monday madness

though I truly love my life right now, I am thinking that it should slow down a little. maybe.
it is only 4:46pm and I have already:
attended an Art in the Park meeting where I am secretary
did a small grocery shop so the kittens don't starve
ate lunch
drove to pick two flats of berries, realized I was dressed completely stupidly for said task but did it anyway ... picture to follow because now you are curious
(the donut preceeding the berry picking helped)
drove home
changed clothes so I could mow the lawn
got caught in the rain
noticed grass plastered to my legs so I showered
gathered laundry to start load
sat down to realize I haven't blogged since wednesday.
honestly wondered how many things other bloggers leave undone (again or still, however you want to look at it)
realized I should be making supper, not blogging ...

wednesday without words

monday musings

what a wonderful week, or at least that is what the weather man is predicting. it has been unseasonably cold around here. makes me confused as to what season we came back home to. still winter? did we skip summer and go back to spring? not clear.

the boys are having fun working in our friend's garden, pulling weeds, dead-heading, weed-whacking and mowing the lawn. at least the youngest will, now, since his partner can do a whole lot of nothing since his surgery. his recovery seems slow, but sure. we are very thankful.

I am studying like crazy. reading copious amounts of psychology text, taking notes and formulating papers in my mind. time to formulate a diagnostic plan and get it down in writing. kind of scary but mostly thrilling to finally be doing that "thing" that I always wanted to do but couldn't quite put into words. didn't even know it was an option until about a month ago. the countdown is very "on". I am going to view a life therapy session, as part of my pre-course requirements, on thursday. should be a real highlight of this week.

library visits, soccer, mowing our own lawn, gardening, weeding, transplanting, planning for the backyard and studying then a visit to my parent's home on saturday to kick off Canada Day (which is actually on wednesday this year).

but there is always time to soak in the splendor of a luscious garden.

a funny thing happened on the way to ...

so, yesterday you will recall, I was bemoaning the loss of my beloved mail key. without said key, I cannot retrieve any mail from my mailbox, located at the post office down town. we do not receive door to door service in these here parts. don't even have a post office open on a Saturday in town. but I digress.
I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my NILD books so I can begin the read, highlight, take notes, memorize, write intelligent papers process (because all the above is due BEFORE July 13th, when classes begin). it is the same adrenaline rush that precedes curriculum ordering. I believe it is a sickness.
well, I visited all the places I could think of that might house the missing key. not in pants pocket. not in jacket (why would it be in jacket? I haven't worn jacket in months, but I looked anyway because my mom always says "you never know"). not on lawn. not on floor of car that often makes me crabby and feel like throwing things like keys. not anywhere on carpets, so better vacuum them ... it's the A.D.D. ...
really, truly not finding magic key to happiness and betterment anywhere.

I called my husband and he came to the rescue, promising to leave work early enough to catch the post office open. keys found! I was not sure why the evil person who found them decided to hold on to them for so long until ...
I started thinking about those emails I get so often. you know the kind:

FW:FW:FW: you HAVE to read this or you are a pig, DO NOT DELETE

a gastly glittering image almost always attaches itself to these kinds of emails.
well, *my* key chain happens to be an angel. kind of country-esqe, holding a heart that looks patchwork only it is fake metal. it came in the mail. it was free. well, actually I was supposed to donate something for it, but, hey, they sent it to me so ... anyway, I decided that the reason my king of keys came back to me is because the guardian angel key ring did it's thing. I know I prayed about it and all, but, clearly.
The person who found my key2happiness had no desire to be known as a pig, or to have their next lost key go down the gutter (as would surely happen if they had not obeyed the FW:FW:FW: email law because it also applies to real life). I bet they even went home and composed an encouraging email and sent it to ALL their friends. seven years good luck to them

no, I am not being snarky.
now, back to studying.

stink

No matter how funny you think it is to give your son “fart bags” ... resist.
If you don’t, they will pop them outside, but waft the nauseating smell all through the house, culminated by leaving the popped stink in YOUR bedroom, thinking this is hysterical.
You, in your older than fourteen age, will then say
“that is kind of giving me a headache”
Which will lead him to get the Febreze out of the linen closet, and he will spray copious amounts of IT through the house, which really WILL give you the afformentioned headache and you will be forced to spend a long, long time outside, without cushions, cold and damp, because it is also raining.

I should know

thursday throwback

last friday, my husband and I had the amazing opportunity to go.away.without.children.

wow.

I really don't need to say anything more, do I? but I will ... because God gave me lots of words.
we phoned the name of a b&b we have always wanted to go to but didn't get them in person. never mind, we are the adventurous type, so we jumped in the 'bevs' and started driving. my only requirements for the night/next day were:

1. I want to go away overnight somewhere
2. I want to see some art

wouldn't you know that the city had organized the SpOtlight event for the whole weekend? crazy cool. and half an hour into our drive, we got a call from little city farm, saying their room was available for us! yes!
the food is all organic, vegetarian/vegan and local. not to mention gourmet and delicious. the next day, little city farm was also hosting a slew of workshops, like creating and using natural dyes, carding and spinning, cold-press soap making, tinctures and so much more. I was in crunchy heaven.


I so want to go back here again soon.

Evaluating Your Year

A few years ago, the boys and I went to see the Windsor Symphony Orchestra perform. The pieces to be played included: Smetana, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and two Windsor natives. Looking over the curriculum guide sent to me, I was struck by the similarities between the stringed instruments and my family ...

to read the rest of my article, visit Heart of the Matter Online

tuesday timetable

so I messed around with my blog background without first saving a backup of my original template on this computer. our desktop has a virus so it has just been sitting "on" for a few weeks now, but isn't terribly helpful.

please be patient as I work out the kinks. I will still be posting.

tonight our youngest has a soccer practice but I am hopeful that we won't freeze this week. it has truly been the coldest june in my memory.
tomorrow night, my husband and youngest have their once a month camera club. I am impressed with all the cool things they have learned simply because a friend of ours decided to get out there and make it happen.

I love our wee town more and more every passing day.

thursday would have been another worship practice night, but we chose to cancel so we can focus on getting everything ready for our oldest's surgery the next day. he is feeling ever so much better about the whole ordeal as emails come pouring in, offering up prayers over him.

I forgot to mention the dear old lady who came into our yard on sunday afternoon. she planted my garden many years ago and wanted to offer help tying up my floppy poppies. what a wonderful, knowledgeable woman. she surveyed my crowded out garden, commenting on the weeding and thinning work I was in the middle of, listening patiently as I pointed out all my favourites. I loved hearing her say "well, you know quite a bit about these plants. I can tell I won't need to worry a lick about you."

so much to be thankful for.

tuesday timetable

this week is decidedly more mellow than last week, and that is good. some friends of ours have been through a traumatic experience recently, and I was asked if I was available to do some "art therapy" with their kids.
now I don't have a diploma in that or anything, though once upon a time it was my goal, but what a privilege.
homeschooling, how do I love thee? let me count the ways:
no one else who does it even bats an eye at the concept of being flexible
putting aside that "other thing you had planned" to help out where you are needed is normal, not requiring an absentee slip
there are places you can take your kids where they will be loved and respected and might just come back to you better people than they were before.
what goes around most certainly comes around

not that I am going to work a miracle or anything; this isn't really about me at all, but if you are in the fray, I think you know what I am trying to say here.

now, to buy some paints.