 days left!).
Then someone else came to the rescue with a planner. A free planner. Oh, that's a good idea! YES. I like lists. I like planning things. I like free. So I opened the site to see...
Week #1 - List Week Oct 3- 8
...that I'm already behind.
Oh, well.
For those who might enjoy some festive lists to lose for the holidays, there's Organized Christmas. (How wrong is that?)
I'll print them out. And I'll lose them. And I'll feel quite in the holiday spirit about the whole thing. We go with the flow around here. And did you know Advent calendars are a LOT of fun when you just eat the whole thing on Christmas Eve while you read the story in one shot? Yeah, it's not all bad.
The one thing we definitely would like to do this year is get Christmas cards out. Before New Year's. Preferably before Christmas, but we're starting slowly. Last year, we had such lovely cards adorning the bare studs in the living room - they made the Forever Home feel very much like Home, even when it was still, technically, an uninhabitable shack. And something that can brighten a room that much, well, it's something we'd like to share.
Besides, we're always up for an attempt to get all four children pointing the same direction at once, and smiling. Or at least not crying. One at a time, it's easy...
Even two at a time can be done...
But we've yet to accomplish anything with the whole gang...
I wonder how much work it would take to make a composite...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, October 12
Life
Because I am tired.
Because it's late.
And because this was too good not to share.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Because it's late.
And because this was too good not to share.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wild Wednesday!
This has SO not been my week for Domestic Achievement. It has, however, been a wonderful hands-on lesson in paying attention to details.
Let's ignore the dishes (no, really, please ignore them...), and even the weird piles of paper that would indicate there are two elderly, blind, compulsive packrats residing somewhere in the front of the house. It goes far deeper than that.
I made rice pancakes today. That was my first time actually making the recipe. I've tried several times, but always forget, when I'm making rice for supper, than I plan to use the leftovers for pancakes and, well, I'm not certain the boys would go for garlic or cumin pancakes. So, I whipped up a batch today and it was a little... thin. Disturbingly thin, to be honest. I rechecked the recipe. It did say, "Whisk until you have a light and creamy batter." Hmm, ok, well, it was creamy and, yes, certainly "light". I scooped some out and slapped it onto the griddle. And it ran EVERYWHERE. Suddenly, rather than pancakes, I was whipping up fried milk and eggs with rice bits. Interesting, but not what I was hoping for. (Upon closer scrutiny of the recipe, I realized I'd left out a cup and a half of flour. Ohhhh! Okay. Makes much more sense now.)
Made Magic Milk Shakes yesterday. Aside from the fact that our blender just isn't big enough (the note in the recipe said the blender "should be about 3/4 full now", at which point, I was stuffing things in through the hole in the lid b/c there was no more room), the milkshakes didn't look a bit like anything Frosty-like. I mean, they were good, but not... right. It wasn't until later than night, while sharing the recipe with LB that I realized I'd completely spaced the powdered milk component of the recipe.
The clean, shiny change, Snickers wrappers, and compass I washed, along with the jeans...
The windows (that's all I can bring myself to say on that point)...
Where has the routine gone? The focus? The order? (Quit sniggling, there was some, at some point. I know there was.) The joy of the routine, focus and order?
OK, maybe there wasn't joy in it. But there's certainly no joy in the runny pancakes and ruined laundry, either. (The milkshakes, nobody complained about, so they don't count, not entirely.)
And then, when the pupil is ready and all that jazz... on the radio, I heard a bit about children and obedience. The phrase was "comply quickly, sweetly, completely". The station blitzed out right after that, but that's okay. I heard what I needed to. I seldom obey quickly, sweetly, completely. Good place to start.
That whole "task at hand" thing? Yeah, a little attention to detail would have left last week - blood, puke, and all - running much more smoothly.
Someone sent me an encouraging email about things I needed encouraging about.
Bloggers blogged about things that encouraged me, and strengthened my resolve to step out of the mental cellar, where, as I said to a friend earlier today, I'd fallen into the vats of whine I keep down there, to come on up and Get Doin'. Do it quickly, sweetly, completely. Stick to the task at hand. Find the joy in the mundane, the joy in the incredibly small setbacks. Wiggle those toes and watch the baby giggle. Read one more book. Sing while we wash the dishes. Suck it up while I pay the bills. Be a better steward of the money I've been entrusted with to manage our home. Fix lunch for Zorak more consistently. (Did I used to put notes in his lunches? Why did I stop? I still feel the same way, but it doesn't do him any good if I don't let him know.)
Yeah.
Details.
Things like that.
And I'm gonna kiss my babies just a little bit more, too.
~Dy
Let's ignore the dishes (no, really, please ignore them...), and even the weird piles of paper that would indicate there are two elderly, blind, compulsive packrats residing somewhere in the front of the house. It goes far deeper than that.
I made rice pancakes today. That was my first time actually making the recipe. I've tried several times, but always forget, when I'm making rice for supper, than I plan to use the leftovers for pancakes and, well, I'm not certain the boys would go for garlic or cumin pancakes. So, I whipped up a batch today and it was a little... thin. Disturbingly thin, to be honest. I rechecked the recipe. It did say, "Whisk until you have a light and creamy batter." Hmm, ok, well, it was creamy and, yes, certainly "light". I scooped some out and slapped it onto the griddle. And it ran EVERYWHERE. Suddenly, rather than pancakes, I was whipping up fried milk and eggs with rice bits. Interesting, but not what I was hoping for. (Upon closer scrutiny of the recipe, I realized I'd left out a cup and a half of flour. Ohhhh! Okay. Makes much more sense now.)
Made Magic Milk Shakes yesterday. Aside from the fact that our blender just isn't big enough (the note in the recipe said the blender "should be about 3/4 full now", at which point, I was stuffing things in through the hole in the lid b/c there was no more room), the milkshakes didn't look a bit like anything Frosty-like. I mean, they were good, but not... right. It wasn't until later than night, while sharing the recipe with LB that I realized I'd completely spaced the powdered milk component of the recipe.
The clean, shiny change, Snickers wrappers, and compass I washed, along with the jeans...
The windows (that's all I can bring myself to say on that point)...
Where has the routine gone? The focus? The order? (Quit sniggling, there was some, at some point. I know there was.) The joy of the routine, focus and order?
OK, maybe there wasn't joy in it. But there's certainly no joy in the runny pancakes and ruined laundry, either. (The milkshakes, nobody complained about, so they don't count, not entirely.)
And then, when the pupil is ready and all that jazz... on the radio, I heard a bit about children and obedience. The phrase was "comply quickly, sweetly, completely". The station blitzed out right after that, but that's okay. I heard what I needed to. I seldom obey quickly, sweetly, completely. Good place to start.
That whole "task at hand" thing? Yeah, a little attention to detail would have left last week - blood, puke, and all - running much more smoothly.
Someone sent me an encouraging email about things I needed encouraging about.
Bloggers blogged about things that encouraged me, and strengthened my resolve to step out of the mental cellar, where, as I said to a friend earlier today, I'd fallen into the vats of whine I keep down there, to come on up and Get Doin'. Do it quickly, sweetly, completely. Stick to the task at hand. Find the joy in the mundane, the joy in the incredibly small setbacks. Wiggle those toes and watch the baby giggle. Read one more book. Sing while we wash the dishes. Suck it up while I pay the bills. Be a better steward of the money I've been entrusted with to manage our home. Fix lunch for Zorak more consistently. (Did I used to put notes in his lunches? Why did I stop? I still feel the same way, but it doesn't do him any good if I don't let him know.)
Yeah.
Details.
Things like that.
And I'm gonna kiss my babies just a little bit more, too.
~Dy
Tuesday, October 10
It wasn't Bob
Wow, you guys are creative! I love the suggestions and ideas. Maybe we could make a SpongeBob cake for Zorak's birthday next year. He likes Spongebob.
The uncanny resemblance to Bob the Tomato is probably residual from that being our first themed cake. We've done Bob and Larry twice. This picture isn't so great, but it's definitely the eyes. LOL. (The only good, head-on shot we have wasn't digital, and it's in a box somewhere. Pardon the flaming teeth.)
Have any of you ever read Matt Groening's books? Or have I completely underestimated the literary breadth of my audience? If so, I apologize. Truly. (If so, I am also quite thoroughly outed now, and probably shunned from making any book reviews ever.) However that may play out, though, we just can't look at the smokestack (seen here in a behind-the-scenes shot) ~
...and not see the one-eared rabbit, Bongo, from Groening's Life in Hell series of comics. (They're irreverent, somewhat baudy, and... shamelessly funny. But may not be suitable for some viewers reading over shoulders, if you know what I mean.) So, there you have it - not Bob. Definitely not Bob. And as far as Smidge knows that was all Thomas.
