Seussicality

How the years fly by.  Tonight we attended our third Middle School Musical.  This year the show was Seussical the Musical.

It was, as ever, an impressive production, albeit with a daft, not to say mystifying, plot (hardest for the Man to follow as he hasn't experienced very much Dr.Seuss).  The sets and costumes were excellent, and it was all performed with skill and gusto.

Our seats were just in front of a whole row of 8th Grade boys.  I can understand why the Girl finds most 8th Grade boys a waste of space (though to any reader who has one of their own at home, I'm sure yours is the exception, and delightful in every way).

Joint responsibility

I'm having a flare up of my old elbow problem so I'm resting my right arm and typing this with my left hand - and already running out of patience...  I hope to be in better form tomorrow.

Homework headaches

Just a short blog tonight.  School has upped the ante on the Girl when it comes to homework assignments, and she has been monopolizing the computer all evening trying to produce a book for English (before tonight she has spent three nights working on illustrations).  Week-nights after this will be devoted to projects for French and Social Studies... 

Everything is vastly complicated by the requirement to print stuff out - providing endless opportunities for computer and printer malfunctions and other such delightful frustrations.  What's wrong with exercise books, I ask you?  Or slate and chalk - even better.

Farewell to a folk legend

I had a long, cold day at home today while workmen toiled in the basement replacing some valves in our heating system.  When their labours ended and I was finally able to stop my teeth chattering by gritting them as I wrote a large cheque...

I did a lot of cooking to try and keep myself warm.  I had the radio to keep me company.  My usual favourite channel had turned for the day into Radio Pete - almost the entire schedule devoted to remembering the late Pete Seeger, who died last night at the age of 94.  Seeger - folk singer and activist - is an American legend, but is revered by many in this part of the States in particular as he lived in New York's Hudson Valley, and he spearheaded campaigns to clean-up the Hudson River. He dedicated his songs and life to social justice, global peace and environmental protection and was also, from all I can tell, rather modest and a thoroughly nice guy.

Recall Salvation

It's been a little while since I took the car in on a recall - so today I took it in for two at once.  While it was there it had a service.  And a repair to whatever it was that was making it go clunk every time we rounded a tight bend.

I was there a little over four hours in all, though I broke that up (as I usually do) with a trip across the road to the Salvation Army store.  No good jigsaws there today, but I did come home with two pairs of jeans (for the Girl - she likes to draw on them) and, for the knock-down bargain price of $1.99, a fun game with marbles called Pentago.

Cold Mountain Face

 Another Sunday, another ski day.  Unlike a couple of weeks ago, conditions on the slopes were great (I think they must have made some snow).  However, it was cruelly, face-hurtingly cold.

The Man, being manly, toughed it out without complaint. But the rest of us suffered, not necessarily in silence.  Indoor breaks were required, and a certain amount of huddling round the fire-pit.

I successfully got myself off the baby slope and managed to do some of the easier runs down the mountain. On the scale of this-is-fun to I'm-scared-rigid, alas I'm probably still closer to the latter. Plus, even with gloves and handwarmers, I felt like the tips of my fingers were being slowly chewed off by snow leopards. However, I'm pleased to have gained some altitude this week.

Out of Africa

It has been very cold here recently, and today was no different.  It snowed all day, though there's only an inch or so to show for it.  Among other small excursions, the Man and I made it down to Five Rivers, where we carefully negotiated a snow-covered icy trail, and didn't stay out too long. Like I say, it's cold.

So I was happy tonight to head over to join a gathering of neighbours up the road to see a slide show of the hosts' trip to Africa last summer.  Scenes from a safari, an ascent of Kilimanjaro and from a three-week volunteer stint at a Kenyan children's home - interesting, colourful and warming stuff on a snowy January evening.