Homeschooling Meme

Our friends in the Northern Hemisphere are all gearing up for the new academic year, while those of us in the South have our eyes fixed firmly on the finish line - only a few short weeks away now. ( Or is that just me and mine I'm describing?)

In the midst of all the excitement, Mama Squirrel from Dewey's Treehouse has tagged me for this homeschool meme. To be honest I was kinda overwhelmed - she is such an Überblogger and all. Oh my! The thrill of it all!

The meme. Oh right.

It sorta works better at the start of a year rather than the almost end, but I thought I'd have a bit of a go at replying.

In case you're interested.

I guess Mama Squirrel might be, at any rate.

1. One homeschooling book you have enjoyed

I haven't read a lot of homeschooling books, but my favourite three are For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay; When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper; and When You Rise Up by R C Sproul Jr.

The first one inspired me to consider homeschooling Jemimah in the first place. The second defined much of what a Charlotte Mason looks like chez nous. The third one helped me to find the goals of education from a Reformed perspective that I found very similar to my own. I reread all three of these annually.

Of course I also constantly reread all of Charlotte Mason's books too - especially Volume 6.

Any question that asks me to restrict myself to just one book of any genre is just plain silly anyhow. (Unless it is the Bible.)

2. One resource you wouldn't be without

Google? My home library? My iPod? My blog (because that's where I store everything)?

Apart from these, probably Anne White's Plutarch Study Guides. I can do most subjects by myself, but without these guides, our Plutarch study would be a failure, to be honest. Anne's ability to pick out what is important and her way of explaining what is going on in each selection is just about invaluable, and makes Citizenship one of our favourite and most successful subjects. I would not study a Plutarch life without her by my side. Maybe in a few years, but not now.

3. One resource you wish you had never bought

My timeline book. Not because I don't like it - I think it is lovely - but I bought it too early before Jemimah's ability to understand the chronology of time had developed. I felt guilty when I neglected this book and it caused my lots of angst when I gave up on it for a term. Now that she is older, we are using it with far more success. In hindsight I should have stuck with a timeline or with a book with pages that open out into a timeline like this one. I blogged about our struggle with time here.

4. One resource you enjoyed last year

Why does this silly meme keep asking for one of things? I'll answer this for this year, because last year is...well... a year ago, and I can't remember.

I am delighted with how Pet Shop Maths is going. It is painless and fun. Jemimah is not learning anything new, but she is consolidating and practicing her skills and learning about maths as a practical subject not a theoretical one.

I also love Minimus Latin. Spelling Wisdom is doing great things, and though I wouldn't say Jemimah 'enjoys' using it, she is seeing fruit for her labours, so I am pleased with it. She is happier with The Silver Spoon for Children. She has been cooking her way through this book for our Kitchen Garden subject, and she has had a ball. Her Daddy and I have enjoyed the results as well!! I'll blog about this sometime.

I've loved most of the stuff we've used this year, but I'll stop now.

5. One resource you will be using next year

I'm going to follow Mama Squirrel's lead and try Mission Monde for French. We will start with a lower level than she is using with Crayons, her daughter, though. We will begin with Mission Monde Level 1, which is Grade 4 standard. I like the Mission focused sound of this course.

Most other things we will continue from this year.

6. One resource you would like to buy

A new camera. But that will have to wait a little longer. I have just succumbed to the lure of an iPad, and I will let you know how useful this is as I begin using it. Right now it is still a novelty.

7. One resource you wish existed

An Australianised Ambleside Online. That's why I'm creating one as we go.

8. One homeschool catalogue you enjoy reading

I only read two. I like the list of Free-read type books in the Sonlight catalogue, and the list of Christian books in the Veritas Press one. (Oops, just found myself distracted there by Veritas. Bad girl.)

9. One homeschooling website you use regularly

AO, of course. And MEP maths. I know I'm not using this this term, but we will continue where we left off next year. Still really recommend this programme.

10 Tag six other homeschoolers

If you would love to play along I would love to hear from all of you!

I am especially interested to hear the answers of these ladies though:

Renelle from Dove's Rest
Richele from Barefoot Voyage
Ellen from The Bluestocking Belle
Laura Lou from Wasted Textbooks
Erin from Seven Little Australians and Counting
Amy from Marigold Cottage

You can read Mama Squirrel's answers here.

Brandy's answers are here.

Anyone else?

Echidna Pie, anyone?

Isn't this little fella just the cutest thing? We had to hustle him off the road yesterday in order to prevent him being roadkill pie.

Well actually, preparing an echidna for pie does not really sound like my idea of a good time. Nor, to be honest, does eating one. Imagine getting one of those spikes lodged in your gullet on the way down - it sorta puts a fish bone to shame, doesn't it?

Anyhow, regardless of our culinary interest in him, we did not want him squashed on the road, and so we shuffled him into a far safer home. He is so cute after all. Did I say that already?

The best nature study is always unplanned, I find. It is one thing to read about the twisted funny looking hind limbs and the long grooming claw of this lovely animal, and quite another to see them in action! Similarly, up close we could see the soft brown hair in between those scary spines, making the echidna's classification as a mammal a little more believable. We looked at his bright button eyes and his long snout with the nostrils at the tip, and discussed its ideal configuration for searching out the ants and termites that comprise its diet. We even plucked up enough courage to test out those spines!!

Apparently the echidna actually tastes quite good if you can be bothered preparing it. George Tobin, who travelled with Captain William Bligh on The Bounty back in 1792 reports that 'the animal was roasted and found of a delicate flavour'! Here's the rest of Captain Bligh's entry about the little creature:

An animal shot at Adventure Bay. It had a beak like a duck - a thick brown coat of hair, through which the points of numerous Quills of an inch long projected these very sharp - It was 14 inches long & walked about on 2 legs. Has very small Eyes & five claws on each foot - Its mouth has a small opening at the end of the Bill & had a very small tongue -W.B.

Personally I'd rather just look at him, but there's no accounting for taste, I guess.

(Yes I know he's a protected species. I'm just being a little bit silly!)

Christian Movie Number 7

You may remember that I am trying to compile a list of the Top Ten Christian Movies. You may also recall that I am finding it a bit difficult. Still, I am optimistic. I'll get there eventually.

My list so far - up to number 6 - is here.

Today I watched number 7. Yup, I did. It is Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, and it is exceptionally good. It's the story of the life of the world renowned paediatric neurosurgeon, Dr Benjamin Carson.

In 1961 when the film begins, Benny is 11. He's black. He comes from a single parent family. He can barely read. And he has a temper he can't control.

He also has an exceptional mother. A mother who loves her sons and who wants a better life for them than she had. She is also a committed Christian.

Benny's mother sees that telly is having a negative influence on her two boys, and so she limits them to two or three programmes a week and then sends them to the library to read. At least two books a week. With book reviews. She has them learn their multiplication tables. And do picture study. And music appreciation. Okay, she doesn't call them that, but that's what they are. It's all very CMish in fact.

