Outside my window: Still dark and cool.
I am thinking.....
I am thankful ......for all my birthday boys this month! A dear husband, a darling 17 yo and a new teenager! ack! That makes 4 (teens) in the Vrazo home for the next year or so. :)
From the schoolroom.....All in all our first week went pretty well. Only a few temper tantrums ( and NOT from anyone under 6 :) The little kids were very geeked, maybe a little less enthusiasm would have been appreciated. ;)Our "outside the house" classes on Thursday all went smoothly. It's nice to be back in the routine. Summer freedom is great, but a little like chocolate cake.....you can only eat so much of it before it starts causing problems. :) Jed, as usual, was the biggest surprise. That is how 5/6 year olds are, but it has been awhile since I've had one. I asked him how his reading skills were so good despite spotty practice this past month ( gulp!) and he said "I've been watching you while you read, Mom" :) He also had surprising answers to many questions I asked. A reminder of how much they pick up just by listening to various goings ons. :)
From the kitchen ..... Lots of culinary delights this week. Saturday; chicken penne with vodka sauce. Roast beef and roast pork for the birthday celebration. Chicken lemon rice soup for lunch on Wednesday, which made Jed happy ( and me happy! a break from his favorite...ramen noodle,ugh!) homemade granola yesterday, this weekend, bbq ribs and steak for the other birthday fete.
I am wearing . ..short sleeve gray hoodie and brown knit shorts.
I am reading and watching . .listening on cd :
Martin Chuzzlewaite: This was very entertaining. I love Dicken's interpretations of Americans. Hilarious!The Importance of Being Earnest: First thing I've read by Oscar Wilde. Unbelievably funny!
Portrait of A Lady, Henry James: You know, I saw the movie long ago, but the book didn't call it to memory. I know my memory is bad, but I think the way you read something can be different from how it is interpreted on screen, even if the story is basically the same.
Of Time and Memory: This is the true story of a man trying to find out more about his mother who died when he was just 19 days old ( she had pre-eclamsia during pregnancy, and they didn't have the technology to save mothers back then other than take the baby early, which usually meant death for the child). It turned out to be a beautiful tale. Interesting, thoughtful....and very pro-life, even though I'm not sure the author intended it to be.
The Seamstress by
reading:
Clover: Henry Adams wife. I gave up on listening to "The Education of Henry Adams" There was too much in there to read over and ponder, not easily done while listening. So, I found a book about his wife, which includes him, of course. Very interesting, so far. I need to find a hard copy of TEofHA.
A strange co-incidence regarding this book, which I finally finished. I thought it was one of the better biographys I have read despite the obscure subject matter. After I did ( finish it, that is) I started listening to a book on cd about General Grant, called "Grant" ( imagine that :) Unbeknown to me, this book was filled with references to the Adams! I had no idea!
It was very strange. doo doo- doo doo ( Twilight Zone music fading in)
Nuns in America: by John Fialka This is really a fascinating book so far. It's amazing all the work & services religious sisters provided to the general public ( not just Catholics) Hospital, schools, and other charitable endeavors. I have to say it is pretty inspiring. Their uncomplaining sacrifices are a rebuff to me. A needed one, for sure :) It was also interesting, and disturbing to read more about how the Irish Catholics were treated by the English in the late 17th and early 18th century. I guess I should not be so enamored by English society back then. ;)
The Rose of Sebastopol : Katherine McMahon I really enjoy her writing style. I loved "The Alchemist's Daughter", although it was a little saucy for my taste. This one was less so but no less gripping. I couldn't put it down, and it was a great book to have while camping since I had lots more time to read :)
Watched:
Barchester Chronicles ( BBC) You could tell this one was filmed long ago ( 1982?) but it was really entertaining. I told Naomi I was struck by the fact that in many BBC productions, every actor from the smallest part to the largest seems to be a master of his/her craft, while in a lot of modern films, you MIGHT get one or two good performances by the lead. This one was absolutely full of marvelous acting. Astonishing, really. Alan Rickman as Mr Scope was a treasure, along with, as Mrs Proudy.
I am hearing . ...the littles watching an old family film. Mee maw and Papa visiting us in Virginia when Naomi was just a baby. To hear her little cries right now....sniff!
Around the house. ...we gave the house a pretty good scrubbing on Monday and I am pleased to say it has stayed that way. Mostly. Of course this is for OUR family, not general public standards. :)
One of my favorite things. ..The first weeks of September, such lovely weather. You can almost count on it.
What will we do this week. ...( or what we did this week) Labor Day birthday party for the birthday boys. 4 soccer games. HEP classes for George, Jed and Manny, Mr Mc Alpine classes for Naomi, Jax and Noah.
Soccer practices ( of course!) Dyl, Noah and Naomi went to a going away party for Mary Giroux last night, then slept over at various friends and went to a pro-life prayer vigil this morning. Noah will have a birthday party at Al's tomorrow ( video games will be the main activity :) and we will celebrate quietly here today...I think. :) Perhaps Tim and I will go out tomorrow for his birthday. I saw he could get almost half off his meal at El Charro! :) ( They give you your age as a percentage off :)
No comments:
Post a Comment