Today I got up pretty early. Aidan started slow. Usually he gets up earlier than we do and “works” at the computer, then gets dressed and starts campaigning for something to eat. But today, he was shivering and wandering around, so Kevin picked him up and reshuffled his own morning routine so he spent some time in front of the fire reading Gilbert magazine and cuddling Aidan.
Kieron woke up early too and spent a few moments on the computer. I made muffins and did a few things around the house (trying to run a load of laundry through the wash in the evening so I can hang it up first thing in the morning since our dryer is still not functioning.
Sean woke up.
9 am
- Sean wanted a new book. He finished Ides of April yesterday — so much for slow reading : ). This is so typically his pattern. Sometimes he hardly reads at all then he will read a book a day for several days. If we were using Sonlight, we’d be finished with the Core Curriculum in a couple of months and then probably spend two years doing the other things : ). Fortunately, there is a sequel — so he is now reading Beyond the Desert Gate.
The boys ate breakfast. Kieron was reading something too — Aidan still with his dad, Paddy asleep, so the house was so quiet it was practically humming.
10 am
- Sean was still reading.
- I was on the phone for a few minutes. Clare is going to an opera with a friend this evening, so we were arranging travel plans.
- Clare was up by now eating and cuddling Aidan, since Kevin had gone to his office.
- Sean did his math.
- Paddy had woken up and was eating. The boys started a little impromptu wrestling and I redirected them.
11 am
- The four younger boys went outside to sled and play in the snow/ice. Aidan helped me sled firewood. We load the big sled and send it down the driveway and it ends up almost on the front porch where Brendan later hauls it inside and stacks it.
- The older boys went inside while Paddy and Aidan and I went up to the “pine cone place” (a little cul de sac near our house). BTW it’s funny how kids naturally name things around them. The big granite boulder up in that same area is called Orc Rock from time immemorial and there was also a Lizard Rock and an Olympic Hill (where they used to snowboard before a house got built there. Paddy calls Pine Cone Place because he likes to play soccer with pine cones up there, but this time the pine cones were covered with snow so we kicked around an ice block.
- Kieron walked us back to the house. Holding hands protectively with both the little ones.
- Kevin took Aidan and Sean out to play catch with the football. Aidan always brings the cooler.
- Paddy looked at books.
noon
- Lunch, and I managed an Angelus. Today is definitely a calmer day than yesterday.
- I made a protein drink for Brendan and some grilled tuna sandwiches for the little ones. Everyone else got their own.
- I had a quick bath.
- We listened to Celtic harp music in the kitchen.
1 pm
- Clare and Brendan and I sat by the fire and chatted…. rather, conversed and covered lots of religion and history and topical stuff.
- Sean, Kieron and Paddy went outside.
- Brendan stacked logs.
- Aidan took a nap. He’s awake now. I hope he isn’t getting sick…
- I came up here to write this. Brendan tells me he is starting his third revision of the new book he’s writing.
- Clare is practicing the piano
Pretty soon we have to go drive Clare to her friend’s house, and stop by the PO and library. So this is pretty much going to conclude the log of events for today. I have been trying to keep closer track of the day, partly because it’s January and I’m checking my systems, and partly because several real learning people have started journal type blogs. Lissa has one she started a long time ago; Elizabeth just started one; and a couple of other people have too, including Amyable. There may be others I haven’t discovered. I started this one in May specifically in order to keep closer track of the learning that takes place “everywakinghour” and before that I had a private one that is now mostly devoted to sharing photos with relatives.
It takes me about 20 minutes to type this out and that’s a bit of a pain, but jotting it down during the day in a little notebook has been a definite plus because it helps me stay in among the details instead of drift. Also, I get ideas for follow-up, and make observations about the kids, when I’m keeping up the habit of being aware of what they’re doing. And though this log is time-consuming, I am really VERY glad I have the records from earlier days because it gives me a picture of our life.
