They're baaaaaack!

　

So, I took a little break until I had the time and motivation to put my blog together with a little more TLC and promptly lost all interest in blogging.

I’m back. Here is what’s been up over the last several months:

We stayed vegan.

We learned that we have a passion for cooking.

After several tests it was concluded that my daughter is severely dyslexic and she attended a small private school for kids with special needs in Mayfield. It was a great experience, but sadly not in our price range. Maybe it wasn’t in anyone‘s because it shut down due to lack of funding. Shedd Academy will be missed. I will especially miss being the Art Teacher at Shedd and the conversations with Ms. Ila and Mrs. D. It was the only school I’ve ever heard of where the students would skip breaks because they were so interested in their classes. The teachers were completely engaged. The classes were small and the kids very respectful and loving with one another. Of course at Shedd, there were many breaks and teachers expected the kids only to work at their own pace. That meant it was fine to be way ahead or behind the kid sitting next to you. That kid might be 10 or 17. That did not matter and I think the kids felt a special happiness being so accepted and so much a part of an extended family at Shedd. Meeting other dyslexic kids and having teachers who understand her has made my daughter bullet proof when it comes to comments about her difficulty reading.

So we returned to unschooling only now more confident than before. We took home some materials from Shedd and ordered some auditory software etc. online and got back to our groove. Only our funky groove had evolved and changed and we felt more dedicated to our goals. We became more radical in our unschooling and more excited about it.

Some old friends moved out of our lives and new friends moved in. I decided that our family needed attention and I stopped being active with local charities. I started focusing on myself more. I spent a lot of time in meditation over the winter months.

Something that could have derailed us but did not was that just before Christmas, my husband was told that his place of business was shutting down. There was nothing he could do to save his job and what was more upsetting was that he had very little time to find new and appropriate homes for all of his residents. By the time the doors closed and hard goodbyes were said, he had found them all homes. He wondered often about his employees and how they would find new jobs with the county losing so many businesses. He needed a sabbatical in the worst way.

At first he tried to find new employment but, there wasn’t much in his field. There was a lot of work for nurses. He remembered how much he had loved working in the hospital as a surgery transporter once upon a time and he decided to finish nursing school. He’s also getting his administrators license. In this economy you need a diversified and yet specialized skill set. His BA and QMRP just don’t cut it at present. He has become more active than ever in our unschooling journey. We have chosen to see this as a blessing and consider his presence in our home life a priceless asset. He has jump started our interests in so many ways. I forget how well he an I balance each other out.

We’ve never been so close. We’re like teenagers in love again. We have no distractions, no hurry, few worries so what we really think and feel about one another has surfaced like a long buried treasure that we did not know we‘d lost. Turns out, we’re more than a little fond of each other. I had forgotten and I think he had too just how much fun he is to be around and just how well we can work as a team. I had not noticed how tired he was or how distracted by work. I recently found a description I had written as a teenager. I had described my perfect date. The description still fits him. I’m amazed that I knew what I wanted even then. Our marriage has not always been so amiable. We were golden gloves squabblers at one time. That seems like 5 life times ago. I’m so glad we have most of this spring and summer to be together and just be a family. He only has one or two classes this summer. I’ve honestly never been so happy.

That would probably piss some people off. We’re jobless and happy. Too bad. I could scramble around and worry. I could moan and wail and look for all the reasons not to be happy today as my life is, or I could accept it and love it and learn from it. I’m going with the second choice. Besides, my husband has been on 24/7 call for most of our marriage. He never had time to the treat burn out that one gets from years of work with the special needs community. (Who does?) We took one family vacation in 10 years. We’ve earned this time together and we’re using it the best way we can.

He also has time to work on remodeling our upstairs. Yea! That is going to take some time, but it will turn unused space into an extra bedroom and bathroom. Eventually, we hope to need that space.

With more time we’ve been free to get more active in respite foster parenting. (This is like therapeutic babysitting.)This helps us support our fostering friends and their kids. We’re even considering fostering full time again and this time, maybe we’ll get a longer placement. Maybe we’ll get the opportunity to adopt eventually. I could not think of anything I’d like better. Even if that happens I cannot blog about it so don’t expect updates about fostering or adoption until well after the fact.

I could not even begin to consider fostering right now if our daughter had not come forward and offered to give up her room. She feels it is a fair trade to get some sibling experience before she is grown. She will be moving into what is currently an office and the room the dogs prefer to sleep in. It is not glamorous, but I’m going to try to make it homey. People claim unschoolers will become spoiled and self centered. Those people are clearly wrong. I’m impressed and moved by my child’s willingness to make a big sacrifice.

