Update: Dd spent some time with her this morning. She came out of hiding to eat a few bites, play with a string and even gave herself a little bath. I guess we are making progress!?

This is not the coming home story we expected! We adopted a kitten from the zoo yesterday. She is 16 weeks old. They kept her so long so that all of her vaccinations would be complete and immunity highest. At the zoo she lived with her mom in a crate-like windowless room, having some contact with zoo caregivers who fed her and played with her occasionally. They weren't specific about it, but a week ago or so the mom went into heat and rejected the kitten -- attacking her they said, so they separated them. Dd had a plan to slowly adjust her to our home and get to know our family cat gradually over a few days (using separate rooms at first then moving up to a dog crate in the living room for a few hours to get them familiar with each other and so on). But, this kitten is slinking around like a ferret whenever she moves, and, yesterday, spent hours in the corner of our room standing up chest flat against a wall in the corner behind a dresser, with her tail wrapped tight against its leg. We moved her to a bathroom so she could still hide, but we can reach her easier. She allows us to hold her and even plays with a string for a moment before she runs back to hide. This seems beyond normal adjustment. We plan to do what we planned, but even more slowly. I wanted to see if any of you had some words of encouragement or advise. I will be out for a funeral but will look forward to hearing from you when I get back. Thank you!

Can we use the ALGOT 30" frame as a mini-fridge cart? We'd rather spend $43 than $129 (the container store cart)! Thank you,

Other than read Kareni's posts about college applications very carefully, the best thing we did was hire a tutor to help DS organize his thoughts for application and scholarship essays. Beginning late summer before senior year through fall, DS met with a local writing tutor (philosophy grad student) who discussed each essay's topic with him. At first she made notes of their discussion, went over the notes, and helped him organize an outline for the paper. We used her for the first edit, then we edited it ourselves. Later, when DS got the process under his belt, they met over Skype to discuss, DS took his own notes and gathered them into a sound outline, and we took care of all the editing ourselves. This was such a successful plan for DS, who balked at first at any of the essays he was asked to write. One of them was, "Discuss the place of beauty in a liberal arts education." DS stopped at the word 'beauty' and figured he would never be able to write that essay! Well, that tutor drew him out and I'd say that my favorite part of his senior year was overhearing their conversations where our normally non-introspective son shared ideas on many subjects, including beauty. He received a lot of kudos on his essays, btw.

This is so helpful. The thought of doing that intimidated me, because a former seamstress of mine warned that doing just that (taking something apart to make a pattern) never works. The way I sew, though...this just makes the most sense. I always stray from a commercial pattern even if I try to follow it just once! I simply needed a friend encouraging me...Thank you!

Don't think DS wants to go to college with the furry yellow one that I bought on clearance=) I know, I know, I could lay all the fabric around it, cut and seam where it appears to be right...and insert a zipper somewhere, but I'm hoping to find a real pattern. Googling turns up nothing...any ideas? Thank you!

Two of the best things we've done: Read aloud a lot. I am particularly glad that we went on so many 'book picnics' when they were in grade school. And...IEW!

This looks excellent for me to study so I can be prepared with my own selection for the camp... an excerpt from the ad for the book about the Gettysburg Address: "introduces the reader to accomplished poet Abraham Lincoln and his use of detail, word sound by controlled vowels and consonants, impact of a spondee, strategic grammar, diction and vocabulary." Thank you so much for linking. I will definitely read/teach from that. The old-fashioned angle this group will love/find amusing! Off to check that out -- thank you!

I couldn't agree more! I am making sure there is time squeezed in for a few board games at the kitchen table, family frisbee on the lawn, and one (gulp) final read aloud. Everyone has such great suggestions for what we need to do -- thank you for beginning this post! Gotta love Kareni! :001_smile:

This summer, instead of our annual IEW Speech Boot Camp with dear friends, I am hosting an elocution workshop. Since DS graduates this spring, he is saved the speech writing part (which he always took very seriously and spent lots of time on) and makes it more fun for DD, DS, and their friends...no writing! I am imagining scenes from the Little House books where students delivered famous speeches, poems, or histories in class or recitations. Can you recommend good online sources, videos we could buy, or books I could teach from that cover information on pronunciation and the oral part of the delivery -- making their ideas more clear and eloquent? My plan is to have them arrive with short pieces ready to practice their newly learned skills on. Thank you!

Awesome website...dd already exploring! This might be a good step before we move onto another area. Thank you!

Thank you! I hadn't looked into more Massie yet. Want to gain only exposure to the military situation w/out too many particulars -- we definitely like the domestic details. I'll look into all of these recommendations. Years ago I overheard many of you say to have lots of chocolate on hand when reading about the 20th century. Although the beginning of the 'N & A' book was full of opulence and beauty, we knew, generally, what was coming. It is all so sad, on so many levels!

My dd and I just finished 'Nicholas and Alexandra' by Robert Massie and loved it. Since it begins recounting the Romanov's rule and ends with their death during Lenin's early rule, she is interested in reading about what is happening in, say, Germany during Nicholas's cousin 'Willy's' rule. Any novels or histories to suggest? About the time of WWI in general or specifically about US, Germany, England, etc. Thank you!

Definitely a 'hate it' here=) I'm surprised he is so enthusiastic about it. He is dressing as a famous ancient mathematician for his college class! He'll look for spray today. Thanks for sharing the picture!

DS had these concerns exactly -- guess we'll look for the spray.

I really like this idea - thanks!

We'll look for the spray. Thanks

DS was going to use flour...any suggestions? Thank you,

Well, I have a pattern already, and completely cut out & sewn fabric w/lining ready to go to cover my 72inch back door. The problem is this, I didn't really look at the pattern until now. Because of the pleats the pattern calls for, I would need a foot more of the curtain (that I've already made) to cover the door. Can you link me to an online tutorial to make a roman shade w/out pleats? I have 24 plastic rings and cord ready to go, so it shouldn't be that hard...I just can't think how to assemble it. Thank you!

Thanks for all the great suggestions so far, I will look into all of them. I should have mentioned maturity level like a few of you wondered about. She is not particularly sensitive, but we are very selective. She has really enjoyed the titles I mentioned b/c sweet, old-fashioned stories are appealing to her. She is a very old-fashioned kinda girl! It is difficult to find books that are mature enough in reading level without mature content! She read Gone with the Wind. I had never read it, but, looking at it along with her, I thought it was too mature. I would have rather she had read it a few years later. So, I am not looking for coming of age stories or ones with a mature theme...just good stories, particular stories of people's accomplishments. She appreciates humor, and stories with the antics of young children or animals are great! Thank You,

Looks like a find, thank you.

Thank you!

No...now it is added to the list, thanks!

Hello Everyone, Our dd, 14, loves to read books (usually older ones) with an autobiographical focus (Catholic focus is a plus, but not strictly necessary). Stories with the antics of young children or animals are great. Here are a few she has enjoyed over and over that are along the lines I'm thinking of: Who Gets the Drumstick, Beardsley The Family Nobody Wanted, Doss The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, Trapp My Heart Lies South, Trevino On our list: Holding the Stirrup, Guttenburg She has really enjoyed the titles I mentioned b/c sweet, old-fashioned stories are appealing to her. She is an old-fashioned kinda girl! It is difficult to find books that are mature enough in reading level without mature content. Thank You,

Oops, wrong board...I apologize