Friday, October 4, 2013

Friday Brain Dump

I'll tell ya, with the re-entry into the school year (and all that that implies) my free time has been scarce.  And what I do have is usually filled with the inevitable lists... IOW, The Mother Load.  Hey, that's life, y'know?  But here are a few random thoughts for the day.

1.  Gunnar and I saw something interesting on our walk yesterday.  We've had quite a bit of wind lately.  Since we walk through the woods, we always keep our eyes out for trees that look like they're on their way down, especially if they overhang the trail.  They'll often start to fall, but get hung up in the branches of other trees, like this one.


When they do fall over, especially if the ground is wet (which is most of the time), the roots will come with them, and it will look like this.


The one we saw was just starting to lift the roots, and was leaning, right near a fork in the trail.  We'll keep an eye on it.

2.  Wyatt is doing fine at school.  In spite of taking Geometry and Algebra II (trigonometry, vectors, matrices, etc.) at once (which I would classify as torture, but he thrives on) as well as English and Spanish.  Two maths and two languages.  I guess that works.  

Apparently this is homecoming week and every day is a dress-up day.  Did you know that high schools still have pajama day???  I was a bit surprised.  *ahem*  Though what I saw was high school girls in fuzzy, footy-pajamas, like my boys wore when they were toddlers... so I guess I should be relieved.  (Weird, but not skanky.)  Wyatt chose not to participate.  When Kerry found out that they were having an "80's Day" I think he got more excited than Wyatt.  He found a pair of straight-leg, button-fly Levi's that can't have fit him for 20 years (where has he been hiding those???) and, well...



... all he needed was a day or two of stubble, but the night before had been CAP, so he'd shaved.

3.  Speaking of schools...  now that he's back in school, I get emails from the district.  I couldn't believe it.  Our district not only serves breakfast and lunch, but now - twice a week - dinner, too!  Because, you know, that's the school's job ?????  Your taxes and mine, hard at work.  *eyes roll*  While I'd like to protest, I've got half a mind to go get the "free" meal... we've already paid for it.  UGH.  (Kidding!  I'm not going!)

4.  Kerry has a meeting with potential clients today.  Clients who abandoned a project years ago and shut down, owing him several thousand dollars.  On the one hand, yay Kerry, going after work.  On the other hand, that's what's out there.  

5.  In better news, the boys are having a big weekend.  Grampa Grasshopper is taking them out to the rifle range to shoot this afternoon and then out for dinner - yay!  Tomorrow they're going on a hike with the youthgroup and then coming here for pizza and a movie - fun!  And Sunday we're gathering with family to celebrate some birthdays - always a good time :D  So there you go, a trifecta of fun for the boybarians.

6.  Thankfully, we're getting a reprieve from wind and rain.  Which will make Saturday's hike oh-so-much more fun, and lifts my spirits, too.

7.  Grandma Grasshopper has graduated from her physical therapy.  That means her thumb is doing great.  She's still getting more strength and range-of-motion, but real life will sort it out.

8.  And now... on to the Mother Load.  Because that's what the weekend is for ;D

5 comments:

Felicity said...

Please explain homecoming - it's something I've always wondered about...

I love the photo of Wyatt all dressed up like the 80s... why does it seem so, well, familiar...? I'm gettin old!!

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Ah, homecoming.

In America, in the fall, high schools and universities have homecoming week. There will be special activities for the students, a big football game and a dance, and all kinds of craziness. The idea is that alumni will come back and visit that weekend and go to the football game.

In my memory, and in Wyatt's school, they'll have dress-up days throughout the week. Often they'll have some kind of theme. This year at Wyatt's school each class (grade) has a movie - Alice in Wonderland, Narnia, Wizard of Oz, etc. They'll each decorate a hall in the school to their theme, and a dress-up day may relate to it as well. Or the dress-up days may be random (decades - like the 80's, or I remember a "Nerd Day"). They'll have skits and competitions during the lunch hour. The classes compete for points (winning the little competitions, how many kids dress up, etc.)

The other big tradition is electing "Homecoming Royalty" - each class elects a Prince and Princess, with the senior class electing a King and Queen. It's just a big popularity contest (ick) unless the students get the idea to use the contest to make a statement. I've heard of good things - like a school electing a girl with Down's Syndrome as the Queen, and I've heard of schools electing homosexual or transgender students... Students here are indoctrinated into "tolerance". Ick.

Most of the homecoming stuff is just goofy and fun, but I don't imagine a whole lot of learning goes on that week.

Choate Family said...

Still love your "brain dumps". The peek into your week, mind, and family life never gets old!

Anonymous said...

LOVE Wyatt's 80's outfit. Though had to chuckle, he looked a bit like the main character in Risky Business . . . ;)

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Yah, that occurred to me too, but not the dancing scene ;D