What other adventures and changes have we seen? Well, I’ll have to get to that later. I can say that we’ve gotten more centered, more active, more adventurous and that we’d had a lot of fun.

Not sexy

I've been writing my entries on word and then copy pasting them here when I get a minute between activities. I am manic to suck the marrow out of summer and just cannot force myself to stay in long. Because of this, I'm losing tabs, italic etc and in general have a wall of unsexy text on my blog. I'll be working to correct that soon. In general my writing is sloppy and rushed, but I can at least see that it is coherent for any unschooling folks who pop in to share my adventures. So, sorry and I'll try to do better in the future. If it does not improve, I'll send chocolates to anyone offended or inconvenienced by my unsexy blog style.

Unschool sick day and a DPP that makes me sick

Yesterday we ran hard all day and my dd had a sniffle. We played hard all day. After dinner we were invited to the park to watch our silly friends beat each other up with foam padded “swords”. They are players of the game Daggerheir and were having too much fun using every move they knew to whack each other around the park. It was fun to watch and cheer, but dd had to join in the fray. The only fatality she achieved was mine, as I am too old and slow for a quick little thing like her. Afterwards we sauntered home and watched the two Ira Wohl documentaries, Best Boy and Best Man. They chronicle the rising independence of his mentally challenged cousin from age 50 to age 70. They were great, but we stayed up too late and dd did not feel well today. I ran a few errands while she stayed in. It was a quiet day for her. She took vitamin C and drank fluids. She read several chapters in her the books she has been reading and watched a signing video. She napped, drank hot tea and helped me fold clothes. Before and after dinner we watched The Dark Crystal and the documentary of how it was made. When dh and I went for our evening walk, she stayed in and read a bit more. I’m about to give her more tea with lemon and let her get some sleep.
I think rest is important and I am not obsessed with quantifying every activity in school terms or in being productive in every breath we take. Still, it strikes me that even in her down time my child is engaged. She is learning something at all times, even when she takes the day off to recuperate. This comes to mind because recently a n article in a local paper instructed neighbors to spy on home and unschoolers and stated that the Director of Pupil Personnel in that county would be “cracking down” on homeschoolers who were not really schooling. They went as far as to suggest that the DPP would be investigating families and homes to be sure a curriculum was being used. This is completely against state laws. Worse still, it is counter productive and impractical. We do not use a set plan. We do what pleases us and what we feel edifies us. My daughter has the right to make that choice as much as any adult does. What knowledge is valuable when is not the governments to impose on us. The individual cannot be trained to disregard his or her own preferences, knowledge and instincts by the state and still be expected to operate as an intelligent being in a democratic republic. I do not want a passive child who does not feel free to follow her own passion and set her own goals. I should not feel pressured as a parent to work against my own conscience as the steward of my offspring’s childhood.
Dude, this aggression will not stand.
We’re going to keep living authentically and learning naturally and no press grabbing bureaucrat is going to change that.

But did we swim enough?

Friday last we met some friends at the pool and splashed around with what seemed like every kid in Paducah. My garden buddy and her niece came and my daughter’s oldest friend suited up and went swimming too. I bopped home to freshen up and collect one of our dogs then I met the girls back at the park for a drum circle. There is a drumming group in Paducah and they have a Yahoo group that you can search if you care to join. They invited us to join them and I am so glad we did! I am by no means musical, but that was great! Everyone can find a rhythm. If you have a heart, you can keep a beat. My dh joined us after work and we drummed until dinner time.
Saturday was a busy day for everyone. A lovely friend of mine from Community of Women (a 501 charity that helps locally.) and I passed out pamphlets for our upcoming mask contest and auction. We walked and talked for 8 hours before retiring to her place for a refreshing dip in the pool. As I drove home there was a spectacular lightening storm. Late Kentucky summer storms never disappoint .They come with fantastic pyrotechnics and usually brief spouts of heavy rain. There is plenty of drama without too much inconvenience. While I was warm chattering with all of Lower and Down town my dd and dh were landscaping our front walk. They did beautiful work and I am very pleased with my new flower beds and solar lights.
Sunday we vegged around the house all day, literally. We’ve decided to eat vegan for one month to see if we like it and how the diet makes us feel. So far, we all feel great and the food is delicious. So we picked through several donated copies of Vegetarian Times looking for recipes that sounded yummy. Tonight I make a vegan penne and cheese pasta that is creamy and cheesy, yet contains absolutely no dairy. I am curious and hopeful of the outcome.
Today dd was invited to a birthday party at Sandy Creek Stables. A good friend and one time neighbor of ours is quite the dashing young horse woman, so naturally she held her party where she could share her passion with her friends. They have such a variety of horses at Sandy Creek and the staff is so knowledgeable and friendly that I had as much fun as the kids. (Did you know the Chinese invented stirrups? They did.) I tend to be intimidated by animals that tower above me, but I think I fell in love with a gorgeous Hanoverian named Little Beau. He was very charming and laid back, as were all the horses I met at Sandy Creek. I hated to leave, but I had to get some shopping done. So dd stayed with her friend and the girls left and went swimming after I abandoned the fun at the stables. So here I sit blogging about another unschool week begun. I may bugger off for a bike ride before dd returns. Dear reader, I hope you are having as much fun as we are and soaking up all the summertime you can.

