How's it going?

How's homeschooling going you ask? (Actually, I've had several people ask.) It would likely work better if I was home more, but it's going pretty well. I usually get Bram started in the morning, then go off to teach, leaving him with an assignment to do. Sometimes it even gets done while I'm gone. When I get home in the afternoon, we get back to work again, until I have to go teach again, leaving him with an assignment. Sometimes it even gets done while I'm gone. (Recognize a theme here?) Our goal is to get three assignments done a day. It hasn't happened the last two days because the latest Social Studies assignment has been a real bear. However, he's almost done an English assignment this morning, and his next math assignment isn't too hard, so he'll likely get three done today (this means that I'll want to push for four to make up for the ones missed yesterday and the day before). We will get through this - and it's mostly fun.

I have to say that Bram and I have developed a great relationship with each other as he sits working at the computer with me beside him, helping out, encouraging, etc. It's really hard to do a whole lot of other things at the same time though - like lesson planning, marking, housework, etc. (All the teacher-type things that I need to do for my job, or the mommy-type things that I need to do at home - dishes, laundry, meals, etc.) I do generally get my 45 min to hour's piano practice in each day, but that's primarily because I've got this exam looming over me. I'm supposed to take my Grade 6 piano practical exam on June 26. I supposed to be ready to take my Grade 6 piano practical exam before June 26.

Only at this time of year....

do I mind only having CBC. I'm not a big TV watcher anyway, so I don't particularly mind not paying additional $$$ each month for stuff I don't want to watch or would feel guilty watching. However, at this time of the year, when it seems like the only choice is Hockey Night in Canada... it would be nice to have cable.

Disappointment

Well, Lloyd went to the fracture clinic Tuesday. They x-rayed him and told him his foot isn't healed enough to remove the cast. Apparently the medication he's on for a toenail fungus is an antagonist to calcium absorption. So he's supposed to drink lots of milk, take a Vitamin D supplement, and come back May 6 (in 3 weeks). That's 9 weeks after he first broke his foot. Hopefully by then it will be totally healed.

After a week of warm weather (above freezing anyway), we're back to below 0 most days. But there's still lots of sunlight, and we're thankful.

Last night Lloyd and I went to a concert to promote literacy. Musicians included: Murray McLaughlin, Connie Kaldor, Ian Thomas, Mike Stevens, etc. The concert was supposed to be from 7 to 9 pm but we didn't leave until 10:20. Murray McLaughlin and Ian Thomas were having so much fun with each other and with us that things just went on longer. We had a hoot! I laughed so hard I was crying. Definitely worth the admission, especially since it supports literacy as well. I was fortunate that I was in a classroom yesterday morning with Murray McLaughlin and Ian Thomas performing. A much smaller, more intimate setting. Also very good.

I sewed myself an outfit this weekend. I haven't sewn for myself for quite some time. It's good to get back to doing something I enjoy.

My latest update

Well, it's been much more spring-like here. The ice road closed to light traffic Thursday and was supposed to heavy traffic today. So we'll be cut off by road to outside world for about a month now. It has been snowing all morning and the roads and lawns are all white again, but we had a full week of temperatures above freezing. We got brave and cleaned up all the dog deposits off of our lawn and took it to the sewage dump area last week. Nasty, but necessary. The annual lake that forms at the end of our driveway is back.

I went to Homecoming the weekend before last. It was good, but too short. I arrived Friday night really late (around 11 pm). I had to fly out Sunday morning at 6:30 am, as that's when flights leave Regina on Sunday and I needed to be back at school for Monday (mid-term reporting period.) So I had a very short visit with my former classmates from as far away as Scotland and Texas, as well as a good visit with Rose and her principal and my sister Ruth and family. I also got to hold Diane's new baby, which was a plus. The highlight of the weekend for me was singing with the rest of the Alumni. Really enjoyed that, but boy, Dwight picked songs with lots of high soprano required; and while I may be a soprano, they didn't all have to require F's or G's or even A's, did they?

Rose got back from Chorus Tour last night, but we haven't talked with her yet to find out how things were. I remember really enjoying Chorus Tour.

Spring isn't quite sprung yet

Wednesday night it dipped down to -37, and this morning it's -30. However, we do have some signs of spring:

• They've started cleaning the snow off the side streets - did our street last night. This means that if you haven't cleaned your driveway regularly, you now have a 2 foot drop to street level.
• The light has returned! It's now light until nearly 10 pm, and it's light in the morning when we wake up. We're gaining about 6 minutes a day; the sun rose at 6:48 this morning and will set at 20:33.
• We're in the middle of midterm exams and reporting at school (a definite sign of spring).
• The stores have started stocking up in preparation for the ice bridge going out, when we only have air access for 3-6 weeks. Large semi trailers are being parked outside most stores for additional storage.
• The ice road north to the mines has closed. This year it didn't close because of warmer weather and deteriorating conditions, however; it closed because they got everything up there that they needed to.
• The ice roads to some of the more remote communities (like Wekweeti) have opened, so those communities are virtually deserted while the residents drive out to get a year's worth of supplies. They'll pass lots of fuel tankers, driving into those communities to supply them with a year's supply of heating fuel, gasoline, av gas, etc.

Some signs of spring that I'm still waiting for:

• The temperature to get above freezing for the first time since November.
• The "arctic tulips" to reappear through the snow. For those of you not in the know, arctic tulips are a winter's supply of doggy doo, left by inconsiderate people and their dogs. It's really disgusting.
• The snow to start melting.
• The birds to return.
• Open water on the lakes.