The things we keep to ourselves for the sake of our children, huh? ;-)
Dy
The uncanny resemblance to Bob the Tomato is probably residual from that being our first themed cake. We've done Bob and Larry twice. This picture isn't so great, but it's definitely the eyes. LOL. (The only good, head-on shot we have wasn't digital, and it's in a box somewhere. Pardon the flaming teeth.)
Have any of you ever read Matt Groening's books? Or have I completely underestimated the literary breadth of my audience? If so, I apologize. Truly. (If so, I am also quite thoroughly outed now, and probably shunned from making any book reviews ever.) However that may play out, though, we just can't look at the smokestack (seen here in a behind-the-scenes shot) ~
...and not see the one-eared rabbit, Bongo, from Groening's Life in Hell series of comics. (They're irreverent, somewhat baudy, and... shamelessly funny. But may not be suitable for some viewers reading over shoulders, if you know what I mean.) So, there you have it - not Bob. Definitely not Bob. And as far as Smidge knows that was all Thomas.
The things we keep to ourselves for the sake of our children, huh? ;-)
Dy
Monday, October 9
Belated Birthday Photos
Now that our printer issues have been mostly resolved (currently, everything is sitting smack in the middle of the room, and the cords make a lovely clothesline booby-trap for unsuspecting children... so, not *all* issues, obviously), I could upload photos from, oh, the beginning of September.
So, without further ado, here's Smidge's birthday. Three! He's three! (And still hooked on Thomas, the crack-dealing toddler toy...)
"Daddy made this cake just for me!" He was so happy, he really needed no other gift. This cake was everything he could have hoped for.
And here's Smidge, at the tail end of the day, reading a book with his "Me-wah", who has been a wonderful addition to the family.
(The cake was made from a 9X13 rectangle and a 4" circle cake. The smokestack is taken from the bottom of the rectangle. To Smidge, this will always be a "Thomas cake", but we just can't look at it without seeing another cartoon character. Can you see him?)
And, just for fun, a gratuitous babies shot:
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
So, without further ado, here's Smidge's birthday. Three! He's three! (And still hooked on Thomas, the crack-dealing toddler toy...)
"Daddy made this cake just for me!" He was so happy, he really needed no other gift. This cake was everything he could have hoped for.
And here's Smidge, at the tail end of the day, reading a book with his "Me-wah", who has been a wonderful addition to the family.
(The cake was made from a 9X13 rectangle and a 4" circle cake. The smokestack is taken from the bottom of the rectangle. To Smidge, this will always be a "Thomas cake", but we just can't look at it without seeing another cartoon character. Can you see him?)
And, just for fun, a gratuitous babies shot:
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Boats and Boys
The boys made miniature catamarans today...
...and sailed them across the makeshift "sea" in the front yard.
What a great way to blow five hours on a Sunday afternoon!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
...and sailed them across the makeshift "sea" in the front yard.
What a great way to blow five hours on a Sunday afternoon!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Sunday, October 8
a rather theatrical death
Our dishwasher died last night. It created a pond in the kitchen so it could pull an Ophelia. *sigh* It's not worth repairing, as we'd been limping it along for a while (we didn't buy this one, we inherited it).
On the up side, though, when we installed the cabinets, we put them on rails so that -a- the floor would be level and -b- we could install the wood floor under the front edge of the cabinets and not have to use quarter round trim. Bonus: when the dishwasher floods the kitchen, the cabinets don't get wet! YAY!
We're out of cash for a dishwasher just now, so it looks like we'll be handwashing for a while. In the meantime, anybody have a recommendation for relatively low-end dishwasher they love? (We're not in the market for a Miele or Bosch - this is going to be a Lowe's, Home Depot or Sears type purchase.)
Dy
On the up side, though, when we installed the cabinets, we put them on rails so that -a- the floor would be level and -b- we could install the wood floor under the front edge of the cabinets and not have to use quarter round trim. Bonus: when the dishwasher floods the kitchen, the cabinets don't get wet! YAY!
We're out of cash for a dishwasher just now, so it looks like we'll be handwashing for a while. In the meantime, anybody have a recommendation for relatively low-end dishwasher they love? (We're not in the market for a Miele or Bosch - this is going to be a Lowe's, Home Depot or Sears type purchase.)
Dy
Saturday, October 7
Recovery Day
Today was supposed to be the day we recovered from the trip. It turned into the day we recovered from the day itself.
Naturally, we all slept in far later than is healthy, and so our day began part way through from the start. The temperature was perfect for playing, pretending, and running... ah, running. Which leads to tumbling, it would seem.
James was playing on the swingset. John was on the front porch, working on a boat. Zorak busily foraging for something in the basement that might like to be a mast. I'd stretched out on the couch after lunch to see how long it would take the boys to find me and decide I looked way too lonely. The plan was that we'd snuggle up and watch a movie or read a story. Plans don't always pan out, though...
John came running around the corner into the basement, followed by a wail from Smidge that sent Zorak running. He cleared the corner, saw one shoe at the top of the hill and scanned the hill quickly for the child that should have been in it. There was Smidge, sprawled catawampus on the concrete at the bottom of the slope. He scooped him up and brought him inside. We both figured a few minutes with the boo-boo bunny and some snuggles would do the trick. Then we saw the blood. It was cascading down his back, his neck, his shoulders. Oy. Off to the tub to see if we could find the source, when...
James begins screaming and comes flying into the foyer, bleeding ferociously from the mouth. Zorak couldn't get him to calm down enough to find out if there was something IN his mouth, missing FROM his mouth, or even if it had anything to do with his mouth.
Meanwhile, back in the bathroom, the source of the blood turned out to be a one-inch gash on the top of Smidge's head. Too big for me to feel comfortable gluing. I know head wounds (much like mouth wounds) bleed rapidly and tend to look far, far worse than they are, but I could see bone and the kid has a lot of hair. I redressed him and handed him to Zorak to load into the car while I tried to get James calmed down.
James had gouged his cheek and lip in the corner. OK, crushed ice in a washcloth, leave it on until you can let Dad look at it, I love you, rinse with warm salt water if you can. *smooch* *hug* Off to the hospital with Smidge. Somehow, I didn't get the details, but Zorak briefed me, James flew from the swing, coming down on his knee. So the cheek seems to have been caught between teeth and bone. (OW.)
John went with us for moral support, since he'd had stitches in the very same hospital. Miss Em stayed with Zorak and James. The whole tag team thing is a real blessing at times like this!
Smidge was sweet, gentle, and patient. He told the ER staff his story with a quiet shyness (I rolled down the hill... My hill... At my house.) followed by a small, quirky little smiled that seemed to say, "Yes, yes, I know." The doctor felt that stitches were probably better, but that he could get the glue to do the trick. I overheard him telling the nurse (who had questioned his decision not to use stitches) that it would be a lot less traumatic and, in this case, that was worth it. They got him glued up without any trauma for any of us. What worried the doctor more than the gash was the 3" black and raspberry colored knob protruding from Smidge's forehead. He ordered x-rays to check for fractures. In came the nice x-ray tech, who led us to the room. Smidge smiled for the "pictures". The techs let John press the buttons. They showed the boys the x-rays. I'm not saying this is the best way to get behind-the-scenes a tour at the hospital, but it sure was nice of them to be so involved.
We made it home to find we had *cringe* company... and the house hadn't been cleaned or tidied since Wednesday. Zorak didn't have a heads up that they were coming (how embarrassing). They fixed our printer, and then stayed to make sure Smidgelet was okay. He was sleeping soundly, though, when we arrived, but awoke a bit later. James' mouth looks fine, except for a little purple, lumpy bit in the corner. He said he diluted his mouth wash "to a 50% solution" so it wouldn't hurt, but it did still hurt a little. He took it all in stride. Our company was gracious, and concerned about the little guys. We have just exhaled very slowly after the dust settled.
Smidge is sleeping peacefully now, and he's going to be sore tomorrow. But fine. These are the bumps and bruises life brings sometimes. In all, not too bad. But I think we'll stay home and make good on that snuggle and story time.
(*edited for clarity*)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Naturally, we all slept in far later than is healthy, and so our day began part way through from the start. The temperature was perfect for playing, pretending, and running... ah, running. Which leads to tumbling, it would seem.
