Goodbye Lighthouse Cafe

We got up kind of early this morning, or actually not got up early but got dressed earlier than usual (for a Saturday) in order to have breakfast one last time at our local cafe.

I don't know yet what we'll do for our morning meal on book sale days when I have to be at the library before 8:30. Those were the days when we would enjoy coffee and breakfast as a family, along with all the older gentlemen who have probably been doing this for years, sitting amongst the drawings and pictures of lighthouses from around the world. The U.S.? Maybe even Michigan. I don't know, but they had lighthouses, and big fishtanks, and unlimited coffee, and pancakes no better than I could have made at home but just as laden with pecans and without the preparation or the dirty dishes to clean after. We will miss them.

We had nothing, absolutely nothing, on our schedule for this weekend, and that's exactly why we were busy all morning, not making it home (and back into our pajamas) until lunchtime. That was one breakfast and two library trips later. We came home lugging an armload of books about Africa, two videos about Africa, and the next Oz book, plus two Jim Arnosky books that we scored at the Ann Arbor Library book sale. I love that their sale is open every weekend, but visiting regularly could be a dangerous proposition.

I'm pretty sure the highlight of the day was becoming pawns in the afternoon. The pawns in chess, after all, are meant as foot soldiers or pikemen. After making shields and swords Jon and Calvin chased each other around the house while the dogs and I took refuge in the corner.

The boys played Qwirkle. Saturdays for us are a lot about soaking up daddy time.

And we watched a video of four different Anansi tales. For doing nothing it was a full and wonderful Saturday. Relaxing, enjoyable. Especially because there is a Sunday to follow it.

African Sky

Snow, snow, snow. More shoveling, followed by more slush. For all their promise of ice and multiple inches, though, it was clear enough for Jon to make it to work this morning, and the spotty sun had melted most of what we did get by lunchtime. We spent our morning indoors, playing on the piano and trying our hands at more Lego configurations. I like those lazy mornings. We had afternoon tickets to see Under the African Sky. Early in the week we'd started reading stories about Africa or African folk tales, and today we spent some time with the atlas and the wall map. Calvin was geeked over learning about Africa. Obviously I should have started this earlier in the week, but I didn't. We'll hit the library tomorrow for more books and information, but today we poured over what we had before leaving for the play.

Wild Swan does a fabulous job with stage performances for children—stage shows that are enjoyable for the younger set, but not dumbed down. I think next year we will become season ticket holders.

When we got home a much awaited Amazon package was on the doorstep. We ordered Qwirkle a week ago after seeing listed on so many Homeschool game lists, and we were not disappointed. It's just the right mix for an age appropriate challenge.

It feels good to be back in functioning condition again. It was good to see the sun shining, to play games, share dinner with family, and I even landed 22 new pieces of clothing for Calvin for a whopping $15 at our local resale shop's fill-a-bag event—the trick is to roll the clothes up very tightly before stacking them neatly in the bag. Works every time. This weekend we gloriously have nothing on our calendar, other than breakfast at our village diner, which is sadly closing its doors for good this weekend so it's time to say goodbye.

Sick day

First, the cat's out of the bag. Or box, as it may be. I'm not likely to make it to the computer on Wednesday nights because that's our guilty pleasure night. Wednesday nights we are parked in front of the TV for Criminal Minds, a guilty pleasure for a family that otherwise gives wide berth to the TV in the corner.

But even all that sitting didn't keep me from waking up sick this morning, fighting fire in my throat and aches in my head. I managed breakfast, then I managed piano practice—Since Calvin finished the second book this week we've been playing a review game, rolling dice and using the hundreds chart to add them up to determine which page to play next.

After piano I managed a shower and a trip to the library for book sorting and then story time. After that I managed lunch, but as soon as the lunch dishes were closed inside the washer I retreated to bed. Earlier, as I watched Jon leave for work, nursing my aches from the comforts of my favorite chair, I sat in dread of the day. Moms don't get sick days, after all, especially homeschooling moms. And a year ago it probably wouldn't have gone so well, but now I have a very sweet, very empathetic, four year old boy, so after lunch we collected all the books and art materials we could carry and set up camp on my bed where we proceded to spend the entire afternoon. He read to me, I read to him, we drew pictures, we talked about strange things, imaginary things, we cuddled.

Did you know that they use ferries to take loaded trains across the Great Lakes? That's thanks to the awesome Great Lakes Great Ships book we got at the library sale last weekend.

This was the best sick day ever.

Running

We shoveled this morning. The third day in a row. We drove to visit with friends a few towns over and the twenty minute drive took almost forty. The cold kept us inside, enjoying the sunshine from the floor of their living room instead of from the play structure outside as we have on past trips. I'm tired of coats. I'm tired of shovels, and scarves, and hats, and mittens, and the extra time it takes to get ready to go anywhere. I love winter, but I've been reading other homeschoolers' blogs and watching them wander with their children through greenish fields, coatless, or with only light jackets, and it has made me long for warmer temperatures. We had a great time on our snow night hike last weekend when the stars were so bright and beautiful, but I miss our summer night hikes, when we look and listen for bats. I love winter, but this year I am tired of it early. Last week when we were outside enjoying spring-like weather I noticed the green shoots of summer plants pushing up in our front garden, but looking out the window today it is hard to remember that they are underneath those inches of snow.

Today we were mostly running. We ran to the book store to look for a magazine I was supposed to have work published in (only to be disappointed at not finding it there). We ran to Canton to play (at board games and make believe with friends). We ran to the library to shelve books in the sale room (where over twelve grocery bags worth awaited us). We ran home again barely in time for a late dinner (with nary a menu in mind). The only time we got to sit down and open a book today was at bedtime when we finally immersed ourselves in another chapter of Oz, a moment Calvin had waited for all day. We had fun with our friends, and we always enjoy shelving at the library, but these are not my favorite days. Tomorrow is usually grocery day, but I wonder if a day at home isn't more in order.

Ann Arbor Model Train Show

After all these (four) years Calvin's most beloved obsession, aside from his blanket, is still trains. I remember saying to Jon three years ago that I thought we should go light on our train selections because we just didn't know when the enthusiasm might wane. I suppose that's still true, but there is no sign of it ebbing just yet. Even though we went to bed late last night and had already enjoyed a fun filled weekend, we got up relatively early today, had breakfast, and made our way to Saline for our second annual trip to the Ann Arbor Model Train Show. We had our engineer in tow.

They liked our engineer so much, and he asked such good questions, that they let us step behind the table and they opened the trap door for him.

They even had a Lego train display.

Calvin-cam. He didn't ask for one, but I'm pretty sure he would really like a signal light for his bedroom. I wonder if there's a way I can make one...

The rest of our day was good old Sunday relaxing. Sort of. Calvin and I shopped the closing Borders store, along with hundreds of other crazy people, while Jon taught a piano lesson. Fortunately the lesson time and the long line to get out the door meant that we didn't hit the road for home until after the white-out blizzard conditions hit our area and our 20 minute drive took more like forty. I say fortunately because sometimes, as long as we can drive safely, that kind of beauty is worth the delay. We came home by the scenic route along the river and enjoyed every extra minute of it. The rest of the afternoon was spent in front of a fire enjoying family company and quiet time.

And now, where there was no snow before... as I write this I am listening to the ice rain blow against our windows and cover the over three inches of snow on the ground. At least there was snow on the ground first.