Double Down

Today, I assigned the students Vocabulary lesson 21 and Spelling lesson 21. Both are due Tuesday. Both are available on the 7th grade year page.

Space hog

The new puppy, Alani, really doesn't care who else wants to sleep on the futon. When she's sleeping, all space is her space.

Forgotten English

Somehow, I got a hold of a 2001 desk calendar called "Forgotten English," but never got to use it. Cool discovery: it's usable again for 2007. The calendar features a new archaism every day.

Today's was "sic-sic," "Said to pigs when called to the trough by those who think little that they are speaking pure Saxon, in which sic is a pig." - The Rev. John Watson's Uncommon Words Used in Halifax, 1775.

I confess that I don't get it.

Monday's was more interesting, if a bit more disgusting: "Drink-meat" defined as "Ale boiled, thickened with oatmeal, and spiced." - Georgina Jackson's Shropshire Word-Book, 1879

7th grade Grammar

In class today, we went over yesterday's homework on prepositions and introduced Grammar, Chapter 6, lessons 3 and 4, on conjunctions and interjections respectively, which will both be collected on Friday. Lessons 2, 3, and 4 can now all be found on the 7th grade year page.

The walnut is no more

Aside from watching Shel play Fate all day, I did accomplish something useful today. The walnut tree that has been in my mother's back yard for twenty years is now no more than a stump. It took Shel and I all of about half-an-hour to trim it down from some twenty feet.

For all of my father's enthusiasm for recklessly planting every tree he could find anywhere there was space to dig a hole, I sometimes wonder if my mother's enthusiasm for cutting them down might not equal it. In fairness, the wanlut did need to go, but I still hate to thin the grove more than need be.

A week without caffeine

It's been a week since I had my favorite beverage. I'm drinking caffeine-free Sprite instead. Other than chocolate, I think that I've pretty much without cafffeine all week. So far, so good. Let's see what happens when I go back to my daily routine.

Finally, a break! Now back to work.

I am pleased to say that I am finally caught up on grading and am ready to submit grades (thank goodness I didn't have to turn them in before break). I'm now ready to enjoy my vacation.

Students return on Monday. Guess I'd better get started on lesson planning.