HOMESCHOOL HEART-TO-HEART - Homeschool Blogger

When Life and Death get in the way...

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 08:40:00 -0600

It has been quite some time since I have made entry into this little corner of cyber-space, and yes dare I say the past few months have been overwhelming at best. As we approached the holiday season, we were again racked with illness and pain as the flu came to call on all six in the household, (myself included). This just after the Thanksgiving Holiday, and it consumed us into the middle of December. Just as everyone was recuperating, we were confronted with the sudden death of a beloved Uncle, and needed to travel out-of-state for the funeral. We returned just in time for the beginning of Christmas break, and my husband and children monopolized the pc so my time was naught. Christmastime itself was a quiet, solemn and peaceful affair, yet how I looked forward to that old friend "routine" again. I must say, it has come, hopefully to stay with us and not abandon us entirely through the next catastrophe, which at this very moment looks an awful lot like a case of the chicken pox. I shall just breathe...

Short but Sweet

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 07:30:00 -0600

Our days have been pleasant and calm lately, which is somewhat unnatural around here. Usually there is contention and discord as we move from one subject to another. Could it be that after all this time this wonderful, rich and challenging curriculum has made its way into their hearts and minds and souls? Ah... to dream...

Back to the Routine

Mon, 14 Nov 2005 09:30:00 -0600

Life took a turn many weeks ago when we found mold in the vanity cupboards of the master bedroom of our apartment. After some going round with maintenance as to the extent and severity of the problem, (they just wanted to clean it with a bleach solution) a major demolition, decontamination and remodel ensued. When they proceeded to remove the cupboards, mold had traveled a foot or so up the back and into them. The wall area had mold up it just as far. They wanted to again just clean it up, but at this point we was so fed up that we got the apartment manager from corporate involved. She was aghast that it had taken so long from the original repair call, and got the environmental engineer from corporate to come up from Indy to check it out. After testing the walls for moisture and the quality of the air, He determined it would have to be a major remodel. That was all I wanted from the beginning. The room was completely emptied, sealed off, and work began. Apparently a plumbing stack we share with 3 adjacent apartments was cracked behind our wall, and grey water had been leaking behind it for quite some time. The guess is at least more than the year we have lived here. For 3 weeks, we were in flux, with workers traipsing in and out, sleeping in the living room, and the constant din of the hepa air scrubber filling our ears. Thankfully, work was finished on Thursday, carpets cleaned on Friday, major furniture moved back in on Saturday and the room put back in order on Sunday. And now, our life can resume again. Ahhhhh...

That Unwelcome Guest, Illness...

Wed, 9 Nov 2005 08:05:00 -0600

This week school has pretty much taken a back seat to nausea, chills, fever, and copious amounts of sleep. Three out of four children are sick in the household, so we have had an interesting time of it. Illness paid a visit to dd Rosebud most of last week, and pretty much stayed throughout the weekend. We schooled a bit on Monday, but again, Illness came to Rosebud, and she was right back to sleeping on the couch for the remainder of the afternoon and evening.

Tuesday, Illness called on dd CeeCee, the eldest, doubling her over with debilitating cramps, chills, fever and nausea, requiring her to miss work and a stay in bed all day long. While CeeCee slept, Illness must have gotten bored, for He sat with youngest ds Chipper on the couch for most of the late afternoon and evening, hunched over a bowl, moaning and groaning in pain.

Everyone slept well throughout the night, and I have let them sleep in this morning for some much needed rest. It will only be in the waking if I am to know if our house guest has finally taken the hint that He is not welcome here, or if He has decided to reside just a bit longer.

Slow and Steady...

Mon, 7 Nov 2005 08:44:00 -0600

So, I am off to the races with this code writing jargon, but it is still
Greek to Me. That is OK though. I am going to take my time,
assimilate it in small pre-chewed pieces, work through it and
therefore eliminate much of my overwhelming frustration.

As in the I-want-to-throw-the-whole-ratsing-fratsing-gobbly-gouck
thing right out the window. But as I said, I shall persevere. Much like the Tortoise of lore, I shall continue on until I have crossed the finish line.

My only hope is that the Hare sleeps as long as Rip Van Winkle.

Somewhat of an enigma to me...

Sat, 5 Nov 2005 08:20:00 -0600

Ok, I feel quite inept at this blogging thing. Yes I can type just fast enough to keep up with my brain. That makes me want to keep doing it. What frustrates me is in the trying to get my blog to look the way I want it to. I have somehow developed an incomprehension for html and just do not understand how to do the simplest tasks without ruining everything. I have browsed the site and come across some lovely blogs, but fear I will be stuck in free template land forever. I just wish I could figure it out.

This is the Day...

Fri, 4 Nov 2005 09:10:00 -0600

Yes, this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

So I shall rejoice in this new adventure called blogging. I have shuddered in the past to think that there would be any worth to putting my thoughts out in cyberspace for the entire world to see. Why on earth would anyone want to read it anyway? Yet, I have come to the conclusion that this is the best thing for me. Journaling in a book always seemed to "freeze" my thoughts so to speak, or my imperfect handwriting got in the way, but through typing, my mind and fingers, working in a constant synchronicity, seem to allow the words to just flow.

Here I shall embark on recording the musings of our sometimes chaotic, sometimes sublime learning experience we call homeschooling.