This young man comes third in his High School Class and gains a scholarship to Yale. Eventually he wins one of only two positions as Neurosurgical Intern at the prestigious John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland.

He gets there because of the intentional parenting of his mother. He gets there because of books. And he gets there because of his unwavering faith in God.

This is a film highly deserving of position number 7.

5 or 6 hours outside

I make a point, says a judicious mother, of sending my children out, weather permitting, for an hour in the winter, and two hours a day in the summer months.

That is well; but it is not enough. In the first place, do not send them; if it is anyway possible, take them; for, although the children should be left much to themselves, there is a great deal to be done and a great deal to be prevented during these long hours in the open air. And long hours they should be; not two, but four, five, or six hours they should have on every tolerably fine day, from April till October.

Impossible! says an overwrought mother who sees her way to no more for her children than a daily hour or so on the pavements of the neighbouring London squares.

Let me repeat, that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household, but what seems to me absolutely best for the children; and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them. A journey of twenty minutes by rail or omnibus, and a luncheon basket, will make a day in the country possible to most town dwellers; and if one day, why not many, even every suitable day?

Charlotte Mason Home Education pp 43-44

Five or six hours of every day outside. Well...

It's simple to achieve Miss Mason's impossible ideal on a beautiful day like today. It's the other 364 days a year that I struggle a bit. Particularly those days where the murcury reaches as high as 48°C or as low as 8°C.

What about you? Do you aim to get outside as long each day with your kidlets as Charlotte Mason recommends?

PS Did you see my lovely new toy?

After the Rain

And it is almost the weekend again. Nice.

We're off to see The Australian Ballet's British Liaisons programme on Saturday night.

I adore, adore, adore Arvo Pärt’s ethereal Spiegel im Spiegel , so I am particularly excited about seeing Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain danced to this exquisite music.

The Australian Ballet's blog, Behind Ballet includes a link to the ballet danced by Damian Smith and Yuan Yuan Tan at the Fire Island Dance Festival last year with a backdrop of the sea and the setting sun. Isn't it just sublime?



I think the rest of what we're up to over the weekend pales into insignificance after that. I'll just stop now.

What are you up to?

The Little Wooden Horse

Jemimah and I read Mark Wilson's The Little Wooden Horse today as a gentle introduction to our Australianised AO4 Term 3 history period, 'The Arrival of the First Fleet and the British Settlement of Australia'. It was a terrific story.

I think we were all taught that there were convicts on the First Fleet who were sent to Australia for stealing a single loaf of bread to feed their starving families. What is less well known is that some of these unfortunate people were children. Most of them died during the months long sea crossing, or of consumption upon their arrival, but even for those who survived, life in the new colony was pretty grim.

This book tells the story of two orphan children, Elizabeth and Tom who survive only because of their courage and strength and the friendship they have for each other. It is a fascinating story, and was an accurate introduction to the historical period we were aiming to cover.

I am becoming increasingly impressed with Mark Wilson's recent books for children. I have blogged already here about two of these - the first two books of his Children in War Trilogy, My Mother's Eyes, and Angel of Kokoda. Both are excellent additions to an ANZAC library. His collaboration with Gary Crew on the I Saw Nothing series about extinct Australian animals also produced three terrific books. I blogged on I Saw Nothing - The Extinction of the Thylacine here.

His most recent series is titled Ben and Gracie's Art Adventure. The first of these, about the artwork of Frederick McCubbin, was published in April of this year. Tom Roberts is coming soon! You can read more about this series here. I'll definitely be on the lookout for these. They look great.

If they're anywhere near as good as The Little Wooden Horse, I'll be well pleased.

Astonish Me

A spectacular and magical short film made by the WWF to celebrate their 50th anniversary, Astonish Me introduces some of the extraordinary species recently found around the world.

The WWF website says that the number of discovered species is about 1.75 million. They also state that there could be 5 million, 10 million or maybe even more, new species out there to be discovered. Isn't that just mind-blowing?

You can learn more about the new species introduced in the film here.

How many are your works, LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

Psalm 104:24-30 NIV

Slow down, you move too fast

I guess you all know by now that I'm not a curriculum switcher. I make my decisions based on thorough research, and that's pretty much that. I then I spend my valuable time thinking about other things. Like where to go on holidays, or what books I absolutely need this week. Important stuff.

The other thing I do rarely is change my mind mid term. Actually, I don't think I've ever done that.

Until now. Let me elucidate.

I've been becoming increasingly concerned about Jemimah's maths. Now before you leap to your feet in alarm - or worse, in glee - let me reassure you that I still love MEP maths. I think it is a great fit for our daughter, and I have been incredibly impressed by her progress in this subject.

And that is precisely the issue I've been grappling with: My nine-year-old Grade 3 daughter is halfway through MEP Year 5 maths.

She is going too fast.

I am beginning to see her enthusiasm wane as she gets into more and more complicated concepts, and I really, really don't want her to start disliking a subject that she is so very good at.

Which led me to Simple Charlotte Mason's Business Maths Series - something that I've been looking at for a while. In this programme, kids use their maths knowledge to run a virtual sports store, pet shop or book store. Of course in Jemimah's case it just had to be a pet store!! They practice addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They learn about budgeting, making sound financial decisions, paying accounts, balancing a ledger, and about managing a profitable business. And hopefully at the very same time, they have fun!

And so yesterday, I bought a virtual pet store. It's called 'Jemimah's pet paradise', and it is owned by...well...Jemimah. Obviously.

Today, she developed a logo, printed promotional stickers and posters and decided on her inventory. Keeping within budget, of course. Tomorrow she'll decide on a mark-up and make price stickers. Pretty soon she'll be open for business.

Today she spend her whole afternoon doing maths. I wonder how long that amazing state of affairs will last! So far, so good. Actually, I don't think she really believes that it is real, that this is what she's doing for mathematics.

I'm really excited. Having looked through the teacher's book I can see practice in a significant number of the maths skills she's mastered in MEP up to now. I can see application. I can see that Jemimah will begin to see the relevance of maths to every day life.

I haven't decided yet how we'll incorporate the programme into our term. You've heard of the term de-schooling, I guess? Where you do no school to sort of recover from being at school? Well, for a short time we're demathsing. During this period our Pet Store is all we'll be doing. Later, MEP will return. Maybe once we've finished the whole kit and caboodle; maybe before. I don't know yet.

I like this programme because it's giving maths practice in a relaxed but realistic way. It's rigourous but in a very different way from MEP. It's exciting and challenging.

I think it will slow my girl down in just the right way.

Books are...

...full of old friends - and new ones yet to meet.

What are books to you? Books are...

A Day on the Farm

I'm afraid I'm not very good at Homeschool Speak.

