Two of my girls
Fab Friday
Small Town
There’s a saying in Mexico: pueblo pequeno, infierno grande. That means small town, big Hell. Based on my observations both in Mexico and the U. S., I would say it’s quite accurate. The rumor mill cranks up at the slightest hint of “news.” The rumors themselves spread at the speed of light, each version getting more outrageous. I think people make up things to fill in the blanks.
Shortly after moving to Mexico, two ladies with a Chihuahua showed up at my gate. She wanted me to take a look at her dog. There was a spot on his back that looked like maybe an insect bite or something. I was understandably puzzled by her request. I looked, told her I had no idea and sent her to the local animal supply store for a better answer. Turns out, she had “heard” I was a vet. It made sense to her, I figure, because I did move there with some pets.
The gossip changed periodically, but I was a hot topic for quite a while. My neighbor and friend, Marta, kept me updated. It’s a good thing I was paying attention because they knew things about me that I didn’t even know! I went from a veterinarian to a drug dealer overnight! I just laughed it all off. When someone finally asked me, I was happy to tell the truth: I am a teacher. I must not have had any street cred as a “narcotraficante” (drug dealer) because I was teaching English classes soon after.
The thing about a small town is that threads of kinship, friendship or work connect everyone. I just like to listen; it’s amazing what can be learned by being silent. At least that way I don’t stick my foot in my mouth!
our humble Mexican abode
One Word
What if you could only speak one word a day? How would you “spend” your word allowance? Would you waste your word in an angry shout? It’s something to think about.
All Work and No Play
I had a chance to go to my first branding this week. This was—and still is—on my bucket list. My body pulled a fast one, and I had to stay home. I was (understandably) quite disappointed. I hope I will have another chance to experience part of the sandhills tradition.
I have realized that most of my time is spent in my books. As a matter of fact, I have read two murder mysteries in the last day and a half. I read for pleasure (obviously) as well as for my grad classes. I work during the school year and pick up extra hours at my second job in the summer. I need to do something else. Something for me. I must find a way to have fun besides reading. I will be selfish with my time when I find out exactly what I want to do for fun. I’d better figure it out fast, though, because my last grad class starts June 9. Even if I don’t figure out my fun outlet before class starts, I’ll still have July and part of August to do something….
Homeschool Possibilities
Homeschooling can be accomplished in many ways. Some families unschool, others use boxed curriculum, many use an eclectic mix of materials. The possible combinations are endless. That’s the beauty of it, in my humble opinion. One curriculum doesn’t have to fit all.
I was brainstorming recently, and I came up with some things that might fit my child’s learning style. In the past we used Saxon Math. She loved it, and so did I. Math is my weak area, so a tutor might be a wonderful resource as well. For other subjects, she could take some dual credit classes either online or on campus at the local community college. There are science videos, tutorials on YouTube and some cool science websites that have great ideas for projects and experiments. Reading lists are available for classics to study for English; some can double as outside readings in history. Virtual tours and Google Earth can provide hours of learning time. Local museums are often overlooked as learning resources, too. In some communities, professional artists (potters, musicians, dancers, etc.) are available and willing to give lessons under the right circumstances. It is common for homeschooling families to trade off some teaching duties. My specialty is Spanish, so I could teach someone else’s kids Spanish while another parent expert taught mine astronomy, for example.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that parents don’t have to break the bank to teach kids at home. Once you start looking, you’ll be amazed at what you find!
Travel, Anyone?
I don’t mind working to make a living, but I feel a bout of “itchy feet” coming. If I can’t travel every now and again, what’s the point of working so hard? Anyway, I want to see the world. On my list so far: Spain, Ireland, Australia. I will jump at the chance to go to Mexico anytime since there are people I love and miss there. I often joke that I can be packed in 10 minutes, ready to go! I’m only half-joking.
The reality is that I am almost irreplaceable at home. There are pets to feed and water, so I must plan carefully for their care. It’s difficult to trust someone to take care of them like I do. I can send the dogs to daycare. Fortunately, in my town there’s a pet boarding business. I’m so thankful for a place like Koko’s Palace. I know my babies will be cared for and loved. My jobs require coverage as well. Prime travel time for me is summer, but the catch is I work more hours in the summer at my part-time job. The good news is that I can arrange time off when I need it.
Anyone else have a burning desire to see some castles and experience other cultures?
Wordless Wednesday
View of home….
Planting Seeds
I had a “Conversation” with my teen today. Capital C. After assuring her she was not in trouble, I asked some pointed questions. What’s the worst part about school? She had a ready answer—the “jacking around” is distracting and the comments some of the boys make are disgusting. Hmmmm. I then asked her what her idea of a good school day would look like and what classes she would be interested in taking. She is interested in French, astronomy, art and choir. I already knew she wanted to learn French, but the astronomy surprised me. After we had chatted a bit longer, I asked the most important question: would you like to be homeschooled again?
She smiled, then frowned. Her friend, Gen, gets to go to prom this year for the first time. She doesn’t want to miss that. I get it. Those two kids are practically joined at the hip! She surprised me by going back to the good parts of homeschooling. We’ve done it before. We could do it again.
I think if we did file as a homeschool, it would be misinterpreted by my colleagues and the community in general. It would be mistakenly perceived as a rejection of our local school. Let me say very clearly: our local school is GREAT, and the teachers and administrators are awesome people who sincerely care about the students. Do not doubt it! I haven’t taught in a better public school.
In our case, homeschooling would not be a rejection of the school; it would be a parental decision based on the needs of my child. It is an option any parent can choose. If we end up making that choice, I hope everyone will see it for what it is: a loving sacrifice a family makes for a child’s benefit.
Dreams
We all have dreams, right? My daughter wants to audition for The Voice (as mentioned in a previous post). I look for ways to support her. I take heat sometimes because not everyone agrees with how we roll at my house. We travel whenever possible, and I try to give her every opportunity. I don’t want her to look back on these teen years and think I didn’t support her. I don’t want to be that mom. You know what I mean.
I caught myself going down the dream spoiler path two or three years ago. Bela was still receiving her Pony Packs. Each shipment included a magazine with some horse-related contests. Bela found the answer to one of the questions, mailed her reply and hoped her name would be drawn out of the bucket of correct answers. I tried to prepare her for not winning. I mentioned the odds—lots of kids got the Pony Packs, so I was sure there would be hundreds of correct answers. The prize was a horse clock that neighed on the hour. After my warnings about not getting her hopes up too high, she said, “Somebody’s going to win—why not me?” I shut up and realized what I had done. I wanted to protect her from disappointment, but I could have killed her optimistic spirit. Yikes!
A few weeks later, Ysabela had mail—a box from Pony! Yep, you guessed it. Her entry was chosen for a clock! Every day the neighing reminds me to let her dream.
Relax
Yesterday was pretty amazing. A sweet dog was picked up to go to a new home, so that was the best part of my day. After that, anything else was like toppings on ice cream. Ysabela and I were invited down to have a burger off the grill. As I have mentioned, I don’t do a lot of voluntary socializing, but I always have a nice time with Stacey and Glenn. It makes it even better that our girls are great friends.
I had a blast just relaxing for a change. I’m usually high-stress; it’s easy to forget how nice it feels to sit back and relax with friends. Glenn was so funny my stomach hurt from laughing. I took a few “stealth” pictures with my cell phone and sent them to Stacey’s cell. I almost got whacked with a spatula for my trouble! Glenn doesn’t like his picture taken! I don’t care what he says, I’m posting the best one from yesterday. Stacey, this one’s for you!
Glenn in his natural habitat.
Ramblings of a Perforated Mind 