What’s going on? Gosh, what isn’t! I am not working these days, yet oh so busy! I felt a blog post was in order, though it may take me awhile to write it! Let’s see….

Dog
We are actively looking for a dog. Why? Why not! The kids both want one, I want them to have one, Alan doesn’t object, and I’m home these days so it seemed like as good a time as ever. When I was growing up I remember it being no work at all to get a dog (of course, I was the kid!). We got dogs from neighbors, from boxes at yard sales, and dogs that just wandered over the hill and never left. Now, apparently, it’s a 4+ step process that involves applications and reference checks! We are currently working with two different rescue organizations and monitoring the local humane societies as well. We have narrowed it down to three dogs (I think) and hope to meet all three then make a decision next weekend. If all goes well we might get a dog next week! The kids have no school, so we will have time to settle in and get used to each other.

Yesterday we met Kane, a handsome 1yr old pitbull mix. He was very nice and well behaved and wanted to come right home with us!

Well, hello Kane!

We are hoping to meet these two this weekend.

Rizzo, a 1yr old mix (lab, hound,terrier – they aren’t sure)

Lacey, a 2.5yr old hound mix

What do you think?

Surgery
Also next week – carpal tunnel surgery! Whee! I’ve had carpal tunnel now for eight years. It began shortly after Eve was born. In 2011 I went to the orthopedic doctor who diagnosed it as “most likely carpal tunnel” and recommended surgery. I did my own diagnosing (doctors love it when you do that!) and felt it was only like an 80% match and opted not to do the surgery. Instead I wore braces on my wrists for a long time (like a year or so), then switched to braces at night only for a longer time (a few years?) and finally it seemed to be mostly gone. However, this fall the pain came back with a vengeance! I don’t know if it’s because I’ve gained a ton (though last time they said it wasn’t really related to weight), or because I’ve started doing karate, or because the moons and planets aligned, or what, but boy it hurts! I haven’t slept through the night in many weeks. The pains wakes me several times a night, ranging from uncomfortable numbness, to burning “fire” hands, to a severe pain like someone applied a clamp to my thumb. It sucks! So I went back to the ortho doctor today and scheduled surgery. The pain is a little different and I feel it more closely matches the carpal tunnel diagnosis.

Their first available appointment is next Monday, Feb 15th, the first day of winter vacation for the kids and the week we were hoping to get a dog. I debated for a minute in my head, but the idea of dealing with two more weeks of pain and lack of sleep was enough of a motivator. I took that first appointment. I’ll be getting the right wrist done first, then the left. Each taking 2+ weeks for recovery.

I was telling the kids about it tonight. I am looking forward to being able to do karate without pain, push-ups (in theory!), and knitting! Knitting! Eve and I were talking about knitting while I was laying with her tonight and she wants to learn how to knit too. She has big plans for making baby stuff for a new baby down the street. I was reminiscing about all the stuff I’ve made in the past and the lovely books I have (had?). I think I got rid of everything, thinking I would never knit again! Pain forever! I guess Eve and I will have fun rebuilding the stash together.

Homeschooling
On another note, we have decided to start homeschooling Lex one day a week. Homeschool is something we’ve always thought about, and thought real hard about when he was young, but we always decided that we would send him to school for the socializing, then supplement at home. Supplement for both of them! When they were younger that was easier. They were excited to do the projects that I introduced and eager to start using the computer for things like Starfall and Khan Academy. Now, however, as they are getting older, we find that school wears them out and when they are home they are more inclined to check-out in front of Minecraft and YouTube, instead of actively learning more academics. I’ve been struggling with that for awhile. Recently Lex has been frustrated with school and has made comments along the lines of “I sit by myself at lunch because it’s the only time I’m allowed to think about what I want to think about and not what the teachers tell me to think about.” And he takes forever getting his homework done because he is thinking about much more complex stuff. The other day, while plotting points on an XY axis, he was taking forever. I asked if he needed help and he told me he was imagining a Z axis in his head and adding points to that to make it a 3D shape. Or when working on fractions homework a few weeks ago he started telling me about the wonders of infinity and how can infinity times nine be bigger than infinity times 3, but they are both still infinity. He’s a deep thinker!

I love their school, but at every parent/teacher conference I get frustrated because the teachers say things like “we know he can do fractions in his sleep,” or “she’s my go-to girl, always has the answer,” but they never follow it up with “So, here’s what I’m doing to challenge him/her.” It’s always like “she/he is smart and that’s good enough” That’s not what they say, but that seems to be the implied meaning.

So we are going to try for the remainder of the year to take one day a week as a homeschool day. Starting with Lex, but maybe doing Eve (maybe!), if all goes well. She wants to do it, but she also wants to study fairies and practice her painting… not sure that’s quite what I have in mind. We’ll see. Tomorrow we start with Lex. We have a plan and he’s started a list of topics he wants to learn more about. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Jump-a-thon
February is National Heart Awareness Month (or something like that) and the kids are doing a jump-a-thon at school. Eve came home with the fundraiser packet and immediately set her goal to raise $1000 so she can earn the grand prize – an Android tablet. She is motivated! If anyone wants to donate, you can do so at her online page.

Mold and Remodeling
On the home front we are also considering a large remodeling project. Lex’s room has just one window and it’s a skylight, a very moldy skylight. We have been ignoring the problem for a very long time, hoping it will magically fix itself. Not really. Really it is a just a big project and an expensive project and we just haven’t had the cash or cycles for it. Last week we had two different mold companies in to evaluate the situation. We also sent away for an air sample analysis. We are also pricing skylights (not cheap!) and considering replacing those versus a larger project to add dormers and get rid of the skylights. In the process of talking to the mold guys I also noticed a new water stain on the ceiling in Eve’s room. We have old ones there and Alan had fixed the leak years ago, but now there are new ones, which means something is leaking again. Ah, the joys of home ownership, right?!

Town Politics
Alan has decided to run for a three year seat on the Selectboard. He started his campaigning uncontested, but at the last minute several other people entered the race so now he’s doing a lot more work and campaigning than he was hoping to do. He currently chairs the town Energy Commission, which he founded and has run for the past eight years. He says he’ll quit that if he gets on the Selectboard… or maybe just not Chair it anymore… we’ll see. : )

So…. that’s what’s going on in our neck of the woods. We’re just a little bit busy.