Friday, July 27, 2012

Summer time

I keep thinking about posting, but there isn't anything particularly noteworthy going on around here these days--just writing (a lot), lots and lots and lots of board games, walks along the ocean, much time spent in libraries, etc.  I often let the kids decide what we're going to have for dinner (which means that we eat things like spaghetti and meatballs or pancakes quite often).  We read a lot.  And the kids are drawing a ton. 


We do some "special outings," of course.  One of the best was when we went to the independent (one-screen) theater in town to see three silent movies from the 1910s and 1920s, accompanied by a live orchestra (just as they would have originally been seen). 

But, mostly, it's just life, on summer schedule. 















The board games I can live with, and sometimes they are a lot of fun...but oh, that day this week when the kids came to the library with me and just hung out, reading, for over an hour...

Heaven.

What's your summer all about?

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Charting Family

Yesterday, for some reason, Samuel got it in his head that he wanted to see/make family trees.  So, we did his Dad's side of the family:


....and then mine:

In case you want to see the details, I'll split that last one up:


And, yes: that's just from my grandparents through the current (outcoming) generation.  No wonder I can't stand a crowd...

What stands out on your family tree?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Catmunication



My cat, Toonces,* thinks that she has telekinetic powers.  If she stares at my hand long enough, it will surely pet her.

Usually, she's right.

*Toonces was the driving cat on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980s or early 1990s. You can probably find him on You tube (I think we found "Toonces without a Cause" there). 

Friday, July 6, 2012

July 5th

The fourth of July came and went--we didn't do any work, but it was a kind of a grey day, ending with dense fog that postponed the fireworks that Anya desperately wanted to see (having never seen them in her "whole life").

And then, magically, the next day turned out to be great. 

1) Howard let me work a little longer than usual, and I got through some really sticky parts of writing chapter 5.

2) At 3:30 I went to art class (at the library) with Anya where, because it was not at its usual time, she was the only one to turn up.  Private lesson!



3) After dinner, we went back to the library to watch the 1940 film version of "The Mask of Zorro." (with Tyrone Powers)
(Okay, it was a socio-historically incredibly inaccurate.  But, it was also a good and funny movie.)

4) Then, finally, Anya got to see the Camden fireworks. 



Needless to say, my wee girl was very, very tired when she got home after that.

When have things just "fallen into place" for you lately?

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Playtime with Barbie



I think it is unlikely that my sweet, seven-year-old daughter is going to grow up to be a serial killer.  Thus, I assume that Barbie is simply fed up with making sure that her hair is perfect all the time, and she has taken up naked bungee jumping.  In fact, this gives me more hope for my child than if Barbie had to conform to her image all the time.

What a girl.