When we spend time outside we call it playing - not physical education; or gardening - not botany; or hockey - not team building. Our cooking is what we do to get cake - not home economics or domestic science. We don't practice our fine motor skills when we get out the blocks, or consumer education at the supermarket.

And we don't do field trips, either. We just live life, and take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Our lifestyle is full of learning, but we live this way because knowledge is fun and interesting; not because it is school. And this is the attitude I hope to instill in Jemimah.

I suppose part of this lackadaisical attitude to homeschool vocabulary comes from not having strict regulatory bodies overseeing our day-to-day education. Here in Victoria, homeschooling requires little more than annual registration. We have no visits, no portfolios, no educational transcripts and no educational application process.

Maybe if I did, we would do field trips as well.

Last night at the pub (for dinner - not alcohol awareness training), we caught up with Christian friends who have a farm. They commented that they had were busy feeding more than twenty orphan lambs, the majority of which had been born in the last few days. Of course, my first thought was about how much my daughter would love to feed those lambs. Not to fulfill the obligations for her animal husbandry or agriculture elective, but merely because she is a nine-year-old girl with a passion common to almost every nine-year-old girl of my acquaintance - that of the serious cuteness of helpless baby animals.

So today we went on a visit to a farm.

We went to visit friends, but at the same time we managed to learn an awful lot about sheep. We saw first-hand the benefits of a sufficient feed of colostrum in a newborn. We saw the tragic manifestations of peripheral shutdown in a littly that was failing to thrive. We learned about the anatomy of the ewe's udder and teats. We multiplied the cost of a sheep by the number of orphans and subtracted the cost of the milk powder to discern the viability of hand feeding. We discovered that ewes will adopt an orphan provided certain conditions are adhered to. We learned about the increased incidence of birthing problems and multiple births with the age of the mother. We examined the strong legs and cloven hooves. We saw the differences between male and female lambs (!). We learned a whole heap more as well.

On our way home - after afternoon tea and some delicious bikkies - we recited the 23rd Psalm together and talked about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We discussed the differences between David's role as Shepherd and that of our friends, Gee and Elle. But it wasn't Bible Study.

Whatever it would be called in educational homeschool speak, our day on the farm was an awful lot of fun. We spent time with friends (socialisation?) and we spent time together. We learned lots too, but in the scheme of things, that's kinda irrelevant isn't it?

It was just a great day out together.

We're going again in two weeks to see how the lambs are growing.

Somebody can't wait (patience, delayed gratification)!

After the floods

And so my holiday draws to a close.

I spent today in Melbourne's Chinatown with a girlfriend from uni days and her most delightful 13 yo daughter. We had much too much to eat at yum cha, and then waddled slowly up the road to see the wonderful Indigo exhibition at the Chinese Museum. I so enjoyed the opportunity of viewing these rare cotton embroideries in real life and not in the pages of books. Worked in blue thread on white cotton by the peasant girls of Sichuan province in southwest China, the pieces on display were collected from the remote mountainous regions by George and Robina Arnott-Rogers who were missionaries with the China Inland Mission between 1895 and 1914. I was in that region of China myself in 1995, and you know, I don't reckon it had changed all that much!

Down to Geelong tomorrow for church and my brother-in-law's birthday (Happy Birthday, Mr B!), and then home to my lovely fam. Can't wait to see their photos.

I have so loved having the opportunity to spend this time with you all. I haven't actually talked about any of the topics I'd planned for, but I have posted lots on what interested me at the time, and I have been so appreciative of everyone who has cared enough to drop in and leave a word or two. Thanks, dear friends.

I have wanted to update you on life post floods, but it is really hard knowing what to say, and so I have put it off until right at the end. I guess the hard bit is helping you to understand that nothing really is happening and why that is so. You see, we worked really hard during the first month to get Jemimah back home. After that we concentrated on making our home habitable and clean enough to be healthy. Each day we would clear a room and spread Domestos over the green or white fluffy mould that was growing, only to have to do the same thing over again the next week. In April I posted this update. That's sort of where we still are.

Three days a week I am working 8 am-8 pm. 12 hours straight. Jemimah comes with me and does school independently. Maths, French, Latin, reading... narration and maths over lunch. They are incredibly long days for me, and they are longer and more difficult for a nine year old. At 8 we head home for a late tea, I read her a bedtime story and it's off to bed. Devotions and memory verses and singing and recorder practice before we leave in the mornings. Disrupted sleep because of the mice. Yuck. What can you do though, when they can get through the holes in the walls?

On Thursdays we read, and read, and read, and read. History, geography, literature, citizenship, Shakespeare, you name it, we read it. Same on Friday morning, and then free reads aloud in the car in the afternoon on the way to Melbourne. Home Sunday night.

Work on Monday.

It's even worse for hubby. After he puts Jemimah to bed he heads back to work until midnight. He's back in the mornings again at 6 am. No, it is not sustainable long term. And yes, that is why this Daddy - Daughter Ski Trip was so precious to us.

Our first priority at the moment is to ensure that our business post floods is viable and sustainable. We've given ourselves six months to do that. By the end of September we should have some idea of where we're heading into the future. Until that time though, it is just heads down, bottoms up. Since our insurance company has not covered us for flood damage, we do not have the money required to repair our home, even if we had the time and energy to think about it. And so we don't, mostly.

Let me hasten to reassure you that unlike many of the houses in town, ours is comfortable. We have good heating and warm beds to sleep in and comfortable sofas to sit on. The mice are not really that much of a problem. We just set lots of traps!!

I can also report that we have now employed a girl to do much of the work that I am doing. I will shortly be able to cut my hours in the office back to mornings only, and we should manage nicely combining that amount of work with school until the end of the year. Next year I hope that I might be able to resume doing my work from home as I always have with only occasional busy times. I know I can juggle that much - that is normal for me.

We are working hard to reduce our mortgage. It is impossible to consider putting more money into our home until we have paid back a considerable amount of the debt that we accrued in renovating it the first time. Until then we camp!

We are thankful to all of you who remember to uphold us in prayer. You are dear, dear friends. We ask that you might continue to pray for the strength to persevere. We pray that our faith might grow. We pray that we might know God's will for our family and that we might be prepared to go wherever he wants us to go to further his kingdom. We always felt that we were when he wanted us to be, but right now we are not so certain. We pray that we will heed his call. We pray that we might stay well spiritually, physically and emotionally. This natural disaster has taken an enormous psychological toll on our entire community, and it is estimated that 15% of people have left town never to return. It is still unknown whether our town will recover. I hope so though.

I am confident, though, that our family will come through this stronger and closer than ever. They say natural disasters either draw you together or pull you apart. In our case at least, it has done the former.

For that I am eternally thankful.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

Silly goose

It's a Book.That's it. A BOOK!

"Come to think of it, just the other day I heard Mr Pumpkin telling Bill that Books are very precious. 'He who owns Books and loves them is wise.' That is what he said.