James was playing on the swingset. John was on the front porch, working on a boat. Zorak busily foraging for something in the basement that might like to be a mast. I'd stretched out on the couch after lunch to see how long it would take the boys to find me and decide I looked way too lonely. The plan was that we'd snuggle up and watch a movie or read a story. Plans don't always pan out, though...
John came running around the corner into the basement, followed by a wail from Smidge that sent Zorak running. He cleared the corner, saw one shoe at the top of the hill and scanned the hill quickly for the child that should have been in it. There was Smidge, sprawled catawampus on the concrete at the bottom of the slope. He scooped him up and brought him inside. We both figured a few minutes with the boo-boo bunny and some snuggles would do the trick. Then we saw the blood. It was cascading down his back, his neck, his shoulders. Oy. Off to the tub to see if we could find the source, when...
James begins screaming and comes flying into the foyer, bleeding ferociously from the mouth. Zorak couldn't get him to calm down enough to find out if there was something IN his mouth, missing FROM his mouth, or even if it had anything to do with his mouth.
Meanwhile, back in the bathroom, the source of the blood turned out to be a one-inch gash on the top of Smidge's head. Too big for me to feel comfortable gluing. I know head wounds (much like mouth wounds) bleed rapidly and tend to look far, far worse than they are, but I could see bone and the kid has a lot of hair. I redressed him and handed him to Zorak to load into the car while I tried to get James calmed down.
James had gouged his cheek and lip in the corner. OK, crushed ice in a washcloth, leave it on until you can let Dad look at it, I love you, rinse with warm salt water if you can. *smooch* *hug* Off to the hospital with Smidge. Somehow, I didn't get the details, but Zorak briefed me, James flew from the swing, coming down on his knee. So the cheek seems to have been caught between teeth and bone. (OW.)
John went with us for moral support, since he'd had stitches in the very same hospital. Miss Em stayed with Zorak and James. The whole tag team thing is a real blessing at times like this!
Smidge was sweet, gentle, and patient. He told the ER staff his story with a quiet shyness (I rolled down the hill... My hill... At my house.) followed by a small, quirky little smiled that seemed to say, "Yes, yes, I know." The doctor felt that stitches were probably better, but that he could get the glue to do the trick. I overheard him telling the nurse (who had questioned his decision not to use stitches) that it would be a lot less traumatic and, in this case, that was worth it. They got him glued up without any trauma for any of us. What worried the doctor more than the gash was the 3" black and raspberry colored knob protruding from Smidge's forehead. He ordered x-rays to check for fractures. In came the nice x-ray tech, who led us to the room. Smidge smiled for the "pictures". The techs let John press the buttons. They showed the boys the x-rays. I'm not saying this is the best way to get behind-the-scenes a tour at the hospital, but it sure was nice of them to be so involved.
We made it home to find we had *cringe* company... and the house hadn't been cleaned or tidied since Wednesday. Zorak didn't have a heads up that they were coming (how embarrassing). They fixed our printer, and then stayed to make sure Smidgelet was okay. He was sleeping soundly, though, when we arrived, but awoke a bit later. James' mouth looks fine, except for a little purple, lumpy bit in the corner. He said he diluted his mouth wash "to a 50% solution" so it wouldn't hurt, but it did still hurt a little. He took it all in stride. Our company was gracious, and concerned about the little guys. We have just exhaled very slowly after the dust settled.
Smidge is sleeping peacefully now, and he's going to be sore tomorrow. But fine. These are the bumps and bruises life brings sometimes. In all, not too bad. But I think we'll stay home and make good on that snuggle and story time.
(*edited for clarity*)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Quest for Immortality - Our Egypt Tour
There is a certain amount of trepidation that accompanies taking small children to a marble structure in the downtown district of a large metropolitan area. Will we be able to find parking? Will we be able to afford parking? Will the museum be child-friendly? Will the children be museum-friendly? Will the trek to the bathroom from mid-tour be a sprint or more of a marathon?
Well, the parking situation in downtown Nashville is dismal. We arrived at the museum a full half-hour before our entry time, and yet were still fifteen minutes late walking into the exhibit. After waiting in the Frist parking queue for over half an hour, we slipped from the line and found parking down a dark alley. The walk was worth it, as I fear we'd have been a full hour late if we waited for parking at the center.
From the moment you arrive at the Center, it's obvious that it was built to engage the senses: smooth, cool, swirled marble steps that glide beneath your feet; high ceilings with detailed forms rising above the mundane that draw your eyes and your imagination to the things that have come before you; soothing colors and exciting echoes that force you, unconsciously, to slow down and absorb the atmosphere. The venue, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, was designed beautifully to showcase the visual and enhance the other senses, as well.
The ladies at the ticket counter are the most gracious of hosts. They immediately take the children into their confidence, put them in charge of the ticketing process, give them the directions for the tour, and a sense of welcome that cannot be expressed too well, all the while slipping the occasional, gleeful, conspiratorial smile to the parents that says, "We've got you covered." I know these folks must have been exhausted and worn thin from dealing with the public by the end of the day, but you would not have known it from their demeanor. We appreciated their efforts tremendously.
James pocketed the receipts and directed the rest of us in applying our security stickers, then we hit the restrooms before proceeding into the exhibit. (It would be not only a marathon, but quite the obstacle course to attempt a retreat from within the exhibit - go first!) While we waited for the guys, Miss Emily and I perused the timeline spread down the hallway - it's beautifully done with wonderful photographs, delightful drawings and plenty of dates. We could have spent an hour in that portion of the building, alone.
The exhibit begins with some of the more famous artifacts: Colossal head of Ramses II; Amenhotep, son of Hapu, as a scribe; Senenmut and Nefrure. Each, powerful in its own right, comes together with the rest of the exhibit to give the visitor an immediate sense of the skill, the humanity, and the beauty of Ancient Egyptian work. The masons who reworked the stone for Ramses' likeness left so little trace of the original image that an untrained eye would have no clue as to it's origin or history. The detail and elaborate work in the stone of the young scribe give the sculpture a deep and compelling nature not seen in photographs. The inscriptions are worn shallow in many sections of the piece, and it's understandable - we had a difficult time not touching the writing, ourselves. (All artifacts that do not need to be in a climate controlled environment for preservation purposes are displayed in the open, giving the visitor an intimate and very real opportunity to experience each piece. We were impressed with how respectfully those in attendance approached the displays and maintained their composure.) Senemut and Nefrure is a piece much better explored in person than via photographs - the details are tremendous.
This was our first tour via pre-recorded audio presentation rather than a live docent. We weren't certain how well we would like it. Aside from the obvious drawbacks, such as not having a docent available for questions, however, we thoroughly enjoyed it. The Frist uses a radio transmitted system, rather than tapes, which makes it very easy to keep the little ones on the same page. Each display has a number posted near the display, and when you are ready to hear the speech on that particular item, you simply enter the number and listen in. Do it immediately, or after a slow perusal, the choice is yours. Many displays included both an adult reading (done by the incomparable Mr. Jeremy Irons - what a perfect choice!) and a child-friendly reading (which, to be honest, gave me the inescapable sensation of being approached in a dark alley by someone propositioning my children to buy "ancient artifacts" from inside a coat lining, but I suppose the tone was more lively for younger listeners, which was the intended purpose). The boys quickly figured out that by listening to both versions, they got more details, and so, what the docents had suggested to be a two-hour tour took us a full four hours. But it was four hours in which the children were completely entranced.
Smidge enjoyed the first four or five rooms, but soon became somewhat unsettled by the whole thing. He didn't have a meltdown, but rather developed a bit of a reticence to viewing the objects. "No, I don't want to see the big head, thanks." Zorak had no desire to listen to both versions of every single exhibit, so he went through the tour more quickly. He took Smidge and Miss Emily with him, and they finished up well ahead of us. We found them at the end, enjoying refreshments (Miss Emily savoring her first biscotti, Smidge discovering the taste explosion of Fuze, and Zorak relaxing with a nice, cold beer). For a group with such varying ages, this was the perfect way to view the exhibit. I'm glad I didn't have to go it alone.
It's difficult to write now about the experience. Sensory overload does not begin to explain the sensation. We're still trying to wrap our minds around the sheer concept of the time involved. Three Thousand Years... the cobras on the headgear didn't fare well on anything, but the rest of these pieces are simply stunning. That any of them should have the detail, composition, and condition that they do, Three Thousand Years later... That we should be able to see them, and learn about them... here, Three Thousand Years later... My.
