Tuesday, January 31, 2012

English *Hysteria*

The baby, who turned 16 this month, has for all intents and purposes finished his formal studies of English grammar and composition.  Wanting, however, to do a quick review of all the bits and pieces, we're now making our way orally through a textbook I likely picked up in a library sale and hadn't employed in the education of any of the other four.  It's proven itself to be a handy tool for the purpose of review.

This morning we literally skipped the section on double negatives, as "We don't have no extra chairs," is clearly non-standard and gave us both a chuckle.  No instruction from that section was necessary.  Moving to Placement of Modifiers, I said it was a section worthy of review, for it's sometimes tricky.  I didn't know it could move either of us far beyond chuckles.

Non-standard sentences were provided, and the student was to rewrite them, placing the modifying phrases in the proper positions for clear meaning.

1.  The famous explorer told us about running into a family of baboons in today's assembly.

This should have been a clue there would be a quick end to English today.

3.  The fashion display attracted an enormous crowd in the department store window.
5.  The teacher required three articles from magazines on Pike's Peak.
7.  You are the only one who can do a double somersault on the diving team.
9.  The woman was reading a mystery story in a yellow dress.
10.  We saw a meteor falling through a large telescope.

Maybe we didn't need placement of modifiers review after all.  And I was laughing so hysterically, what I needed was oxygen.  I made one attempt at moving on to participial phrases, but that family of baboons in the assembly wouldn't stop somersaulting through my mind.  Gasping for breath, I said, "I can't do this any more," tossed the fabric scrap into the book, and closed it.  [When I grow up, I'll make some real bookmarks, although rag rug strips, torn pieces of yarn labels, and folded Aldi ads can do the job.]

Thanks to the baboons and that book wearing a yellow dress, we've an extra-long lunch break today.  Not enough time, however, to get to Pike's Peak for a magazine, so I think I'll watch a another crochet tutorial.






O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!  Deuteronomy 5:29

Thursday, January 26, 2012

At Rest












Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.  James 5:8

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Election Year

Time, money, energy, attention, emotion, (false) hope, and training to ask for (the lesser of) evil(s).  Bread and circuses.  Very slow-starting film, which picks up at 2:10, and that with the erroneous expression that we live in a democracy.  With those caveats, would this film could be required viewing for all Americans.








Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8

Bathroom Chickens

This past summer, Son4 and I made chickens on the bathroom vanity top.  As unsavory as this may be, it's an improvement over the year I raised hatchery chicks in the living room for three weeks (two weeks too long), removing them barely in time to host the Thanksgiving feast.  Well, I wanted to get to watch them.  Been there, done that, and won't EVER do it again.  *grimace*

The bathroom chicken-making venture was a success.  Twice.  And since our roo-to-hen ratio is a bit askew, we'll be doing it again in the late spring.

All sired by Jamael, a black star rooster, with mamas unknown within a varied breed flock, discovering what flavors they'd be when grown was a treat.










Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.  Proverbs 30:5, 6

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Piggledy Exchange

[Scene: driving along on a country road.]

Mom:  (with a sweeping motion of her arm across the windshield) What a vista.

Son4:  What?

Mom:  (arm sweeping the windshield again) What a vista.

Son4:  I don't think anything ate it.

Mom:  What?

Son4:  I don't think anything ate it.

Mom:  Please say the last two words slowly.

Son4:  ATE IT

Mom:  I said, "What a vista."  You don't think anything ate what?

Son4:  Ohh.  I thought you were saying, "What ate this stuff?"


He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.  Proverbs 17:5