Daybook for Wednesday, November 18th

I haven't done a daybook post in a LONG time. So here's one, in case you had been missing them. LOL

Outside my window... grey, a little rainy, a little cold. It has been this kind of weather since, uh, April. Slightly warmer at times, but it was the rainiest, coolest summer I ever remember, and it is making the fall seem cooler than usual too.

I am thinking... about the Thanksgiving Feast for Montgomery Academy tomorrow.

I am thankful for... all the memories of Montgomery Academy Thanksgiving Feasts in years past. It is truly one of my favorite parties of the year.

I am wearing... a pink t-shirt, a grey hooded sweatshirt, blue sweatpants, knee socks, and my Born clogs. I am warm and comfortable. Most of the time I wear skirts, but today was a day that I just "needed" to be in sweats. Do you ever have days like that?

I am remembering... Flower's first Thanksgiving. It seems like it was yesterday, but somehow, it has been 10 years ago. I remember that she was wearing a bib that was practically as big as she was (she was 2 months old at her first Thanksgiving.)

I am going... out at some point today to get an black inkjet cartridge and a Xyron lamination refill.

I am reading... Last Girls by Lee Smith. But I'm just about to give up on it. I don't love it. I thought I would like it more - it is about a group of women that reunites four college suitemates on a boat tour of the mighty Mississippi. Thirty-five years before, inspired by reading Twain's Huckleberry Finn in class, the women floated down the same river on a manmade raft; now they are gathered at the request of their recently deceased ringleader's husband. The story unfolds through the eyes of each woman as the old friends weave college memories with their own dramas spanning the three decades since graduation. Kind of like a female Big Chill on a river. But I just don't care about the characters, and it just doesn't seem that well written. I am about 2/3 of the way through it. I did really well this summer in trying to branch out and read more (ok, start to read some again) fiction other than things by Jane Austen and Nathaniel Hawthorne. But I think I'm ready to get back to ready some non-fiction again. Some books on canning, gardening, budgeting, sewing seems like just the thing to read through the late fall and winter.

I am hoping... to get some work done on Christmas presents this weekend.

On my mind... LOL It changes from minute to minute, but usually I'm thinking about what I'm teaching that day, what we are eating that day, and trying to think of ways to get everybody to get along better.

From the learning rooms... Older kids learning lots about Ancient China for History, Nouns for Grammar, Seeds for Botany, Mercury for Astronomy, Venezuela and Connecticut for Geography, Haiku for Poetry, Horizon for Art, and Mozart for Music. The preschool kids are learning about turkeys and Thanksgiving.

Noticing that... I really need to revisit my Daily Chores Lists. I am doing too much, or what is really happening, is that I'm only getting about 2/3 of the chores done because I'm tired and I'm trying to do other people's chores because the children aren't doing them regularly anymore.

Pondering these words... "We must stay strong and immovable in faith, strong and immovable in family, and strong and immovable in relief" by Julie Beck.

From the kitchen... Chicken for lunch, and we will be having leftover ravioli for dinner tonight. I have to put the turkey in for the feast early tomorrow morning. One thing I do love about fall is the yummy, warm, comfort food.

Around the house... things are a little quieter around here this week, but yet, everyone seems to be having a harder time concentrating. Maybe there is something to be said for a little bit of chaos?? LOL

One of my favorite things ... Hot chocolate. Someone made me the best hot chocolate EVER yesterday. Thank you!

From my picture journal...

Not my tree, but mine looks just like it. This is what the Pear Trees looked like here last week. This week, there are still a few leaves hanging on. Most of the leaves on all the other types of trees have already fallen off. The Pear Leaves looked much redder this year than I remember in years past. Maybe because of all the moisture???

Visit Peggy at The Simple Women's Daybook for more daybook entries.