We loved Sonlight, but always did Rod & Staff grammar and IEW writing. But the books were wonderful and my kids are still readers!!

I think CCs vary. Our local CC is (luckily) one of the best in the state and my two kids who have gone there and then on to state U report that CC classes were definitely more challenging than state U. That said, transitioning to online classes has not been smooth, especially for older profs. As one kid said, "I know more about Canva than my instructor." I also think there's something to be said for butts in seats twice a week, at least. One of my youngest's classes for next semester (senior year) is 6 hours on a Friday...in a seat. It does make it easier to work her 32-hour-a-week job around her school schedule, but that's a LOT of time on one topic!

I've pretty much finished my tour of the Honorverse. For a bit of fluff I've been reading a time travel series by C.N. Jackson (Christy Nicholas) - set in Toronto and various previous-time global locations. The heroine is a crabby specialist in period costume who doesn't want to DO time travel anymore but gets roped into it. Amusing. The first in the series is "Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd." It's looking like spring will be *very* busy workwise, as the new business I've been writing proposals for won their first contract (to write an ePassport requirements document and evaluate bids). SO EXCITED. And this will make up for dh's still-discouraging job hunt. Role reversals in our 60s keep us flexible, right?

I remember buying books from Devin -- still have some with her name in them. That was such a shock because we were about the same age at the time of her unexpected passing.

I've been escaping into David Weber's Honoverse this month, reading several of his Honor Harrington military SF and related anthologies. Some parts only a military hardware or tactics geek could love (he goes on and ON about missiles), but others explore cute, interesting aliens and the impact of genetic manipulation on people and society. A bit of relaxing fun for me, takes me away from dh's discouraging job hunt and the medical crises of his parents (from whom we are estranged, so it's all on his sister) who are in their 90s. Really enjoying that spring has sprung here -- pear, plum, cherry, and magnolias are all bursting into bloom.

I heard Gene Vieth speaking at a homeschool convention and he was promoting the first edition of TWTM, which I bought imediately! That led me to these boards where I have mostly been Laurel in CA but on the Sonlight boards (where I started in '96, homeschooling my oldest) I was Gilead. I do remember vegesource, did a lot of used book hunting there! I gradually tweaked my Sonlight to be more WTM and then began braving latin, trying a lot of different classical resources along the way. I went back to work remotely during my youngest's senior year of high school, 2020, which she spent online at the CC. That really cut down on my board time!

I have a 26yo living with me who still reacts *very* badly/just ignores repeated requests. Her dad has taken to sending photos of items to the family group chat with phrases like "Inspector Dad wants to know....whose is this?" The humor and distance of chat seems to help. I offer t his as a possibility because I know sometimes nothing works, but it has helped with our tempermental one.

Sometimes you have to let go of not just the stuff but of the responsibility for finding the place for the stuff. Our question these days is more "who will take this" than "where can it do the most good."

FYI, my oldest had maxillofacial surgery at the beginning of 2023 because despite wisdom tooth removal and braces, her teeth would not match up enough for her to chew properly. They peeled back gums, cut into part of her upper jaw and reset her front jaw & teeth, leaving the braces plus metal plates in place to help with alignment. It was done in a university hospital, where her orthodontist had recommended her for a consult. She at through a syringe for 2 weeks (yuck) and soft foods for a month after that. About 6 months to chew harder foods without pain, but a year down the line she is so glad she did it!

Well, I like my Thorlo brand...low, ankle, or cuffed. The heel, toe, and ball of the foot are well padded. But cheap, they are NOT. OTOH, they last a long time.

You probably read One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovitch, which is the only Solzenitsyn book under 600 pages or so! Gulag Archipelago 3 was my fave, but I read all 3 for my Russian history classes back in the 70s. That was one tough semester!

If you have a local art college, they may do juried competitions that your kiddo can volunteer for or participate in. That's one way to get noticed. They may also have drawing classes on Saturdays that are open to the community for a fee -- including full nude life drawing, FYI. DD entered one contest from Derwent (colored pencil company) and the prize was more pencils...pretty good stuff and we listed it on her application. Parks & Rec in our old home had an oil painting class for seniors but dd was able to participate -- that gave her *some* experience with oils. Our current community has a National Arts competition every year, open to middle schoolers and above. And Art Trails 2 times a year, where you can go and meet the artists in their studios. Great way to find some encouragement/possible teaching. We actually have a county art officer who oversees the county's collection and displays in buildings, etc. Great person to talk to! And county fairs are usually open to all. Many art colleges have portfolio advice on their websites. With the state colleges, we found art didn't start until after general ed, so they weren't so concerned about a portfolio during initial application...only when you entered the art dept. (frustrating).

DH is 66, laid off last June, and has been looking for work. But we're convinced they're mostly including them in interviews so they can't be accused of ageism. This last "no" when they flew him to AZ to talk to 4 people and then made us wait 2 weeks for an answer....difficult. So he's thinking of retiring, but I don't think he'll have trouble filling his time. He currently does bowling and ping pong lessons and wants to get certified to coach pickleball. He does all 3 of those sports, some times twice in one day, throughout the week. Plus he's done training to work with Stephen Ministry, which is meeting an hour a week with someone going through crisis, just listening (no advice -- I couldn't stand that) and praying for them and is part of that team on call at our church. We're thinking about training to do a beginners bible study as a team, too. That's really my sweet spot. And I'm starting a crochet-to-give fellowship group @ my house and playing pickleball with him a couple times a week; we walk @ lunchtime. I'm still working p/t from home with an old co-worker and that keeps my brain going! Plus we still have 3 young adults living with us. They help w/household expenses, but (in truth) I am eager for at least two of them to be on their own, and #3 is working f/t and a college junior.

My dd took art classes from jr. hi to high school through a private provider...paid for by our charter. Her junior year they offered a portfolio class which was, I think, $600 list discounted to $350 for participants at that provider (so they took outsiders, but it was mainly for their students). They went through everything she'd done in sketchbooks and projects, chose the most representative and excellent, and put it in a big black portfolio (bigger than 11x17) with plastic sleeves. They also looked at things she'd entered in competitions - fairs and art contests. At the front they put an artist's statement - what drew her to art, what medium and/or artist she liked best, what her philosophy or aesthetic was - followed by a table of contents. They selected various media (charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, b/w pencil, multi-media, etc.), some quick sketch exercises and some very finished work. Then they photographed it all and put it in the proper format for digital submission. And reproduced it to put in a small handheld portfolio -- 10x12 or smaller. Now, of course, it's all submitted digitally but if you go to national portfolio day that handheld physical portfolio comes in pretty handy! When we went on art school tours (only did 2 local ones), she took that handheld version along and asked the counselor to comment on it. That was helpful and we added a couple of things. Then sent it off with the art school applications. All this was about 12 years ago, FYI. It was well worth the time and effort as she got a yearly merit scholarship out of it. Most art schools ask for a portfolio, focused on the major the kid wants to pursue. DD got a BFA studio art but has retrained for graphic design (where there are f/t jobs) and enjoys her current work in signage, vinyl printing, and packaging. She keeps an up to date portfolio of current work online.

Just finished My Promised Land by Ari Shalit - about his family's history in Israel, the path to failure with the Palestinians, and the challenges Israel is facing...up through about 2015. It was eerie reading it in light of current events with Hamas, Hezbollah, and the unwillingness and untrustworthiness of the two sides to make peace or begin to compromise. So many wounds, so little trust. The more I read (knowing I am an outsider), the more unsolvable the situation looks. Sigh. Well-written, very personal, but not as hopeful as he planned to be, I think.