Although none of us could cite one specific item which rose above the others, head and shoulders, we simply cannot recount every single thing which captured our minds while we were there. So, in the spirit of sharing, I thought I'd just post a few favorites from each of us, and call it good.
James' favorite exhibit was the reconstruction of the burial chamber of Thutmose III, but his favorite artifact was the chair found in the tomb of Yuya and Tuya.
John's favorite artifact pick was the boat from the tomb of Amenhotep II. (Don't let the pictures fool you - this boat is quite large - 8 feet long - and the vivid detail and colors are astounding.) The boys listened to the presentation on this item three times, and we spent quite a long time walking around, noticing something new at each turn.
Zorak's top pick is Amenhotep, son of Hapu, as a scribe. He commented that the sculpture conveys the essence of the Pharoah as more than a god, more than a leader. It's compelling how much can be conveyed through a static object, but he's right. The image is amazing.
The little girl in me thrilled at seeing the Sphinx. Even the small size of the one displayed did not effect the satisfaction gained in seeing the beautifully carved detail and graceful lines. That was amazing for the young, wistful imagination of a six-year old girl of years gone by.
There were over 100 items on display, and to recount our experience with each of them would not to justice to them, or to us. It was amazing. The best collection of photographs from this specific exhibit, which focuses on Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, can be found at the Rand African Art pages.
I truly appreciate the Egyptian government, for allowing these items to travel to the States so that we could share in the wonder. The people who worked so dilligently at the Frist Center did much to make the experience as enjoyable and educational as possible.
And particularly, I appreciate Susan Wise Bauer for writing The Story of the World, which introduced us to the Ancients early on in our studies. Because of that, the boys came to this experience with a sense of familiarity. This wasn't foreign to them - they knew these Pharoahs. They've played a version of Senet. They identified several pieces from across a room, and immediately began to vibrate and bubble over with the excitement of "knowing" this piece, or that image.
The experience is one we're glad we took the opportunity to enjoy. Of course, I got no photos of the entire trip. I was too busy watching the boys explore.
Well, the parking situation in downtown Nashville is dismal. We arrived at the museum a full half-hour before our entry time, and yet were still fifteen minutes late walking into the exhibit. After waiting in the Frist parking queue for over half an hour, we slipped from the line and found parking down a dark alley. The walk was worth it, as I fear we'd have been a full hour late if we waited for parking at the center.
From the moment you arrive at the Center, it's obvious that it was built to engage the senses: smooth, cool, swirled marble steps that glide beneath your feet; high ceilings with detailed forms rising above the mundane that draw your eyes and your imagination to the things that have come before you; soothing colors and exciting echoes that force you, unconsciously, to slow down and absorb the atmosphere. The venue, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, was designed beautifully to showcase the visual and enhance the other senses, as well.
The ladies at the ticket counter are the most gracious of hosts. They immediately take the children into their confidence, put them in charge of the ticketing process, give them the directions for the tour, and a sense of welcome that cannot be expressed too well, all the while slipping the occasional, gleeful, conspiratorial smile to the parents that says, "We've got you covered." I know these folks must have been exhausted and worn thin from dealing with the public by the end of the day, but you would not have known it from their demeanor. We appreciated their efforts tremendously.
James pocketed the receipts and directed the rest of us in applying our security stickers, then we hit the restrooms before proceeding into the exhibit. (It would be not only a marathon, but quite the obstacle course to attempt a retreat from within the exhibit - go first!) While we waited for the guys, Miss Emily and I perused the timeline spread down the hallway - it's beautifully done with wonderful photographs, delightful drawings and plenty of dates. We could have spent an hour in that portion of the building, alone.
The exhibit begins with some of the more famous artifacts: Colossal head of Ramses II; Amenhotep, son of Hapu, as a scribe; Senenmut and Nefrure. Each, powerful in its own right, comes together with the rest of the exhibit to give the visitor an immediate sense of the skill, the humanity, and the beauty of Ancient Egyptian work. The masons who reworked the stone for Ramses' likeness left so little trace of the original image that an untrained eye would have no clue as to it's origin or history. The detail and elaborate work in the stone of the young scribe give the sculpture a deep and compelling nature not seen in photographs. The inscriptions are worn shallow in many sections of the piece, and it's understandable - we had a difficult time not touching the writing, ourselves. (All artifacts that do not need to be in a climate controlled environment for preservation purposes are displayed in the open, giving the visitor an intimate and very real opportunity to experience each piece. We were impressed with how respectfully those in attendance approached the displays and maintained their composure.) Senemut and Nefrure is a piece much better explored in person than via photographs - the details are tremendous.
This was our first tour via pre-recorded audio presentation rather than a live docent. We weren't certain how well we would like it. Aside from the obvious drawbacks, such as not having a docent available for questions, however, we thoroughly enjoyed it. The Frist uses a radio transmitted system, rather than tapes, which makes it very easy to keep the little ones on the same page. Each display has a number posted near the display, and when you are ready to hear the speech on that particular item, you simply enter the number and listen in. Do it immediately, or after a slow perusal, the choice is yours. Many displays included both an adult reading (done by the incomparable Mr. Jeremy Irons - what a perfect choice!) and a child-friendly reading (which, to be honest, gave me the inescapable sensation of being approached in a dark alley by someone propositioning my children to buy "ancient artifacts" from inside a coat lining, but I suppose the tone was more lively for younger listeners, which was the intended purpose). The boys quickly figured out that by listening to both versions, they got more details, and so, what the docents had suggested to be a two-hour tour took us a full four hours. But it was four hours in which the children were completely entranced.
Smidge enjoyed the first four or five rooms, but soon became somewhat unsettled by the whole thing. He didn't have a meltdown, but rather developed a bit of a reticence to viewing the objects. "No, I don't want to see the big head, thanks." Zorak had no desire to listen to both versions of every single exhibit, so he went through the tour more quickly. He took Smidge and Miss Emily with him, and they finished up well ahead of us. We found them at the end, enjoying refreshments (Miss Emily savoring her first biscotti, Smidge discovering the taste explosion of Fuze, and Zorak relaxing with a nice, cold beer). For a group with such varying ages, this was the perfect way to view the exhibit. I'm glad I didn't have to go it alone.
It's difficult to write now about the experience. Sensory overload does not begin to explain the sensation. We're still trying to wrap our minds around the sheer concept of the time involved. Three Thousand Years... the cobras on the headgear didn't fare well on anything, but the rest of these pieces are simply stunning. That any of them should have the detail, composition, and condition that they do, Three Thousand Years later... That we should be able to see them, and learn about them... here, Three Thousand Years later... My.
Although none of us could cite one specific item which rose above the others, head and shoulders, we simply cannot recount every single thing which captured our minds while we were there. So, in the spirit of sharing, I thought I'd just post a few favorites from each of us, and call it good.
James' favorite exhibit was the reconstruction of the burial chamber of Thutmose III, but his favorite artifact was the chair found in the tomb of Yuya and Tuya.
John's favorite artifact pick was the boat from the tomb of Amenhotep II. (Don't let the pictures fool you - this boat is quite large - 8 feet long - and the vivid detail and colors are astounding.) The boys listened to the presentation on this item three times, and we spent quite a long time walking around, noticing something new at each turn.
Zorak's top pick is Amenhotep, son of Hapu, as a scribe. He commented that the sculpture conveys the essence of the Pharoah as more than a god, more than a leader. It's compelling how much can be conveyed through a static object, but he's right. The image is amazing.
The little girl in me thrilled at seeing the Sphinx. Even the small size of the one displayed did not effect the satisfaction gained in seeing the beautifully carved detail and graceful lines. That was amazing for the young, wistful imagination of a six-year old girl of years gone by.
There were over 100 items on display, and to recount our experience with each of them would not to justice to them, or to us. It was amazing. The best collection of photographs from this specific exhibit, which focuses on Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, can be found at the Rand African Art pages.
I truly appreciate the Egyptian government, for allowing these items to travel to the States so that we could share in the wonder. The people who worked so dilligently at the Frist Center did much to make the experience as enjoyable and educational as possible.
And particularly, I appreciate Susan Wise Bauer for writing The Story of the World, which introduced us to the Ancients early on in our studies. Because of that, the boys came to this experience with a sense of familiarity. This wasn't foreign to them - they knew these Pharoahs. They've played a version of Senet. They identified several pieces from across a room, and immediately began to vibrate and bubble over with the excitement of "knowing" this piece, or that image.
