Catching up

I can't believe I haven't written a blog in a week. Pretty unusual for me.

Max started his guitar lessons last Monday, and is loving it already. He now knows 6 notes, on two strings. The teacher is very patient, which is good since Max can't read music, has never played an instrument and has no concept of keeping time. Max is learning all of these things from J, his instructor, and spends many hours practicing them and sharing his knowledge with the rest of us. I, too, can play 6 notes on an acoustic guitar. Guess my $14/week in lesson fees has been worth it if I end up with both of us playing a new instrument. Now if he will just share the guitar!!!

We are in a school "rut" around here. We are getting math, grammar, reading, spelling, accounting done every day and that sounds fine until you realize that we are not getting science, history, vocabulary, geography or anything elective done. I am working on it, but can't seem to decide how much is "too much". I really want to focus on written work for the second semester, including more journaling and more essay writing. Not exactly sure how I will approach that, but I guess I have time to mull it over. We will be taking a week off soon, and hopefully I will use it to re-think our schooling for the next semester.

Holidays are quickly approaching us, and I have begun to shop for some of the nephews, but haven't got a really good handle on anyone else. Somehow the fact that it was 50 degrees out until this week, has slowed down my desire to do any real holiday planning. Hanukkah is early this year though, and I need to get my act together.


Andy is going to California next week for business. It has been about 7 or 8 years since he has gone away for an entire week and I am not looking forward to it.

Libby was spayed last Friday. She did really well until yesterday, when her belly appeared to be distended. We took her back to the vet, where they drained some bloody fluid out of her belly and sent her home. She has 14 stitches and is to be confined and quiet for another week. She does not feel badly though, because she is spending most of her day trying to figure out how to get us to let her play with Lincoln (our retriever). I will be glad when this week is over!!!