"He who owns Books and loves them is wise, repeated Petunia to herself. And she thought as hard and as long as she could. "Well then," she said at last, "if I take this Book with me, and love it, I will be wise too. And no one will call me a silly goose ever again."

So Petunia picked up the Book and off she went with it.

She slept with it...

She swam with it.

And knowing that she was so wise, Petunia also became proud,

and prouder

and prouder...

Petunia Roger Duvoisin 1950

Cumulative songs

Now Rebecca's reminded me of cumulative songs!

Here's A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea just for her. It's one of Jemimah's Daddy's childhood songs as well. Only when we sing it we say 'an 'ole' instead of a hole. Wonder why?



And here's a few more of my favourites:

• Green Grow the Rushes, O!
• There was an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
• The Court of King Caractacus
• The Twelve Days of Christmas
• The Green Grass Grew all Around
• Widdicombe Fair

Do your family sing any others?

More fun and nonsense

How could I have forgotten The Court of King Caractacus?

Yes, I can sing it. My husband and daughter can't. Hah!



Can you?

Nonsense songs

Across an empty stall a green cloth was fastened, so high that the heads of the operators were not seen. A little curtain flew up, disclosing the front of a Chinese pagoda painted on pasteboard, with a door and window which opened quite naturally. This stood on one side, several green trees with paper lanterns hanging from the boughs were on the other side, and the words "Tea Garden," printed over the top, showed the nature of this charming spot.

Few of the children had ever seen the immortal Punch and Judy, so this was a most agreeable novelty, and before they could make out what it meant, a voice began to sing, so distinctly that every word was heard,--

"In China there lived a little man,
His name was Chingery Wangery Chan."

Here the hero "took the stage" with great dignity, clad in a loose yellow jacket over a blue skirt, which concealed the hand that made his body. A pointed hat adorned his head, and on removing this to bow he disclosed a bald pate with a black queue in the middle, and a Chinese face nicely painted on the potato, the lower part of which was hollowed out to fit Thorny's first finger, while his thumb and second finger were in the sleeves of the yellow jacket, making a lively pair of arms. While he saluted, the song went on,--

"His legs were short, his feet were small,
And this little man could not walk at all."

Which assertion was proved to be false by the agility with which the "little man" danced a jig in time to the rollicking chorus,--

"Chingery changery ri co day,
Ekel tekel happy man;
Uron odesko canty oh, oh,
Gallopy wallopy China go."

Under the Lilacs 1878 Louisa May Alcott

We were talking about nonsense songs from our childhood on a CM list I belong to this morning. It brought back lots of fun memories. These songs, whilst rightly called nonsense songs, are an awful lot of fun to sing, and I am not surprised that Jemimah enjoys singing them as much as I do.

My favourite song of this type was a silly little verse taught to me by my cousins called 'Once upon a time on the land of Chan'. It is rather racist, I guess, but that never stopped me singing it on every long car journey - and teaching it to my impressionable daughter.

I know, bad mumma.

Anyhow, I googled...as you do...only to discover that my little ditty - or a variation of it at least - was known by Louisa May Alcott right back in 1878. I wonder whether she wrote it or whether it was a well known children's song even then? Opinions on google seem divided on that point.

This is my version of it. For posterity. Or whatever. Indulge me, hey! Ahem...

Once upon a time in the land of Chan
There lived a funny little, funny little man.
His nose was long and his feet were small
And the poor little fellow couldn't walk at all.

Chickeracka roo chee
Cha chicka laura
Honky, ponky polly wally wack.
Hokey Pokey Echikioty
Echiky, echiky o-ty.

His servants carried him in a sedan,
that funny little, funny little gentle-man.
Now here he comes and there he goes,
That funny little chap with the handsome nose.

Chickeracka roo chee
Cha chicka laura
Honky, ponky polly wally wack.
Hokey Pokey Echikioty
Echiky, echiky o-ty.

Okay. You're entirely edified now, aren't you?

I also loved Flee Fly Flo. Remember that one?

Never ending songs are really fun to sing as well...ever been to nowhere?

Chuffle luffle steam train,
Chuffle up the track.
Chuffle up to nowhere
and chuffle uffle back.
"Ever been to nowhere?"
"No, what's there?"
"Nothing!" "Nothing?"
Nothing but a steam train...(repeat ad infinitum)

Do you have a favourite nonsense song - or a never ending one? Do share.

Now don't get me onto songs like John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. I'm full of songs like that as well. What a lot of rubbish resides in my brain. No wonder I can never remember anybody's name.

Do you think they're twaddle? Probably. What about Edward Lear? Do you think he is? I don't mind really - it won't stop us enjoying them. I just wondered.

Probably, I think.

Oh well. The kids in Under the Lilacs seemed to enjoy them.

AO4 Term 3 subject by subject

Year 4 Schedule



I don't know about you, but when I put together my plans for a new term I present them with my fingers crossed behind my back. If things go exactly as I expect, then this is what I'll be doing this term. If nobody dies, if our house isn't washed away in floods, if I don't have to work full time, then this is what I'll be doing. That sort of stuff.

This year, of course, I've entered into school planning with all of these things as a given. My dear Dad had died; our house has been decimated; I am working full time. If this year is going to work then it has to work with the minimum of stress. Because, really, I. just. can. not. take. any. more. If it is too hard, it is out. Just like that.

So this then is what's been good, bad or indifferent in the first two terms of AO4 and what we're doing differently in term 3. If you're interested, of course.

Copywork/Dictation

We do two days of Studied Dictation per week, with Copywork on the other three. We've been using Spelling Wisdom from Simply Charlotte Mason for dictation for a year now. Jemimah's spelling is still 'atroshus', but we persevere. As I look back over the months I do notice an improvement, and that's all I'm asking for really. I just wish it were faster, that's all! I will stop beating my head on the table now. We chose copywork sentences from our books. Sometimes they're grammar rules; at other times they're sentences from literature or history. Occasionally we use pages from New Wave Handwriting Book D to correct any errors in style that crop up occasionally. We use the Victorian font.

Grammar

We've been using Karen Andreola's Simply Grammar this year. So far we've covered Subjects, Predicates, Nouns, Verbs, Adverbs and Adjectives. We do the work mostly orally, but Jemimah writes the grammar rules to be memorised into a book as copywork. Then she learns them! The book is pretty good, but I think if I were looking at grammar books again, I'd just purchase Charlotte Mason's original books, First Grammar Lessons Parts 1 and 2 and be done with it.

This term we're going to do something different and read either Edith Nesbit's Grammar-Land or Nuri Mass' Australian equivalent, The Little Grammar People. I'll need to wait until I get home to compare the two books - I'll decide which I prefer and let you know if you like. (Do not be silly enough to pay $375.00 +postage for a copy of The Little Grammar People, will you? Oh my goodness gracious me.)