The experience is one we're glad we took the opportunity to enjoy. Of course, I got no photos of the entire trip. I was too busy watching the boys explore.
ARIGHHHHHHHHHHHH
I spent two hours typing up an entry on the trip to the museum, complete with links. I highlighted and copied it, just in case Blogger didn't want to cooperate when I posted. Got up to check the rice...
and we had a THREE SECOND POWER OUTAGE. Three stoopid seconds and it didn't save on the clipboard.
*sob*
Dy
and we had a THREE SECOND POWER OUTAGE. Three stoopid seconds and it didn't save on the clipboard.
*sob*
Dy
Thursday, October 5
Good Thursday Morning!
I'd like to say we're all rested and recovered. But I don't want to lie to you. You don't even get a snappy title today. Miss Emily, for some reason unknown to us, and the Oracle of the Barn, decided last night would be a lovely night for a slumber party.
Smidge did survive. He fell asleep around five, and I just couldn't bring myself to wake him when we left for Pioneer Club. Zorak said he slept until about eight, and when the rest of us arrived back home, he was our normal, snuggly, happy little Smidge once again. He didn't even seem to begrudge us having gone without him.
And we survived Smidge. The day, in general, was pretty shot. We watched Dr. Doolittle, then watched Mary Poppins (twice), and finally the last half of The Sound of Music. The boys are convinced Dick Van Dyke is the coolest actor in the world - they already loved him from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but now, a singing chimney sweep? Oh, how cool is that!?
And today? Do you know what today looks like? Today will have a high of 89, which, while not what I'd call "sweater weather" (although, out of sheer denial, I have been known to don one anyway), is to be the last day near ninety for the next ten days. We have a gorgeous weekend ahead of temps in the mid-low 70's. I could do a jig! (Not literally, as I don't know how to jig, but technically I could give it a shot, since I wouldn't pass out from heat stroke. My cup is half full, and it has ice in it.)
We go to the Egypt exhibit tomorrow!! We're all looking forward to the outing. Zorak has, in true engineer fashion, printed off maps, located parking, and planned the technical details of the trip. (As opposed to my method of travel, which begins as we pull from the drive, with, "OK, so Nashville is North of us, right?" God loves me and gave me Zorak to keep me from spending eternity on some Interstate loop, looking for an unidentified exit.) The boys have spent hours considering whether there will be intestines in any of the canopic jars. And I'm still trying to tell the difference between XII Dynasty and XVIII Dynasty work. Aye, we be tourists! (Need batteries for the camera, now that I think of it.)
And now, we must be responsible people. Do our work, complete our chores (I doubt they'll sing A Spoonful of Sugar as we go, what do you thinK?), and run our errands. Yay! Bridget mentioned that they do have Easy buttons, so maybe we'll swing by Staples...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Oh, let's stay up until two, snacking and playing and chatting, shall we?I finally just stuck her in her crib with a handful of honeycomb cereal, a soft toy and a bullhorn. Figured she could wake up Smidge and he could play with her, but I was done. Yes, we'll look back one day and miss having little ones in the house, but I do think I'll be rather content to miss them on a full night's sleep, anyway.
Smidge did survive. He fell asleep around five, and I just couldn't bring myself to wake him when we left for Pioneer Club. Zorak said he slept until about eight, and when the rest of us arrived back home, he was our normal, snuggly, happy little Smidge once again. He didn't even seem to begrudge us having gone without him.
And we survived Smidge. The day, in general, was pretty shot. We watched Dr. Doolittle, then watched Mary Poppins (twice), and finally the last half of The Sound of Music. The boys are convinced Dick Van Dyke is the coolest actor in the world - they already loved him from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but now, a singing chimney sweep? Oh, how cool is that!?
And today? Do you know what today looks like? Today will have a high of 89, which, while not what I'd call "sweater weather" (although, out of sheer denial, I have been known to don one anyway), is to be the last day near ninety for the next ten days. We have a gorgeous weekend ahead of temps in the mid-low 70's. I could do a jig! (Not literally, as I don't know how to jig, but technically I could give it a shot, since I wouldn't pass out from heat stroke. My cup is half full, and it has ice in it.)
We go to the Egypt exhibit tomorrow!! We're all looking forward to the outing. Zorak has, in true engineer fashion, printed off maps, located parking, and planned the technical details of the trip. (As opposed to my method of travel, which begins as we pull from the drive, with, "OK, so Nashville is North of us, right?" God loves me and gave me Zorak to keep me from spending eternity on some Interstate loop, looking for an unidentified exit.) The boys have spent hours considering whether there will be intestines in any of the canopic jars. And I'm still trying to tell the difference between XII Dynasty and XVIII Dynasty work. Aye, we be tourists! (Need batteries for the camera, now that I think of it.)
And now, we must be responsible people. Do our work, complete our chores (I doubt they'll sing A Spoonful of Sugar as we go, what do you thinK?), and run our errands. Yay! Bridget mentioned that they do have Easy buttons, so maybe we'll swing by Staples...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, October 4
Hungover?
3:00AM -
Smidge climbs in bed with us. I scoot over, thinking he wants to snuggle (awwww). Turns out he needs somewhere else to puke, as he'd already defiled his bed. (Ohhhhh.)
At least by now we're efficient, if nothing else. I take shower/jammy duty while Zorak strips the bed, time and again, (and again, and yet again) until, after the fourth round, I realize we are out of sheets, blankets, and old lady mattress protectors. Daylight approaches. Efficiency only goes so far once you've run out of both time and materials.
4:30AM-
I take Smidge to the living room, so he can puke on the couch (we don't really like the couch all that much, anyway). He's settling in, and Emily awakes. I hunker down, thinking if we lay very still she won't know we're awake. Perhaps she's just checking.
4:45AM-
No, she means it. I tell Smidge that I've got to get Miss Emily and I'll be right back. He whimpers a bit, but scootches over enough for me to extricate myself from beneath the cushions. I take her to our room, change her and put her back down.
5:00AM -
I think I must have fallen asleep, as the next thing I know, Smidge has found us and pukes again. On my head. We are completely out of any and all fabric-related barrier products. I briefly contemplate velcroing diapers together to form an absorbent mattress topper, but that requires too much coordination to get all the ends lined up properly. Where's Escher when you need him? Miss Emily is asleep, and fortunately, my head blocked the trajectory so she's also still clean. Smidge and I head back to the couch.
Imagine my joy to find he hadn't puked on the couch! Imagine the total "ew" factor when I realize he'd puked on the floor. And while I'm here, why are socks so absorbent? Nobody sweats THAT much.
5:15AM -
Thankfully, the training potty puts a child at just the right height to sit on one while leaning over the standard toilet. It's the small things that mean so much.
6:30AM -
Smidge is out. Miss Emily is awake again. The washer won't spin the clothes.
7:00AM -
I don't know who's still up, but I'm not.
Zorak stayed home with us until it began to look as though Smidge won't have to be taken in, and probably isn't going to dehydrate by noon. By ten this morning, whatever it is that wants out has moved far enough down the digestive tract to head out the other end. At least we have enough underwear to tide us over while I wash the sheets. And I can start trying to feed him crackers and sprite without fear of too much organic retribution.
He has no fever, no pain (other than what can be expected from gestating a graboid in your gut, I suppose), isn't chipper or talkative...
Hmmm, I didn't think he could reach the rum...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Smidge climbs in bed with us. I scoot over, thinking he wants to snuggle (awwww). Turns out he needs somewhere else to puke, as he'd already defiled his bed. (Ohhhhh.)
At least by now we're efficient, if nothing else. I take shower/jammy duty while Zorak strips the bed, time and again, (and again, and yet again) until, after the fourth round, I realize we are out of sheets, blankets, and old lady mattress protectors. Daylight approaches. Efficiency only goes so far once you've run out of both time and materials.
4:30AM-
I take Smidge to the living room, so he can puke on the couch (we don't really like the couch all that much, anyway). He's settling in, and Emily awakes. I hunker down, thinking if we lay very still she won't know we're awake. Perhaps she's just checking.
4:45AM-
No, she means it. I tell Smidge that I've got to get Miss Emily and I'll be right back. He whimpers a bit, but scootches over enough for me to extricate myself from beneath the cushions. I take her to our room, change her and put her back down.
