January 11, 2011 5:48 p.m.

1/11/11

Joy in the simple things.

Yesterday, we completed a week’s worth of Calvert lessons, or five lessons, in the Third and Sixth Grade courses.  I had been bracing myself for a lot of stress and strain and short tempers.  Actually, the very first lesson day was very long due to a lot of Math warmup for Chips.  But since that day, all of the others have gone great.  Part of the reason, I know, is because we haven’t had many afternoon activities scheduled.  This means nowhere to go mid-afternoon, which translates to being able to get through our lesson work without the mad dash out the door to wherever.  This is very helpful for me.  Another reason is that I have been very self disciplined about not surfing the internet until lesson time is over.  Not at all, from waking up until the afternoon.  It has helped keep the days efficient.  But the other reason is that both children have had pretty good attitudes about their lessons.  Sweet Girl has displayed a lot of enthusiasm about learning.  We begin talking about a topic and she just takes off with it, bringing in all sorts of relevant examples, experiences, opinions, and details.  Chips has whined about a couple of things, but overall has been pretty cooperative and happy in his work.

Over the weekend, we began to take down our Christmas decorations.  We normally keep them up through Epiphany, so they are often still up a week after most folks have put theirs away.  Saturday morning, we started in after breakfast taking down the tree, and then everything else afterwards.  Both children pitched in with good attitudes and effort.  As a result, we were able to get things done more quickly than I ever remember.  Our working together cheerfully made for an idyllic scene.  Their behavior, even our entire Christmas season this year, has been terrific.  It was a good break, followed by a healthy start into a new school year.

Even Self-Reliant Man is happier these days.  He is very satisfied with the accuracy and precision of his new air rifle.  It is everything he had hoped for.  How ‘bout that?

In addition, over the Christmas break (he was home 17 days in a row) he was able to fix a problem he has lived with in his hobby car for about 30 years.  Thanks to the internet, he discovered that the carburetors in his car had been rebuilt improperly, both of them, in the same way.  He took them apart and replaced one part which had been installed improperly … twice … and reassembled them.  After installing them, he is able to start his car just about on the first try, no matter the temperature or weather. 

Well needless to say, he is just tickled over this, and has been driving the car to work ever since, any sunny day that he can (psst… he can’t drive it in the rain, but that’s a story for another time).  It was a perfect example of the money savings that can be realized through internet research.

We are also moving into the music performance and competition time of the year, as I mentioned in a previous post.  A week from Friday, we have a recital in our schedule.  I truly am looking forward to it.  In addition, we know a boy in our church who is a gifted piano student.  Chips will be working with him, beginning this Friday, to be able to perform two hymns together (on piano and violin).  Also our lessons have been great these past few weeks with our violin teacher.  The children are, indeed, nearly ready for their springtime competitions.

Chips eagerly anticipates the arrival of a new bow in the mail.  You see, he was wanting some sort of a gadget for Christmas, something like an electronic organizer, and I ordered an older, used Palm Pilot

from Amazon.   Just the kind of thing he would love to tinker with, exploring all the functions , a step up from the multi-function wristwatch.  Well, the device never did arrive.  I guess we had been “had”, but Amazon stands behind their sales and refunded us. 

Chips has been frustrated with his 3/4 length bow because he always seems to have to adjust the horsehair tension between pieces, each piece requiring a different tension.  As this is not the best position to be in on competition day, because he will have to play five pieces in immediate succession before a judge in February, we decided that a new bow is in order.  So we told him we would apply the Palm Pilot money to order him a decent bow.  He was okay with that idea, and voila, we ordered a carbon fiber bow for him.

I am guessing that the bow could have a positive psychological effect, on account of it not being the cheapest one available (like all the bows he has had until now).  We anxiously await its arrival.  It will surely enhance practice time, you know what I mean?

Long story short….. I am finding a lot of joy in my day job these days.