Latin

We also get to practice some grammar using our Latin programme, Minimus. We're delighted with how well this Latin course is working for us so far, and I think we'll just about finish Book 1 by the end of term. Next year we might read through the Mini Books to get a bit more vocabulary down before we move onto Minimus Secundus.

French

We're not so happy with the fit of our French course, Nallenart's L'Art de Lire. Nothing you can put your finger on, just lots of non-specific groans when the book comes out of the cupboard. Mama Squirrel is using Mission Monde with Crayons. This is a new programme to me, but I love that it's mission based, and I'm going to look into it a bit for next year. It's not cheap though...

Fortunately our oral French is going better. We still read classic French books at bedtime, and Jemimah's Francophone Daddy is relieved that her accent is much better than mine! Le Ballon rouge by Albert Lamorisse is our current book. (We have it in English as well.)

Maths

We're still coasting our way through MEP Year 5. This level is a bit of a stretch so far with lots of new stuff to learn, but Jemimah is doing incredibly well with this UK based maths course. We still need to do some more work on times tables sometime.

Typing

I really want to use a course (that I can't remember the name of) that is recommended by my brother and highly endorsed by my two nephews, but I keep putting it off until I can install the programme on our home computer. Apparently you can install it on more than one computer, so Jemimah could type both at home and at work, but it doesn't synchronise your progress over both computers, which would be really frustrating I suspect. Anyhow, since the year is rapidly disappearing, I'm going to use the online BBC course, Dance Mat Typing as an interim introductory measure. It least it will prevent bad habits developing, and encourage correct finger placement. Maybe next year we can use the proper course.

Folksongs

Our English folksongs for term 3 are here. It's a term of songs that are really special to me, and I hope that they will become special to Jemimah too, as she learns the 'themesongs' of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

French folksongs are here. I can't wait to learn Ah ! Mon beau château as a round. It is a really good term, even if I must say to myself!!

Psalms

We continue to learn Psalms in both French and English, but since the Psalters are at home I can't tell you which ones we'll be learning. Sorry.

Composer study

In a break from our one composer per term study, we're going to use the Opera for Everyone lessons that I first discovered at Linda Faye's Charlotte Mason Help. They look really good. Plus they are free, and you know how I love free!

Opera Australia is performing Verdi's La Traviata in November, so we'll study this one first and then go and hear it in real life. Yes, I know that it is about a courtesan, but Jemimah is still at an age where she will be satisfied with the idea that Violetta just has lots of boyfriends, so I think we should manage without embarrassment. Our only other visit to the opera was a triumph, so let's see if we can make this one just as successful!!

Shakespeare

I was ecstatic about the way our the whole family enjoyed our first Shakespeare production, Much Ado about Nothing last term, and I really want to follow it up with another comedy. Until then, I think we will practice some Shakespeare readings aloud using puppets, and maybe watch some classic telly productions. If we can see some Shakespeare Under the Stars in the summer we will.

Music

I wish it were possible for Jemimah to learn an instrument from a proper music teacher, but she can't, and so we persevere with me teaching her the recorder. We manage to make a joyful noise, but not much more, using Penny Gardiner's Nine Note Recorder Method.

I'm hoping Santa might buy us new recorders for Christmas.

Memorisation

Jemimah is currently learning Romans 8: 28-38 from last term. It is a long passage, and is causing her some grief, for some reason, but we shall persevere. She learns a shorter verse in French as well. I haven't chosen this yet.

She is up to Q85 in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. 21 more to learn. What a hero!! I wish I remembered them as well as she does!

We also learn a poem of her choice for her to recite 'with feeling' to Daddy come exam time. Wonder what she'll select?!

Poetry

We're following the AO poetry rotation. Wordsworth this term. I just love the AO compilations of appropriate poems to print out. We simply read one or two a day. That's all!

Picture Study

A brief deviation from the AO rotation this term to study Eugene von Guérard's work. You'll remember we attended the exhibition of his works, Nature Revealed, at the National Gallery of Victoria earlier this year.

Bible

I would like introduce Jemimah to private devotions shortly, but until we have more time at home and a more regular timetable, that will need to wait. Until then we are going through Sinclair Ferguson's Big Book of Questions and Answers about Jesus together. It is a little young for Jemimah, but is still worth doing. Sermon prep on Fridays, Family Devotions at dinner, Sunday school on Sunday.

Citizenship

I love, love, love Anne White's Study Guides for Plutarch. They take a potentially difficult book and make it a delight!

We've already studied Poplicola, the 'life' on this term's AO Plutarch rotation, so we've settled for Titus Flamininus, another life that has a complete Anne Study Guide. I don't think I could yet tackle this subject without this help.

History

I'm going to post about this separately because it'll take too long to go into here. You can read a bit about AO4 History in this post too.

This term we'll be doing The First Fleet and Matthew Flinders - 1888-1800ish. You can see the books we're using in the document above if you want to see what we're doing before I post on it again.

So far this subject is going sublimely. I am so relieved, I feel like doing a happy dance right here and now.

Geography

We're studying The Mighty Murray River this term, mapping as we go. Which reminds me - I need to buy a good river map. Two books - Colin Thiele's River Murray Mary and Old Man River of Australia by Leila Pirani.

We're only an hour or so from The Murray, so we'll make a visit or two if we can. Jemimah loves Echuca for its Lolly Shop. I love Read Heeler secondhand bookshop. An excursion for a ride on a paddle steamer and a bit of retail therapy sounds good to me!

Science

You can read about science here.

In line with the AO changes to science back in July we have stopped our reading of Madam How and Lady Why at The Chalk Carts and we're reading our way through Fabre's The Story Book of Science at an accelerated pace to finish it in a little more that a term. It is a delightful book and we're having no problems reading four or five chapters a week so far. We'll finish Madam How on schedule next year.

Nature study...what's that? We've done none all term. Until I stop work I don't see how I can possibly fit this in. We are doing some bird and butterfly identification and we're still working in the garden and particularly our Kitchen Garden, but this lovely subject will just need to wait until we have more time. No nature journalling this term either. Maybe next year. I hope. I'd like to tackle more dry brush painting sometime soon.

Living Books

I think that's it, isn't it? Have I forgotten a subject?

Our free reads are going to plan - we should finish by the end of the year. We're also reading lots and lots of other books, so I'm not too concerned if we miss one or two.

Our Australianised AO schedule for books is shown above. Jemimah is currently reading By The Shores of Silver Lake and the third in the Fleurville Trilogy, The Holidays by the Comtesse de Ségur.

I thought I'd uploaded our timetable as well, but it's not there. Anyone interested in seeing that?

Phew. Finished. Any questions? Comments? Are these posts useful because they take hours and hours to link. What have I forgotten? What else do you want to know?

Right now, I'm starving. I'm off for some lunch. Bye.

Jane Eyre

It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.

Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre opens in Australian cinemas today. Will you see it? Have you read the book?

Don't you think it looks rather dark? Too dark for Jemimah certainly. At what age would you take your children to see this interpretation of Charlotte Bronte's beautiful novel?

French folksongs AO4 Term 3

Written at the end of the French Revolution and making fun of kings. Lots of fun, and the right historic period. Makes mummy and daughter both happy!



Sung in alternating verses, as two voices discuss how they will destroy a beautiful castle. A lot of fun to sing.



Glooo-oooo-oooo-ria

Because Christmas is coming. Ready or not.

Your vital statistics

Tonight in Australia is Census Night. We'll be answering questions on where we come from, how we get to work, whether we have a religion, and how much money we earn. It is our opportunity to be part of a five-yearly picture of what it looks like to be an Australian.

This information helps our government plan for services like aged-care facilities, schools, child-care centres, housing developments, transport and parks. All really important stuff. But the census has another role too - it tells us what it is like to be a family in Australia in 2011. The answers to the 60 questions on tonight's form will tell us who people live with, how they go to work, how much unpaid domestic work they do and whether they care for kids - or other adults. They will tell us what people really do at work, and how many hours they spend there. They will tell us if they have a religion.

Did you know that for 100 years Australia has not kept a census after it has been statistically analysed? Seven generations of Australian history gone forever. Finally this year, The Australian Bureau of Statistics are giving us the option of having our census papers kept for posterity. They will be available for release in 99 years. But only if you say yes to Question 60 (Household Form) and Question 54 (Personal Form).

And so I'm asking you to help future researchers by doing just that. Saying yes. But I'm going to remind you to do one further thing as well, and that is to photocopy your census for the use of your family. Don't you think it will be interesting to look back on your answers to these questions in five years? Or ten? Or forty? Don't you think it will be interesting to see how long Daddy spent at work in 2011, and how long Mummy spent keeping home? The information contained in tonight's census is important to us as Australians, but it is also important to us as a family.

These historical records contain so much precious genealogical information. Don't let your family's history be lost.

Not even for 99 years.

Home Alone 4

So you can see that life around here is pretty hard. It gets worse too - just out of the shot is an almost new box of chocolates and a humungous pile of delicious books.

I finished The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino this morning in exactly this position, and followed it up with another JLit classic, Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. As I say, somebody's gotta do it.

The former novel is a crime thriller with a twist - you know whodunit and why by the end of the first chapter. It takes the rest of the book to discover whether they get away with it. On the way you're confronted by the fact that the heroes are the bad guys. Do you want them to get away...well...with murder...or do you want the detectives to solve the mystery and put them where they belong? Highly recommended. This book, a huge success, selling more than 2 million copies in its native Japan, has been made into a film. You can see the trailer on YouTube if you want to google.

Kitchen is also highly popular in Japan. It's the coming-of-age story of a young woman left all alone by the death of her grandmother. It's filled with Japanese culture and wonderful, wonderful food. This book also has a twist, but I'll leave you to discover this one yourself. It is easy to see why Banana Yoshimoto is Japan's most popular female author though.

I'm now reading Aussie author Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. I'll let you know my opinion of this one once I'm further into it.

Not much to report on the Second-hand Book Trail today - most of them seem to be closed on a Monday. I did pick up a copy of Edith Nesbit's Grammar-Land though, which is a bit of fun. I have it as an e-book, but a real life paper copy is so much nicer. I'm thinking I might use this book - or Nuri Mass' Aussie equivalent, The Little Grammar People, this coming term as a break from more formalised grammar. I'll decide when I get home and compare both books, I think.

I also grabbed a copy of Michael Morpungo's Kensuke's Kingdom for Jemimah to read. Have any of you read it? It looks a lovely story.

That's about it for Day 4. Any more burning questions on life, the universe and anything that you want be to expostulate on this week while I have time? If not, it's back to the chocolates.

Wha saw the 42nd

Glasgow bairns' song about the departure of the Black Watch.

Folksongs in the nursery

Children love to indulge in cries and shouts and view-halloos, and this 'rude' and 'noisy' play, with which their elders have not much patience, is no more than Nature's way of providing for the due exercise of organs, upon whose working power the health and happiness of the child's future largely depend. People talk of 'weak lungs,' 'weak chest,' 'weak throat,' but perhaps it does not occur to everybody that strong lungs and strong throat are commonly to be had on the same terms as a strong arm or wrist - by exercise, training, use, work. Still, if the children can 'give voice' musically, and more rhythmically to the sound of their own voices, so much the better.

Charlotte Mason Home Education pp81-82

We CM homeschoolers take ourselves so seriously, don't we? Nothing but the best living books for our children. Only classical musicians. Andy Warhol? Wash your mouth out!! Our CM children recite serious poetry; practice serious musical instruments; sing serious folksongs. We are the purists.

We are a driven lot. Our children never watch television. All their meals are home cooked. Their vegetables come fresh from our own kitchen gardens. They never read a comic or worse, a 'graphic novel'. Oh no, it might be abridged.

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we do it to our children?

I don't think Charlotte Mason herself was like this. Not really. Sure, Miss Mason advocated only the best. If children are 'born persons', then they deserve to be served from a rich smorgasbord of the best we can find. But what is the best? Can't we have the best modern art? The best cartoons? The best manga? The best children's books? The best graphic novels? The best films? The best rock music? Is it only the best if it comes from Miss Mason's time?

When it comes to singing, Charlotte Mason says very little in her six volume series, and yet we know that the children using her method learned folksongs both in English and in the foreign languages they were studying. Since she says so little we don't really know much about why.

In the quote above, however we can find one reason. Miss Mason reckoned that since children were going to 'cry and shout and view-halloo' anyhow then it might as well be musical.

Okay. Pretty simple and down-to-earth advice, that - let them sing to exercise their lungs and throat. It's as easy as that. There is nothing much here about teaching them classy classical folksongs that are edifying to their hearts, minds and souls. She says singing is better than loud over-exuberant shouts of joy. That's all.

Okay then, so what should we sing?

In this respect French children are better off than English; they dance and sing through a hundred roundelays - just such games, no doubt, mimic marryings and buryings, as the children played at long ago in the market place of Jerusalem.

Before Puritan innovations made us a staid and circumspect people, English lads and lasses of all ages danced out little dramas on the village green, accompanying themselves with the words and airs of just such rondes as the French children sing to-day. We have a few of them left still - to be heard at Sunday-school treats and other gatherings of the children, - and they are well worth preserving: 'There came three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding': 'Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's'; 'Here we come gathering nuts in May'; 'What has my poor prisoner done?' and many more, all set to delightful sing-song airs that little feet trip to merrily, the more so for the pleasant titillation of the words - dukes, nuts, oranges, - who could not go to the tune of such ideas?