5:00AM -
I think I must have fallen asleep, as the next thing I know, Smidge has found us and pukes again. On my head. We are completely out of any and all fabric-related barrier products. I briefly contemplate velcroing diapers together to form an absorbent mattress topper, but that requires too much coordination to get all the ends lined up properly. Where's Escher when you need him? Miss Emily is asleep, and fortunately, my head blocked the trajectory so she's also still clean. Smidge and I head back to the couch.
Imagine my joy to find he hadn't puked on the couch! Imagine the total "ew" factor when I realize he'd puked on the floor. And while I'm here, why are socks so absorbent? Nobody sweats THAT much.
5:15AM -
Thankfully, the training potty puts a child at just the right height to sit on one while leaning over the standard toilet. It's the small things that mean so much.
6:30AM -
Smidge is out. Miss Emily is awake again. The washer won't spin the clothes.
7:00AM -
I don't know who's still up, but I'm not.
Zorak stayed home with us until it began to look as though Smidge won't have to be taken in, and probably isn't going to dehydrate by noon. By ten this morning, whatever it is that wants out has moved far enough down the digestive tract to head out the other end. At least we have enough underwear to tide us over while I wash the sheets. And I can start trying to feed him crackers and sprite without fear of too much organic retribution.
He has no fever, no pain (other than what can be expected from gestating a graboid in your gut, I suppose), isn't chipper or talkative...
Hmmm, I didn't think he could reach the rum...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The Easy Life, or The Good Life?
People want life to be easy. I want life to be easy. I'd willingly tackle a Staples employee for one of those stupid buttons. Due to certain legal restraints, however (and the fact that some of those guys can really run), I still have no button and it's still not easy. Thankfully, this life we've chosen, and the lifestyle we pursue have taught me much. I've learned, for example, the value of repetition in memorization. In the two days that have passed the week thus far, I have repeated certain phrases to the point that I can recite them in my sleep (and possibly do, but since he hasn't mentioned it, I'm certainly not going to). Some favorites:
The task at hand, sweetheart, the task at hand... (68 times - it's the best I can do to try to keep the children focused on, surprisingly enough, the task at hand, when they'd much rather ping off one another like large, obnoxious pin balls)
Is it your problem? No? OK, then... (12 times - This is my attempt to curtail the amount of tattling the elder children feel required to engage in. Smidge gets away with a lot that I would normally not allow, simply because they just HAD to tattle. I'm not entirely convinced of the wisdom in this approach, but it is kinda fun to see the looks of incredulity on the older two when it happens.)
Inside voice (I lost count on this one, but we went to the library, which is very exciting, and the small one squeaks when he gets excited.)
Well, if you won't listen to me, then you'll just have to deal with the consequences. (4 times - this one actually is decreasing in frequency, as they slowly catch on to the whole, "If you get hurt doing something I've told you not to do, you get no sympathy" concept. WooHoo!)
I think it helps to have a partner with a wonderful sense of humor. To have a partner who will let you know when you need to tag him in and let him handle the wee ones. To have a partner who won't roll his eyes if you mention that a certain someone sure missed Daddy today, but rather seeks out said someone and makes a point of filling that little emotional tank... well, that's just worth more than anything I could name. It also contributes to the less sanity-draining favorites:
Who wants dessert? (Something I rarely get to utter, and it's SO MUCH FUN when I do!)
You boys were wonderfully helpful - thank you. (55 times - They are helpful, and we do let them know.)
WOW, who emptied the dishwasher? (4 times - They're either going to think we are completely enamoured with their skills, or that we need medication since we just can't figure out who would empty the dishwasher every. single. day. Either way, it makes them giggle.)
OK, one more story. Maybe two. Or three. (2 times, a wonderful bedtime diversion.)
I love you. (Too many times to count.)
I love you, too. (Also too many times to count.)
Zorak has spoken wisely about parenting, in that "it's not a case where you simply tell the child once and the topic is done. You must show them, and tell them, over and over and over again. Eventually, they will get it, as long as you don't expect to say it once and then drop it." It includes modeling, as well as telling. That's hard, sometimes. Doing it with marathon-like commitment is even harder.
But until the guy at Staples sprains an ankle, it looks like this is how it's going to have to be. And I'm really glad, when all is said and done.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The task at hand, sweetheart, the task at hand... (68 times - it's the best I can do to try to keep the children focused on, surprisingly enough, the task at hand, when they'd much rather ping off one another like large, obnoxious pin balls)
Is it your problem? No? OK, then... (12 times - This is my attempt to curtail the amount of tattling the elder children feel required to engage in. Smidge gets away with a lot that I would normally not allow, simply because they just HAD to tattle. I'm not entirely convinced of the wisdom in this approach, but it is kinda fun to see the looks of incredulity on the older two when it happens.)
Inside voice (I lost count on this one, but we went to the library, which is very exciting, and the small one squeaks when he gets excited.)
Well, if you won't listen to me, then you'll just have to deal with the consequences. (4 times - this one actually is decreasing in frequency, as they slowly catch on to the whole, "If you get hurt doing something I've told you not to do, you get no sympathy" concept. WooHoo!)
I think it helps to have a partner with a wonderful sense of humor. To have a partner who will let you know when you need to tag him in and let him handle the wee ones. To have a partner who won't roll his eyes if you mention that a certain someone sure missed Daddy today, but rather seeks out said someone and makes a point of filling that little emotional tank... well, that's just worth more than anything I could name. It also contributes to the less sanity-draining favorites:
Who wants dessert? (Something I rarely get to utter, and it's SO MUCH FUN when I do!)
You boys were wonderfully helpful - thank you. (55 times - They are helpful, and we do let them know.)
WOW, who emptied the dishwasher? (4 times - They're either going to think we are completely enamoured with their skills, or that we need medication since we just can't figure out who would empty the dishwasher every. single. day. Either way, it makes them giggle.)
OK, one more story. Maybe two. Or three. (2 times, a wonderful bedtime diversion.)
I love you. (Too many times to count.)
I love you, too. (Also too many times to count.)
Zorak has spoken wisely about parenting, in that "it's not a case where you simply tell the child once and the topic is done. You must show them, and tell them, over and over and over again. Eventually, they will get it, as long as you don't expect to say it once and then drop it." It includes modeling, as well as telling. That's hard, sometimes. Doing it with marathon-like commitment is even harder.
But until the guy at Staples sprains an ankle, it looks like this is how it's going to have to be. And I'm really glad, when all is said and done.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, October 2
Coming Up For Air - Oates and Costumes
OK, I am never doing that again. I read Bellefleur. To the end. All the way through. I actually enjoy JCO's writing structure, as it forces (literally grabs the eyeballs and the brain and forces) me to slow down, to read and digest each sentence separately, to keep in mind quirks and characteristics mentioned 300 pages previously (because they will be important later, trust me, quiz at the end of book Four!) The woman has a way with words, that's certain.
What I cannot stomach, however, is the sensation of being caught in a traffic jam at a roundabout upon which there was a violent and deadly automobile accident. I'm not a goose-necker at accidents. If there is no help yet, we pull over and offer aid (blankets, water, call 911). If help has arrived, we pray for those involved and those aiding the victims and move on. They don't need us in the way. They don't need us craning our necks to see what happened, or how badly it happened. But reading Bellefleur gives one the sensation of being stuck in traffic, and after a while, for lack of anything else, you view the scene. You recoil is alarm and look away. Eventually, your gaze drifts back to the carnage, and you notice something, perhaps a shoe or a cap thrown aside. How heartbreakingly jarring. Then you see an arm, and wonder whose it was. So you find yourself looking for a one-armed individual somewhere amidst the clutter, and that's when you notice the maggots. The mangy dog. The hysterical child. It's disturbing. What's worse, is that, while I didn't particularly care for any of the characters other than little Germaine, (I didn't get the feeling she wants the reader to identify with them, as most of them are so completely uni-laterally undeveloped, and what development there is, goes well over the realm of empathetic identification into what can only be described as a profile of a sociopath. Many of them. In one book.) I felt compelled to read on. I said I would finish the book, and I did. And I will never, never do that to myself again. It is safe to say that I have given her more than one glance, and I'm none the better for having done so.
