I Think I Can.... I Think I Can...

Golly. February is a tough month. Nothing to complain of, as regards the education project, but this seems to be the time of year when all three of us (two students, one teacher) feel like we'd much rather be doing Something Else. Aside from one day last week when one student was laid low by excessive chocolate, we've chugged along pretty steadily. We've moved from Kennedy to Johnson, and, though we still have some readings on the civil rights movement this week, I think we will soon be moving on to new sets of protesters. I'm sure it will be interesting, anyway! All the school stuff is just going along as usual. Travis's writing class is finishing their last short story this week -- hooray! Each boy has a variation, but no matter what kind of story they are assigned, they write rambling narratives about zombies/ninjas/chickens triumphing against impossible odds. The theme is always triumph through courage and perseverance. Every time. With lots of bullets and bacon. I am So looking forward to structured, non-creative Judicial Essays.

We've had cold weather but no snow. Which is fine with me, and with the kids, but Ed feels like we should have some snow if it is going to be so cold. It is pretty, out the window, but I won't mind if we miss it this year!
We have gotten in a couple walks...

(here Katie has written a message to All Who Come After Us... before the next rain)

They just love being asked to Smile into a cold wind!

My dad and I  have started recording a collection of comic/satirical newspaper pieces, published in 1900 and written by George W. Peck, for Librivox. It is a fun project, and I'm learning some history, as a bonus! Of course, this Librivox thing has just turned into one more way for me to fritter away time that I should be spending folding laundry, but it is much more amusing to spend my time grubbing around for forgotten gems at Project Gutenberg!

And, on the Ed front... Ed is going to see a neurosurgeon in Winston tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping he will learn whether it is really necessary for him to have the tumor "out" again -- he is feeling very reluctant to have his spine sliced up as long as he's not actually writhing in agony more than a small part of each day. I expect this new guy will have an opinion, anyway.

And, then, always, there are the cats.

They know what winter is for. Sleeping and reading. Or, at least, snuggling up with a book and sleeping!