We've been having still before storm. Next week, school breaks out into all of its chaos, and I will be required to be more than I'm capable of: organized, even-keeled, prepared, a rock of Gibraltar. I'm envisioning it now, and the vision strikes that pose and then ends up collapsing laughing, or crying, or jumping, or cowering, or sledding. Yes, sledding ~~ frankly, this is one of the reason I homeschool. The global warming slopes are quite transient, and one must get their kid on the .5 inch before the sun grabs it.

Actually, Cody will be going to middle school band and encore classes, which are revolving practical arts classes, each morning. We will be rearing each morning to stand in front of the mirror where he, suddenly, enjoys positioning himself. "I look like a monster," he said this morning. Argh ... the stage stage appears. Next week, we'll be combatting hair monsters and falling-down-stair fears and hall fights, which the middle school girl tells him are frequent. When he asked me how to avoid those, I told him just not to steal anyone's girlfriend. "Mom," he said, "Do you think I could steal anyone's girlfriend?" We both started laughing loudly. I was quite pleased at his self-deprecating humor in a healthy, funny way. His autism is mild. He's breaking through!

Our afternoons will be full (hopefully! discipline needed!) of classwork. These are things that can't happen this year in order to facilitate learning:

1) A cat is not necessary to reading. Many, many minutes of literature were avoided by finding one cat in the house to plunk down on the bed to "read with". If two cats were found, they would inevitably start fighting and screeching before the first paragraph was read.

2) A science project shouldn't be on the counter longer than a week. Forget those clay brick structures demonstrating Mesapotamia. They'll never be finished as they are not our habitats.

3) Drum practice will not be avoided due to any headaches.

4) Grapes and math do not go along well together.

5) Those Spanish c.ds can't be trusted.

6) Reading "A Story of the World" on the trampoline tests the appeal of the period studied and the elbows of the reader and the desire of the feet. Not a good idea.

Therefore, with these issues addressed, I'm envisioning a fully-formed and followed afternoon of academic success.

Aiiiii .......... we'll try .......

:)