Fleur de Lis Homeschool Blog: Mar 21, 2020

Saturday, March 21, 2020

March 1-7, 2020 Corona/Covid 19, Chainsawing, Hiking, Rooster Painting, Flopsy

March 1-7, 2020

Corona/Covid 19, Chainsawing, Hiking, Rooster Painting, Flopsy

Simple projects always surprisingly turn into epic events.

Hello, Friends!

With the news of Covid 19, I wanted to get Dd a flu shot so if she did get the flu she might not get as sick as otherwise. This was maybe we can keep her immune system strong for when the Coronavirus arrives in Michigan; if it isn't here already. I've been buying more supplies for my pantry. Surprisingly, the stores haven't been as busy as I thought they would be.

Hiking with Henry each day continues to be the highlight of my day!!!

Church:

I sat in the last row, right near the exit door on Sunday (March 1st). I was a little unsure if this was a good idea, but went anyway. I think this will be my last service for a while. Luckily, our services are available online.

Migraines:

No "migraines" this week, but my eyes were totally blurry three days. It is really hard when I can't see well. But, of all the problems from having migraines, the blurry eyes is easier than the horrible pain.

This is one of my favorite pictures I took this winter. Michigan seemingly has 90% gray skies, especially in the winter and for once it added something to the composition.

Chickens:

The weather was better this week and the chickens were able to free-range a few times.

Sick Chickens:

Flopsy died this week. I took the opportunity to do a thorough autopsy on her to see what was going on and she really was full of liquid. I'd not seen what pneumonia looked like on the inside before. I learned a lot. I'll miss her a lot. She was one of my first chickens; right after I hatched the Buff Orpington's.

Rooster Painting:

Last year for my birthday I asked Dd for a bird drawing...Christmas I asked for a bird drawing....but, she had been too busy. This week, she brought home an oil painting of a rooster she had been working on in her Painting Studio!!! It is fantastic!!!! I'll treasure it always!!! I would have been happy with a small pencil drawing!

Stairwell:

I'm not sure how this happened, but Dh had been working on the treads and the stringers broke. So we went to Menards and bought new 2x12x10 boards so he could cut new stringers to replace the old bad ones. But, that means we don't have a way to get downstairs (to my laundry room and Dd's bedroom) unless we walk outside and walk around the house to the basement door!! It sure has made life so complicated not having our stairwell!!!! I'm glad Menards had the wood we needed, so that is one step down.

Bible Study:

Thrive Monday Night Bible Study:

The Unexplainable Church: Reigniting the Mission of the Early Believers: A Study of Acts 13-28

I so enjoy this small group of friendly ladies. Our workbook is fantastic too!!!

Bible Study Fellowship: Wed. mornings:

This week's class went well. We've lost about 1/4 of the women that started the group. The material BSF has is really informative. I've learned so much from this study; so very well done!

Chainsaw:

I chainsawed on Wednesday and then had another great day on Saturday while Dh worked on the stairwell. I worked too hard apparently b/c the next day I was fighting the flu and my right knee was hurt again. But, boy did I have fun.

Dd's Progress This Week:

Grace Co-op Classes:

Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia)

Art: Painting Studio

Writing/English: Analytical Writing for Essay's and Research Papers (IEW)

Read Aloud:

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Wolf

Reader:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

English/Writing at Home:

Paper on King Lear: Completed

Paper on Romeo and Juliet: Completed

Math:

Tutoring Algebra II (Saxon)

SAT Prep:

Khan Academy--4 x this week

A second picture I took of this fabulous tree...

Art at Home:

Drawing-- 5 sessions this week

German:

DuoLingo online: 5 sessions this week

Physical Education:

8:30 hours this week

Work:

Dd is still enjoying working at the pizza shop a few times each week.

...........

Feb. 23-29, 2020 Seth, Brake Change, Sick Chickens, PT for Knee

Feb. 23-29, 2020

Seth, Brake Change, Sick Chickens, PT for Knee

Hello, Friends!

This was a hard week for me. I was fighting a cold and my seasonal affect disorder appropriately called, SAD. I do everything I'm supposed to do---hike with Henry out in the woods, workout DVD's and/or treadmill, church, Bible Study women's groups, use my special SAD therapy lights...but, some weeks are just hard!

Physical Therapy:
This week I started my PT for my injured knee. It was really uneventful, she asked questions and gave me a few print-off sheets of exercises to do at home. I have a follow-up in two weeks. I was disappointed. Luckily, my knee is improving and the brace has been very helpful as well.

Sick Chickens:
I have a black chicken, called Flopsy, that is sick. Flopsy wouldn't accept being isolated in a cage, but our other sick one, Bunny was happy for the private food and water! Bunny, a white hen was clearly suffering from pneumonia this week too. I put her in a open cage in the coop to keep her germs from getting to the others, but still keeping her with her family in the coop. I'm scrambling eggs and cooking her up lots of special treats, which she seemed happy to have. I went through this with Bunny last year and it took around six weeks (or more), but eventually I was able to see her through the illness and recover. I hate this time of year where I have sick chickens. It takes so much more effort and care to check on a sick bird repeatedly throughout the day. I hate to see them not feeling well and it is so hard to know how to best help them.

Chickens:
Saturday warmed up enough to get the chickens out for a free-range session.

Bible Study:
Bible Study Fellowship: BSF on Wednesday mornings
I skipped last week, but went back again this week. I've finally processed my disappointments with people and have moved back to just focusing on learning.

Thrive: Monday night's group:
The Unexplainable Church: Reigniting the Mission of the Early Believers: A Study of Acts 13-28

Hiking with Henry:

Thankful for the big woods around our house and a dog that never gets cold. I just love hiking with Henry; especially in the winter.