So what we learn here is that Miss Mason advocated the use of playground singing games - Oranges and Lemons, London Bridge, Ring a Ring o' Roses. These are not terribly classy songs, now girls, are they? These are not high class folksongs. They are not terribly educational either. Miss Mason goes on to say something about that too - unsurprisingly:

The promoters of the kindergarten system have done much to introduce games of this, or rather of a more educational kind; but is it not a fact that the singing games of the kindergarten are apt to be somewhat inane? Also, it is doubtful how far the prettiest plays, learnt at school and from a teacher, will take hold of the children as do the games which have been passed on from hand to hand through an endless chain of children, and are not be found in the print-books at all.

Now you're welcome to disagree with me, but what I see in this paragraph is Miss Mason warning us against trying to 'educate' our children with folksongs! She says that the songs that will seize their imaginations are the traditional little tunes that have been past down through the generations ever changing as they go. Which is why in this online book, published in 1894, incidentally, you find variation after variation of the same song. As children keep singing them they keep changing. That's the way with folksongs. The good ones never stay the same for long.

Miss Mason's first volume is about the raising and educating of young children up to nine. I am going to advocate, then, that folksongs for this age group should be just as she recommends - playground singing games. Do your children know the words and actions of more than a few of these simple little songs? Do they know the ones Miss Mason quotes above? Do they go Round and Round the Mulberry Bush? Spell B-I-N-G-O? Pop the weasel? Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross? Do they know Three Little Ships (come sailing by)? A-Tisket A-Tasket? Do they go Round and Round the Village and Skip to my Lou? Do they sing Green Grass? Farmer in the Dell (hey-ho-the-derry-oh!)? My name is Queen Mary? Oh Dear What can the Matter Be? Do they Know the Muffin Man?

If they don't, then why not chose the best of them to teach to your children? Look the lyrics up on line and learn the actions. While you're at it, teach them some clapping games and some for skipping to as well. Encourage them to sing exuberantly, to exercise their throats and their lungs as well as their arms and legs. These songs of the playground have survived until today because children love them. Miss Mason did too.

There's time enough for serious stuff when they're older.

As a final thought, French children are still better off than the English when it comes to these playground singing games, even in 2011. But I'll save that for this evening's post. Right now I'm off to buy something suitably 'Home alone-ish' for my lunch.

Home and Away Q & A

Okay, so I called it that coz it rhymes.

Anyhow I thought I would answer your questions in a sort of random manner since they're sort of random questions. Thank you so much for commenting - it was so nice catching up with old friends - and meeting a few new ones as well. I tried dropping in on most of you last night, only I am not able to comment on some blogs at the moment - something to do with the cookie settings I'm told, so if you don't have a little note from me, that'll be why. Do drop by again please!

Now, to the questions:

Selena asked about Jeannie Gunn's books, Little Black Princess and We of the Never-Never. I blogged about them a little bit here. I loved these two books when I was a kid. Nowadays words like nigger, piccaninny and lubra are considered racially offensive by indigenous Australians, but they weren't back in 1905. I read Little Black Princess to Jemimah in AO2. We enjoyed it very much. We had a bit of a discussion about why we would choose not to use those words now, and talked a little about racial stereotyping and then I left it at that. We of the Never-Never we'll leave for a few more years. We'll probably tackle that in in AO6 or AO7. In my opinion, these are Australian literature, not history, although there is considerable overlap.

I'm particularly impressed with the plot of the two Jackie French books that I own - Hitler's Daughter and A Rose for the Anzac Boys. I plan to include the former in AO5 next year. Possibly we'll look at the Anzac book in April as well. That said, I've not read either of them right through, so I might change my mind. With historical fiction for school, it is important to me that the line between fiction and fact be clearly drawn. Is that line evident in Jackie's books? I am also very harsh when it comes to twaddly language. I will be disappointed if Jackie French's writing could be regarded in this way. Have you read any of her books, Selena? What do you think? Anybody else?

Steele Rudd's comic stories are marvellous at any age. We've not read any yet, but we have read a number of Henry Lawson's. I think these sorts of stories work for any age provided you select stories with a theme appropriate to the age of the child. You may choose to read them aloud as well to allow for some surreptitious editing if the swearing worries you as it does me.

We also have a number of self-published books precious to my family. I totally agree with including these as part of school, bearing in mind that it is really difficult to narrate from books of poor literary quality. If you find this a problem it would be appropriate to not require narration from this book. Perhaps you could build a family tree instead.

Pam asked about timelines. I've blogged about these here and here. In my opinion, kids younger than about nine fail to be able to grasp the concept of time except in a most rudimentary fashion - this came before this and after this and at the same time as that. If I were beginning again I would create the most simple timeline I could of names and centuries only. In AO4 I would begin a Book of Centuries. The new one from Simply Charlotte Mason looks potentially interesting.

Have any of you had experiences vastly different from mine? Do tell.

Pam also asked about notebooking pages. I have never used a single one, and I don't think that notebooking pages are necessary in a CM education. I also don't think I would have time for anything much else unless I thought it was significantly enhancing our CM study in some way. That said, if you and your daughter like them, then use them! The CM police will not come a-knocking at your door if you do.

Sarah asks about Spelling Wisdom. We use this excellent programme twice a week. First Jemimah takes a look at the passage and underlines the words she doesn't know. She then has 15 minutes or so to learn these. Generally she writes the words a dozen or more times and then spells them aloud. When she is ready she takes a quick look at the punctuation and then I read the passage to her, a phrase of about five words or so at a time. If she gets a word wrong I cover it immediately with a sticky note and we continue on to the end. Afterwards she re-learns any words she got wrong, and if necessary we redo the exercise. Jemimah's spelling is definitely improving using this method. I just wish it were improving a little quicker, that's all!! Hope that answers your question, Sarah.

Dee asked about the MEP shape cards. Yes, you will need to use the shapes with and without dots at the same time. I just purchased a few sheets of cardboard and printed directly onto that. It is worth spending a bit of time on these cards, because you use them quite a bit in the first few years. We still use ours occasionally, and Jemimah is in MEP5. I hope you and your family enjoy MEP as much as we do.

Renelle asked lots of lovely questions. I'll try to answer some of them here - a few deserve a post on their own! How do we approach science? I blogged about what we're doing for science here. Apart from this little book and the science related books on the AO list - A Story Book of Science by Fabre, we just do lots and lots of nature study. I'd love to say we draw everything we find, but with all the stuff going on right now, we haven't done any journalling at all since the flood. Maybe next term :-). We do love to identify things in field guides, and get a lot of pleasure out of finding new birds and butterflies.

I'm assuming, Renelle, that you're after Aussie biography recommendations for our age kids? The Australians in History Series are marvellous if you can get a set. We did Bennelong by Joan Phipson last term, and Matthew Flinders by George Finkel is listed this coming term. They're marvellous. We also read James Cook: Royal Navy by George Finkel last term. It was an excellent choice.