I'm recovering now with Pride & Prejudice, which I've never read, and am absolutely kicking myself for not having done so many times before! It's just the balm my mind needed after the threshing it got with Oates. It's so delightful (or perhaps part of it the drastic contrast to the previous material?) that I've taken to following Zorak about the house, reading excerpts. Austen, however, isn't Stephenson, and I don't think he'll be picking it up just to make me stop. But that's okay, I can read and walk at the same time! *grin*
OCTOBER! It's October, and we are sooooo excited. Except, that, well, the temperatures are flaring back into the 90's this week, and that is so very, very wrong. Zorak said he smelled fall at 5:12 Friday afternoon. (I think that was the time. He did say he noted it when it happened, but I don't remember, precisely.) I missed it, and now it'll probably be another three weeks before it happens again. And I received a wonderful sweater in the mail from a friend, but it has to sit there on my dresser, taunting me, for a while longer. (Maybe I can wear it to bed? It's a really comfy sweater!)
The boys have their costumes lined up, which is good. Gives me plenty of time to procrastinate on getting them made. (It's good to know exactly what you're putting off, isn't it?) James wants to be Superman again, "since the costume still fits". (Love that kid! So practical!) John wants to be Jack Sparrow (something definite to pretend I'm already working on! WOOHOO!) and Smidge wants to be a ghost, or a pirate, or perhaps a pirate ghost, or *gasp*giggle*gasp* THOMAS! Yup, that one's mine, too.
My basic plan is to put off making anything until he decides (you know, so that I can purchase all the materials at once...) Then we will run around town like lost puppies ALL DAY LONG on October 31st, and it will be long, long past supper that I finally give up, staple strings of yarn to a black paper pirate hat, and shove them out the door. It's simple, no more than a variation on a theme, really. We've got it down, pat. What are your plans?
Kiss those babies! (Thankfully, they'll remember the kisses more than the botched costumes!)
~Dy
What I cannot stomach, however, is the sensation of being caught in a traffic jam at a roundabout upon which there was a violent and deadly automobile accident. I'm not a goose-necker at accidents. If there is no help yet, we pull over and offer aid (blankets, water, call 911). If help has arrived, we pray for those involved and those aiding the victims and move on. They don't need us in the way. They don't need us craning our necks to see what happened, or how badly it happened. But reading Bellefleur gives one the sensation of being stuck in traffic, and after a while, for lack of anything else, you view the scene. You recoil is alarm and look away. Eventually, your gaze drifts back to the carnage, and you notice something, perhaps a shoe or a cap thrown aside. How heartbreakingly jarring. Then you see an arm, and wonder whose it was. So you find yourself looking for a one-armed individual somewhere amidst the clutter, and that's when you notice the maggots. The mangy dog. The hysterical child. It's disturbing. What's worse, is that, while I didn't particularly care for any of the characters other than little Germaine, (I didn't get the feeling she wants the reader to identify with them, as most of them are so completely uni-laterally undeveloped, and what development there is, goes well over the realm of empathetic identification into what can only be described as a profile of a sociopath. Many of them. In one book.) I felt compelled to read on. I said I would finish the book, and I did. And I will never, never do that to myself again. It is safe to say that I have given her more than one glance, and I'm none the better for having done so.
I'm recovering now with Pride & Prejudice, which I've never read, and am absolutely kicking myself for not having done so many times before! It's just the balm my mind needed after the threshing it got with Oates. It's so delightful (or perhaps part of it the drastic contrast to the previous material?) that I've taken to following Zorak about the house, reading excerpts. Austen, however, isn't Stephenson, and I don't think he'll be picking it up just to make me stop. But that's okay, I can read and walk at the same time! *grin*
OCTOBER! It's October, and we are sooooo excited. Except, that, well, the temperatures are flaring back into the 90's this week, and that is so very, very wrong. Zorak said he smelled fall at 5:12 Friday afternoon. (I think that was the time. He did say he noted it when it happened, but I don't remember, precisely.) I missed it, and now it'll probably be another three weeks before it happens again. And I received a wonderful sweater in the mail from a friend, but it has to sit there on my dresser, taunting me, for a while longer. (Maybe I can wear it to bed? It's a really comfy sweater!)
The boys have their costumes lined up, which is good. Gives me plenty of time to procrastinate on getting them made. (It's good to know exactly what you're putting off, isn't it?) James wants to be Superman again, "since the costume still fits". (Love that kid! So practical!) John wants to be Jack Sparrow (something definite to pretend I'm already working on! WOOHOO!) and Smidge wants to be a ghost, or a pirate, or perhaps a pirate ghost, or *gasp*giggle*gasp* THOMAS! Yup, that one's mine, too.
My basic plan is to put off making anything until he decides (you know, so that I can purchase all the materials at once...) Then we will run around town like lost puppies ALL DAY LONG on October 31st, and it will be long, long past supper that I finally give up, staple strings of yarn to a black paper pirate hat, and shove them out the door. It's simple, no more than a variation on a theme, really. We've got it down, pat. What are your plans?
Kiss those babies! (Thankfully, they'll remember the kisses more than the botched costumes!)
~Dy
Thursday, September 28
General Kid Stuff
James finally lost his two top front teeth. The ones that have been loose since the beginning of August, possibly late July. Both of them in one fell stroke, pretty much. Then he bled profusely, which was more than a little disconcerting. He jumped, danced, whooped. We sang, "All I Want For Christmas", and he danced around a bit more. He'd lost one down the drain (which would be tooth #3 that's found it's way to an untimely demise) and Zorak dismantled the bathroom sink to retrieve it. He didn't really want to, but the reaction from the Delighted Little Boy made him awfully glad he did.
John, who is beyond anxious to loose a tooth (I think, at this point, he'd willingly take a baseball to the head if he thought it would help), treated the occasion with such reverence and awe that I had to leave the room to giggle. James could not get over the concept that those teeth are the same size as the one Miss Emily sprouted yesterday, and so he basked in the wonder of it all, as well.
Smidge hung with the Big Dogs today, and then crashed during supper. Literally, during supper. After several spillage incidents, and a rather negative attempt at tasting the fish steaks, he climbed down from his chair, curled up in Zorak's lap, whispered a spontaneous, "I love you, Daddy," and passed out. He wants to be so big. And we are in no hurry, really.
John is now proficient enough with his reading that he gets, and makes, the word jokes we make all the time. He's in the club, man! And lovin' it! Sometimes, though, he'll read a word that's new, or long, or just unique, and then he'll stop and give a quick RCA Puppy head-tilt before asking, "Did I just read that correctly?" WRTR may be dry, it may be convoluted as heck, but I have to say it. is. awesome.
I asked the boys for a Latin for Children update today. So far, two thumbs up from the Small Ones. They love it, and they're learning. One of the activities in Lesson 3 has a vocabulary word conjugated, and asks for its meaning. Although we hadn't actually conjugated that word (um, hadn't conjugated any words other than the amo/amas... chant they'd learned), both boys spotted it, and knew what it meant. Oh. My. Word. How cool is that?!? The chant CD is also a much-favored hit with the children. I couldn't bribe them to pay attention through the PL chant CD, but the LfC CD they asked to keep in the car, next to Raffi. So if you see us driving down the road, and it looks like we're playing charades and singing like frat boys on Spring Break, it's just Latin vocab review. Good stuff.
Oh, and Miss Emily is so ROUND. She's just very, very round. We thought she was going to get a neck, after the last growth spurt, but them "pft" she just plumped right back up. I have never, in my life, seen such a happy child. A happy, round ball of snuggly Baby. This is so amazing, no matter how many times we experience it. It's just incredibly amazing. We have got to get this child a normal floor to crawl on, though. Now that's she's not only mobile, but has some direction control, it's difficult to keep her in the rooms with carpet. She wants to be where the action is, where the food is, and that's not in the carpeted rooms. Basically, she's an 18# dust mop, and the boys have taken to picking the bits of sawdust and wood chips off her when she sits back up. Sure, it's great family bonding time, but it's a little weird. Even for us. We have GOT to finish this house.
On that note, though, it's time for bed. Tomorrow is a sheetrocking and taping day for the school room. It should be finished by the end of the weekend. And I will, when we put the room back together, attempt to get the old (semi-dead) printer (which has the camera memory card reader on it) hooked up so I can upload the pictures I've been promising for months now.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
John, who is beyond anxious to loose a tooth (I think, at this point, he'd willingly take a baseball to the head if he thought it would help), treated the occasion with such reverence and awe that I had to leave the room to giggle. James could not get over the concept that those teeth are the same size as the one Miss Emily sprouted yesterday, and so he basked in the wonder of it all, as well.
Smidge hung with the Big Dogs today, and then crashed during supper. Literally, during supper. After several spillage incidents, and a rather negative attempt at tasting the fish steaks, he climbed down from his chair, curled up in Zorak's lap, whispered a spontaneous, "I love you, Daddy," and passed out. He wants to be so big. And we are in no hurry, really.
