Myanmar

the small country formerly known as Burma, has had a lot of political unrest lately. Many people have been killed in protests. This was a topic for Current Events. Apparently a UN envoy went to discuss things with the Senior General. We are getting interested in Myanmar. B.Major found it promptly on the world map in the back of his agenda book. I am remembering a great little restaurant, on East 7th St. I think? Perhaps lunch there, when we go to see the piano movie.

Film-to-school connection

B.Major's class has been studying the Reconstruction Era. Last week I read a review in the Times of a new film,"Banished". It is a documentary about three communities from which all the black residents were expelled in the early twentieth century.

We journeyed in to the Film Forum on Sunday to see it. It was fascinating. B.Major seemed to "get" it. Of course the shots of the St.Louis Arch and the occasional freight trains whistling through town kept him interested. I did have quibbles with some of the legal (real property) claims as well as some historical events which did not make it into the film (remember "Black Migrations", if you took sociology or American history in the late '70s?) but it was a very sobering and thought-provoking documentary over all.

It is always fun to go to the city. We are planning another trip on Veteran's Day to see a film about the making of a Steinway piano. B.Minor may have to be dropped off at dad's office though.

The run-up to Confirmation

It is getting closer...two more weeks. He still needs to have his "interview"--but it is hard to schedule it with the very nice (very young) director. I bought a small white photo album. We are going to work on his "Sacrament Scrapbook" this weekend.
Today was the feast of the Guardian Angels. I spent some time talking to the boys about their angels. We had a nice dinner, the good china and a layer cake. Any excuse for a party.

Shipwrecked

The Vikings foundered in a sea of Earth Science and math last week. Now B.Major is reading HP and the Order of the Phoenix. He saw the film but never read the book. Whatever.

I hope to get him on to the Scarlet Pimpernel soon.

A-viking we shall go

I was hit with an inspiration last night while doing the dishes and talking to my husband: perhaps B.Major would enjoy reading Norse sagas. When I first read them in college I was struck with how totally different they were from anything in modern (for me, post-1453) literature. They are totally narrative and psychological introspection and character self-analysis is practically nil. Fine reading for an aspie boy. Even the genealogical asides could be displayed graphically, on a chart.

On my husband's advice we started with Laxdaela. We got about 25 pages into it. He seemed to grasp the idea that it was almost like the old west. "They went west in search of land".

This may lend itself to an interesting unit study. Viking ships. Maps. Pagan/prechristian winter traditions. Long-hall building. Barn burning (whoops scratch that).

A trip to the library is indicated.

Math,science and letter writing

So far they seem to be reviewing operations and basic algebra. We spent a lot of time on the properties of matter and the scientific method. He had to read an article and write a 3-para "response" to it. He wrote about the changing polar ice cap and how it is becoming a Northwest Passage. There is also a lot of oil under it. He got an "excellent" on it :) Considering he wrote it at 9:30 last night that is pretty good. We had confirmation prep last night. He had to write a letter to the Bishop, introducing himself, telling about his life and interests, what kind of relationship he has with God, what kind of service he has done, and what he plans to do for his future ministry and service in the church. Whew. Between us, my brother (sponsor) and I managed to get him to write a pretty decent letter. I feel sorry for the bishop having to read a pile of inane letters from a bunch of thirteen-year-olds. He was also measured for his gown and is now 5'8" tall...just 2" short of mom. All his pants are too short.

There isn't much time for pleasure reading. I wish he would read on the bus, but he doesn't. Too fascinated by the variety of vehicles on our traffic-clogged roads.

Autumn holiday

This is the Boulder Field in Hickory Run State Park (PA). We spent some time climbing on the boulders and observing what there was to be seen. Mostly just lichens, but the boys noticed that along the sides there were some scrubby "islands" with a struggling blueberry bush, some moss and even a little hole where perhaps a small animal lived. The boulders were pushed here by glacier action millions of years ago. It is a fascinating site.

We also rode mules, picked apples and observed the star-spangled sky. Some constellations were identified: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Cassiopeia. A waterfall was climbed and a zoo (actually a "wild animal park") visited. B.Major was enrapt by the great horned owls. B.Minor enjoyed the sight of two lions playing with an empty beer keg. They reminded him of his kittens at home. I felt slightly guilty at seeing the animals in old-fashioned cages rather than the modern, educational, environmentally-correct habitats we've seen at other zoos (Bronx, Memphis). On the other hand I have to admit that you see the animals much more closely than when they can hide in the grass.

Not much schoolwork was done; science homework was finished up hastily on Sunday evening. It was a good break for all of us to be out in the fresh air, sunshine, starlight and water.

Six years later

I sit on the couch and watch the names being read by uniformed firefighters, police and EMS workers. Beside me is a little boy who would not have been born but for the grace of God. It is a mystery why some, like my husband, were spared, while others were not.

It was hard for all of us to focus on work today. We took it easy. B.Major worked very hard on math and earth science--after a two-hour bus ride home. We said our usual rosary decade and then reviewed a bit about the sacraments from the St.Joseph Catechism.

There is so much for him to learn, so much for me to teach him. And it seems as if there is so little time!

Fortunately, our Jewish neighbors are celebrating Rosh Hashanah starting Thursday so we have a four-day weekend. Off to the mountains, to hike, observe eagles and hawks, and stars in a less light-polluted location than here.

Friday 9/7

More bus agita. B.Major got home at 3:45, after being dismissed at 2. So I didn't push it.
We just read a bit in the Catechism about confirmation. I want him to copy some confirmation-related readings and make a sacrament scrapbook.

Thursday's work

Despite major bus aggravation (the morning bus never came at all; the PM bus didn't know they had to take him home, and had to go back to school to get him), B.Major had a good day. Lots of earth science. We were able to review chapter 1 and complete most of the chapter review. After dinner he wrote a page about what ought to be considered before a school is built near a former garbage dump. This seemed timely since he and his dad visited the former landfill site last week, to see where the future park will be.

He is reading Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of NIMH-- at least it is in his backpack. Didn't he read that in sixth grade?

En route to school we listened to much opera. Pavarotti has died. We listened to more this afternoon, especially the old favorite Nessun dorma. I was able to figure out how to access YouTube (pretty good for one who calls herself a Luddite) and we also enjoyed his performance of Vesti la giubba. Am I the only one who remembers the old commercial, "No -- more -- Rice Krispies!" ?

Cats in the basement again. Ogni dormant.

Wednesday September 5

Today:

Three HW assignments for science: basically the first chapter of Earth Science, and questions after each section.

Read "Mother Teresa" by Demi with B.Minor over tea.