Weekly update: I'm not Chevy Chase and neither are you.

Well, the girls never made it to the pool yesterday. Instead they went to the Quilt Museum for a Junior Quilters meeting. My daughter loves to sew, so the high tech sewing machines there enthralled her entirely. I think she’s going to join Junior Quilters and start volunteering to keep the touchy feely people’s hands away from the quilts that cost more than my house. That’s my baby, on the job, enforcing the law at the Quilt Museum. Then they came back to our house for some yummy, if experimental dinner and a scary movie. Her buddy stayed over and was not at all frightened by my threats to hide under the bed and grab ankles. I was threatened right back with a brutal wrist stomping.

I like her.

A couple nights back went to hoe around in our shared garden. Our gardening friends have turned out a fantastic garden that produces lots of veggies, with very little help from us. Yet, they still let us share in their bounty. What awesome friends! Their niece was in town all the way from Erin TN and wanted to hit the Nobel Park skate park. So she and dd strapped on their helmets and hit the park. Dd is starting to get more adventurous and try new ramps. She actually got some air this time. I’m so proud! If she gets any braver, I’m getting elbow and knee padding too. That stuff looks dangerous.

Today I am sunburned from all yesterday’s adventures. So, we’re staying in a bit. Dd is reading and I’m fooling around on here instead of folding laundry. I think I may make a cup of chai and get to work soon.

3pm there is a science show at the library. We’re so there!

Tonight is Film committee. To morrow night charity meeting to motivated and organize for an event in October and a movie in the park. The Paducah Parks Department will be showing Iron Man at the amphitheater at dusk. We’re hoping to go with a crowd of our besties.

Friday night there will be a drum circle at 5pm and a live band at 6:30pm in that same amphitheater. I think we may stroll over there after dinner and get our groove on.

Downtown with family and friends

I got a phone call today from a friend who exclaimed, “We have the best gynecologist EVER!” It has been that kind of day all day; random, jolly and full of silly moments.

I woke up early this morning and enjoyed a misty morning bike ride. The air had the slightest chill and sun was bright through the trees. It was all very picturesque until I hit the Land of the Lost sized spider web while crossing a bridge and had a small girlie fit that included monkey noises, “Ewe ew ew ew!”. Luckily no one saw this display but a squirrel. (I can imagine him blogging about it right now.) My dd slept in. Dh got up a bit later and walked a dog before heading off to work. When Dd awoke we had the yummiest breakfast ever, got ready and headed down town. We stopped at the library, said “Hi” to a friend and checked out some DVDs. Dd picked out an Agatha Christie mystery and a sign language video. I grabbed a couple things that interested me. We took the trolley to the farmer’s market and bought some juicy peaches, which we ate on the river bank under a shade tree. After resting there we took off to the health food store to by some yummy tempeh for tonight’s dinner. (We’re eating vegan and going booze free for at least a month. We vowed this after all eating like pigs and swilling too much beer over the Independence Day weekend and feeling really bloated and gross. I swear my colon is going to punch me in my face if I don’t let it detox.) From there we headed to the fabulous Etc. coffee house and met up with some buddies. A homeschooled friend of my daughters was hanging out with her English tutor. They meet a couple times a month for tutoring at the coffee shop. They’re booth great chicks whom I love to run in to. The tutor showed me a cucumber she had grown from her garden. I have never been introduced to produce so enthusiastically before. Still, I understood her zeal. I to have planted my first garden this year and it is a thrill. My buddy who had called earlier to rave about the quality of our shared gyno also joined us for some snacks and conversation. We even saw one of our fellow zombies extras at Etc! I love small towns! Dd ended up walking home with her friend and they should be calling soon to tell me they are ready to go swimming. I hitched a ride with my bud back to my car and decided that while it was not the most eventful or unusual day, it needed to be shared with the world.

Harry Potter in Nashvegas!?! Oh hell yes.

A friend of mine has informed me that we will be chartering a small private bus with a couple other families to Nashville in order to see Harry Potter on the IMAX screen. I’m girlishly excited. I may squee.