John is now proficient enough with his reading that he gets, and makes, the word jokes we make all the time. He's in the club, man! And lovin' it! Sometimes, though, he'll read a word that's new, or long, or just unique, and then he'll stop and give a quick RCA Puppy head-tilt before asking, "Did I just read that correctly?" WRTR may be dry, it may be convoluted as heck, but I have to say it. is. awesome.
I asked the boys for a Latin for Children update today. So far, two thumbs up from the Small Ones. They love it, and they're learning. One of the activities in Lesson 3 has a vocabulary word conjugated, and asks for its meaning. Although we hadn't actually conjugated that word (um, hadn't conjugated any words other than the amo/amas... chant they'd learned), both boys spotted it, and knew what it meant. Oh. My. Word. How cool is that?!? The chant CD is also a much-favored hit with the children. I couldn't bribe them to pay attention through the PL chant CD, but the LfC CD they asked to keep in the car, next to Raffi. So if you see us driving down the road, and it looks like we're playing charades and singing like frat boys on Spring Break, it's just Latin vocab review. Good stuff.
Oh, and Miss Emily is so ROUND. She's just very, very round. We thought she was going to get a neck, after the last growth spurt, but them "pft" she just plumped right back up. I have never, in my life, seen such a happy child. A happy, round ball of snuggly Baby. This is so amazing, no matter how many times we experience it. It's just incredibly amazing. We have got to get this child a normal floor to crawl on, though. Now that's she's not only mobile, but has some direction control, it's difficult to keep her in the rooms with carpet. She wants to be where the action is, where the food is, and that's not in the carpeted rooms. Basically, she's an 18# dust mop, and the boys have taken to picking the bits of sawdust and wood chips off her when she sits back up. Sure, it's great family bonding time, but it's a little weird. Even for us. We have GOT to finish this house.
On that note, though, it's time for bed. Tomorrow is a sheetrocking and taping day for the school room. It should be finished by the end of the weekend. And I will, when we put the room back together, attempt to get the old (semi-dead) printer (which has the camera memory card reader on it) hooked up so I can upload the pictures I've been promising for months now.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Cool Latin Stuff
This is mostly just so I can remember where I put it. Too bad I can't keep all my important documents blogged, huh?
OK, so if you want to conjugate Latin verbs instantly, check out Michael McLaron's Website. Neat!
And then I found CONJUGUEMOS!, what looks like a nifty, FREE (gotta love that) program for anyone studying German, French, Spanish, or Latin. I haven't registered yet, so if anyone does it before I get around to it, please post back and let us know what you think/how it went/if anything weird popped up. Nothing like being part of the last round of trials, huh? Next week, we'll be taking randomly selected medications just to see what happens!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
OK, so if you want to conjugate Latin verbs instantly, check out Michael McLaron's Website. Neat!
And then I found CONJUGUEMOS!, what looks like a nifty, FREE (gotta love that) program for anyone studying German, French, Spanish, or Latin. I haven't registered yet, so if anyone does it before I get around to it, please post back and let us know what you think/how it went/if anything weird popped up. Nothing like being part of the last round of trials, huh? Next week, we'll be taking randomly selected medications just to see what happens!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, September 27
Not Dissin' The Honey
Evidently, I need to clarify: Zorak is not a goof, nor is he incompetent. I wasn't dissing him in the bicycle post. Honest. He's awesome, and he does amazing things, and he constantly astounds me with, not only his skills and abilities, but his gentle nature and deep affection for others.
That post was all about how *I* am a total loser when it comes to bikes. All on me, there. And the thing was left partially assembled simply because, well, when you have to leave the house that stinkin' early, midnight is a mighty rough time to be doing assembly work. (That was the cause for my Skeptical Look - he's talented and kind, but not so much with the time estimates for projects. *grin*)
Anyhow, I got the rest of the thing done, except for the rear brakes, which I worked on rather diligently, with only minor cursing and the occasional foray back into the kitchen for more coffee. Finally, I had to admit defeat and wait for Zorak. He walked in and, with a few quick moves, had the brakes attached and adjusted to perfection. We stood there, we two. He, staring at the happy boy, me, staring at the Hubby. "How'd you do that?" I asked. He chuckled, "Did you forget about all the kids in Maryland?"
And that's when I remembered, or rather, that's when it clicked with me. There were a large number of kids in our neighborhood in Maryland who just didn't have an adult in their lives to tend to the peripherals. Wonderful Neighbor Wife and I tended to the little ones, providing adult supervision and a safe place to play, as well as constructive activity to discourage their previous activities. We made available the sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, water play, a secure place to toodle around on their bikes and trikes. We packed extra food for the front yard picnics.
Zorak, meanwhile, became the Go-To guy for all the adolescent and pre-adolescent young men in the area. He helped them with their equipment, and with their bikes. It started out simply enough, with a request to use our foot pump to air up a tire. But it soon morphed into an informal mentoring relationship. The boys hung out more in our portion of the neighborhood, waiting for his assistance and a chance to learn. He encouraged them in his natural, gentle way. He made himself available. They began interacting with the other neighbors as they worked in the front yard, and became part of the community. Bit by bit, he amassed all the necessary equipment to make repairs and do maintenance - brakes, pads, calipers, tubes, pumps, etc. He taught the kids how to take care of their things, how to make adjustments, do maintenance, what to look for and where to find answers. It was awesome, and the kids were awesome. When we left, he gifted the boys with all of the supplies he'd purchased during our time there, and we hope that the things they learned will stick with them as much as the things we learned have.
It's all connected, isn't it? Being kind and helpful to someone may just feel like the right thing to do, and your goal may be to help somebody out and make a difference. But it's a bonus to look back and see that there's been a difference made in you, along the way, as well.
And, while Zorak is impressing me with his vast array of somewhat obscure knowledge, I did not know you can grow a loofah! I also did not know you can eat them. He did, and has. And from now on, I promise not to be surprised by the wonderful things I'm bound to continue discovering about this man. :-)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
That post was all about how *I* am a total loser when it comes to bikes. All on me, there. And the thing was left partially assembled simply because, well, when you have to leave the house that stinkin' early, midnight is a mighty rough time to be doing assembly work. (That was the cause for my Skeptical Look - he's talented and kind, but not so much with the time estimates for projects. *grin*)
Anyhow, I got the rest of the thing done, except for the rear brakes, which I worked on rather diligently, with only minor cursing and the occasional foray back into the kitchen for more coffee. Finally, I had to admit defeat and wait for Zorak. He walked in and, with a few quick moves, had the brakes attached and adjusted to perfection. We stood there, we two. He, staring at the happy boy, me, staring at the Hubby. "How'd you do that?" I asked. He chuckled, "Did you forget about all the kids in Maryland?"
And that's when I remembered, or rather, that's when it clicked with me. There were a large number of kids in our neighborhood in Maryland who just didn't have an adult in their lives to tend to the peripherals. Wonderful Neighbor Wife and I tended to the little ones, providing adult supervision and a safe place to play, as well as constructive activity to discourage their previous activities. We made available the sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, water play, a secure place to toodle around on their bikes and trikes. We packed extra food for the front yard picnics.
Zorak, meanwhile, became the Go-To guy for all the adolescent and pre-adolescent young men in the area. He helped them with their equipment, and with their bikes. It started out simply enough, with a request to use our foot pump to air up a tire. But it soon morphed into an informal mentoring relationship. The boys hung out more in our portion of the neighborhood, waiting for his assistance and a chance to learn. He encouraged them in his natural, gentle way. He made himself available. They began interacting with the other neighbors as they worked in the front yard, and became part of the community. Bit by bit, he amassed all the necessary equipment to make repairs and do maintenance - brakes, pads, calipers, tubes, pumps, etc. He taught the kids how to take care of their things, how to make adjustments, do maintenance, what to look for and where to find answers. It was awesome, and the kids were awesome. When we left, he gifted the boys with all of the supplies he'd purchased during our time there, and we hope that the things they learned will stick with them as much as the things we learned have.
It's all connected, isn't it? Being kind and helpful to someone may just feel like the right thing to do, and your goal may be to help somebody out and make a difference. But it's a bonus to look back and see that there's been a difference made in you, along the way, as well.
And, while Zorak is impressing me with his vast array of somewhat obscure knowledge, I did not know you can grow a loofah! I also did not know you can eat them. He did, and has. And from now on, I promise not to be surprised by the wonderful things I'm bound to continue discovering about this man. :-)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
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