Renelle has lots of other great questions, but I'm going to stop now. My book is waiting.

I've never done a post like this before. It has been fun!! Anything else you'd like to know? Anything you agree with, or worse, disagree with? Tell us your experience!

Home Alone 2

My plan to hit some of Melbourne's second-hand bookshops today was derailed by the inclement weather. Instead I indulged myself with a much coveted new copy of Axel Vervoordt's sublime design book, Wabi Inspirations.

The book guides the reader through Vervoordt's beautiful interiors in Belgium, Switzerland, Japan and Korea, all the while explaining the author's interpretation of that most elusive Japanese aesthetic known as wabi sabi - the beauty of wear and imperfection.

I've had a lovely afternoon flipping through the pages of my lovely new book, air fragrant with a lovely Jo Malone Sweet Lime and Cedar candle. I've nibbled on a Godiva truffle or three whilst listening to the Departures soundtrack and sipped a cup of Husk's Peppermint, lemongrass, rosebud and aniseed herbal tea whist listening to the rain on the tin roof. Quite the perfect afternoon.

From Yojiro Takata's Departures film comes my family's tradition of stone letters. Here's the scene if you'd care to take a look.



Tomorrow I'll be heading to Geelong for church and to see my family. What are you up to?

Home alone 1

Hello Loveys!

Welcome to Day One of my holiday home alone. I'm so full of plans and anticipation!

The skiers managed to get away at 10.00 this morning. Right on time. (You can tell which of us is the more OCD.) The smaller person was beside herself with excitement. The bigger one was pretending to be controlled and sensible and grown-up, but you didn't have to be very clever at body language to realise that he was pretty happy as well.

After they left I had to make the first big decision of my holiday alone: Should I stay or should I go (in the immortal words of The Clash)? I decided to go.

So now I'm in Melbourne in front of the telly. I'm watching Poh cooking whole fried snapper with preserved lemon salsa with Neil Perry whilst munching on the absolutely delicious dinner you see in the pic (taken with my phone, sorry) above. To me, a meal like that is as good as it gets - deliciously ripe French Brie, a pear paste, olives and crackers with a glass of champagne. Sublime! My Beloved would need a steak. Personally, I think that would mean that I couldn't fit in enough cheese. Hachez Cocoa d'Arriba chocolate and a short black for afters. Surely that covers all essential food groups?!

Day one included, of course, a visit to my first second hand book store for the holiday, Woodend Bookshop, where my haul included nice copies of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin and its sequel, More about Rebecca, along with an absolutely delightful book, Spare Time by Herbert McKay. I'll tell you about the latter, later, but let me tell you, it is a wonderful book. Woodend is also home to the lovely indie bookstore, New Leaves, where I grabbed a copy of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief to read this week. This book seems to be found on the Young Adult shelves, but it doesn't look very young to me. I'll let you know my thoughts later in the week.

Also on the bedside table this week is a book I've been planning on reading for quite some time - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. It's a crime novel set in Tokyo, and I was basically sucked into purchasing it when the publisher released the first chapter online. Since the death happens right in the last line of that chapter and you know 'who done it', I couldn't leave the mystery of how they get away with it (or not) unknown now, could I? I wonder if you're stronger than I am?

My very vaguely nebulous plans for this delicious week include lots of sleep, lots of reading, lots of yummy food, some wonderful videos including Departures, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Van Diemen's Land and the controversial Walkabout. I plan to visit as many second hand bookshops as I can fit in, and a few new book stores as well...that is shops of new books, not new shops.

Finally, I plan to blog. I'm feeling really out of touch with you all. Did you know that it is a year since my dear Dad died? I don't seem to have had much time to talk to you in all that time. Add to that the flood and its aftermath and then the last 14 weeks of full time admin work, and my poor peaceful blog has been really neglected. So has my blog visiting. Sorry.

I am so appreciative of those of you who continue to drop by. I even have some lovely new followers, which is very gratifying, and I thank you for your support. What I am sad about though is that I no longer have the wonderful chat in the comments that used to characterise A Peaceful Day as something special. I so miss my community of gorgeous girlfriends - where are you all?

Anyhow, this week I plan to go some way towards rectifying this. I hope to chat to you about my schedule for this coming term, as well discuss the things that went well and those that went not so well in the last one. I want to talk to you about parlour games and vicarious sin. Only not in the same post. I would like to update you on the floods as well, only I don't quite know what to say there - nothing is happening really. I want to show you my new knitting project. Mostly I want to reconnect with you all.

Perhaps you could help me with this. If you are new here or if you just lurk, I'd love to know who you are and a little about you and your family. If you blog, send me your link so that I can come visit, will you? If you're one of my dear old pals, do write and say 'hi'. I miss your chatter so much!! Finally, perhaps you can let me know what you would like me to write about this week. Do you have any burning questions about flood recovery or Ambleside Online or MEP or Australia that you think I could answer? Is there anything you'd like to correct me on, or something you think I should know by now?

Sadly, I don't look like being able to stop work for a while yet. I am training a new girl though, so we'll wait patiently and see what transpires.

In the mean time I'm going to enjoy every single minute of this holiday. Day one home alone has gone swimmingly. I'll let you know how tomorrow turns out when it's done.

Are you jealous? What would you be doing if you were me? Do tell.

Three very special songs

Generally we sing folksongs by theme. Maybe a term of English songs for Daddy or a term of Scottish for Parsie. One term before a holiday we learned songs of Japan. Many terms now we've concentrated on Australia.

This term, though - our final one of AO4, I've decided on something different. This year I'm going to teach Jemimah three very special songs.

Song one is I Dream of Jeanie. Only in my family it is spelled Jeanne. This song was sung at my 21st - and at my wedding. It is sort of my theme song. For obvious reasons. I'd love for my daughter to love this song as I do.



My mother's song is Maggie. We sang it at her 50th birthday. And at my Dad's funeral. I'd love Jemimah to love this song too.



The final song for this term is my grandmother's favourite - Danny Boy. We sang it at her 90th birthday. I think we sang it at her 95th as well.



Each of these songs bring tears to my eyes. They make me feel really close to my family. They bring back really special memories.

After the flood I mourned for the memories I'd lost - our photos, Jemimah's drawings, my precious textiles. I used to think of myself as a memory keeper. Recently, though, I've realised that my family role is not that of memory keeper. My job is memory creator. My job as my daughter's mother is to ensure that when Jemimah is grown, she looks back on her childhood as one filled with security and fun and love and good times. My job is to teach her about God, to read her great books, sing terrific songs, have picnics, and holidays and wonderful meals. My job is to create new traditions and to follow the old ones. My job is to teach her about family.

These three songs are really special to me. This term I'm going to make them special to my daughter as well.

Do you have a theme song? Have you shared it with your kids? You should, you know.

I'd love to know what it is too, actually. Do share.