Knives Out:
Yay! I FINALLY got to see the new movie, Knives Out! Dd's boyfriend bought it and quickly allowed me to borrow it! It was a fun movie with lots of twists and turns.

Truck:
Dh heard his brakes making noise and thought he'd just need to put on new brake pads, but once he pulled off the pads, he saw the routers were also worn down. Then when he was trying to take off the tires a lug bolt broke; which turned out to be a really big deal to get the broken piece out. He had to go back to the auto store to buy a new lug bolt. It took two days, but he got all the work done. He just bought this used truck around August, so he hadn't looked at the brakes yet. Now he is good for a while.

Friday Night with Seth:
After two failed Friday Night with Seth, this week finally worked! Dd said she was going to do all the cooking this time, but I helped out by getting all the prep work done before she got home. She wanted to make mashed potatoes, so I peeled and chopped and got the potatoes all ready for her. She cooked up some shrimp to go with the mashed potatoes. After dinner we all played UNO---Dd, Seth, Dh, and me. We had a great time and laughed a lot!

Dd's Progress for the Week:

Church and Bible Study:
Dd went with Seth, her boyfriend, to church again this week. She has stopped going with me...bummer...but, at least she loves going to church.

Reader:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin: In Process

Read Aloud:

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolfe : In Process

Grace Co-op Classes:

Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia)

Art: Painting Studio

Writing/English: Analytical Writing for Essay's and Research Papers (IEW)

Math:

Tutoring Algebra II (Saxon)

SAT Prep:

Khan Academy--3 x this week

German:

DuoLingo online: 3 sessions this week

Physical Education:

5:30 hours this week

Work:

Dd is still enjoying working at the pizza shop a few times each week.

...............

Feb. 16-22nd, 2020 Cold, Snow, Stairwell, Movie Theatre, Dryer

Feb. 16-22nd, 2020

Cold, Snow, Stairwell, Movie Theater, Dryer

Henry's lip got stuck on his tooth and he looks like a mad dog...which is the opposite of his true big heart!

Hello, Friends!

This week Dh and I went to the movies for a special date night for us. With Dd spending so much time with her boyfriend now, we are getting more time together...just the two of us! Dh and I saw the movie "1917" a World War II movie. I'd been wanting to Knives Out, but Dd's boyfriend is wanting to buy it soon, so I'll be able to see it soon. Dh loves war movies, so we made him happy. For the first time, in my movie theater experience, the father and son sitting on the right of me were texting through the movie and the husband and wife on the other side of me were also on their phones. The bright lights were very distracting!!! I really missed the old days when only the sounds of crackling candy wrappers were the most distracting! Now, I have to try and block out all the phone use lights catching my attention in my peripheral vision.

Friday Dinner:

Like last week, Dd said she and her boyfriend would be coming over for dinner so I spent hours cooking for them. I made baked Haddock, baked sweet potatoes and baked russet potatoes, brownies from scratch. Eventually, they turned up at 7:30 with their bags of take-out from Arby's. I was yet again disappointed that I spent hours trying to prepare a real meal for them only to have it not happen.

Dryer:

The repair parts arrived and Dh was able to fix our broken dryer! I was so glad to have it finally working well. I had a double the amount of laundry to do this week, but thankful I could do it at home and not have to drive to a laundromat.

Van:

Our van is STILL broken---Dh tried to fix it again, but now the front wheel is acting up and he doesn't know what to do. He is exasperated with the van! It is really hard for me having to share a car with Dd----she needs it every day and I'm stuck high and dry! I've asked Dh to look for a new-used car so we can each have our own car.

Bible Studies:

Bible Study Fellowship: Acts and the Letters of the Apostles

I skipped my BSF Bible Study this week, the one on Wednesday mornings, but went to the Thrive class on Monday night. I am still a bit upset about the comments people made two weeks ago that were very judgmental and in my opinion not very nice. I still really struggle with how accepted it is for people to be judgmental in church settings. By the end of the week I had finally put this event to rest, but I sure did struggle for two weeks about this event. Sometimes I just have chew on things for a while and sort out my feelings until I feel resolved about it. I'll go back next week.

Thrive Bible Study:

My Thrive class went really well and I'm learning so much. We finished Erica Wiggenhorn's Unexplainable Life: Recovering the Wonder and Devotion of the Early Church: Acts 1-12 and now we are doing the follow-up book: The Unexplainable Church: Reigniting the Mission of the Early Believers: A Study of Acts 13-28

Weather:

Snow and Shoveling Snow Still!

Stairwell:

Dh has been working on fixing the stairs. I don't really understand it all, but we put down new hardwood flooring in the living room and dining room. Now we want to put it down in the hallway, but the height of the new floor has to be flush with the stairs and that is a problem. So, Dh has to redo all the stairs? He is taking apart each of the steps and bought new wood to replace the 'treads' on each step. It's really turned into a huge ordeal...huge.

Chainsawing:

Dh had bought me a electric chainsaw recently, but the battery was not working right and he had to take it back. Now that we've had a few warmer days I had the chance to go out and chainsaw a few hours on Saturday while Dh was working on the stairs. I do *try* to only chainsaw when someone else is home for safety's sake. The chainsaw is working GREAT!!! I had a great day!!

Migraines:

I only had two migraines this week---one was an all day on the sofa kind of migraine. All-in-all, this month has been very good though. I am thankful for the blessing of a good migraine month.

Knee/ Physical Therapy:

I somehow hurt my right knee this month. I'm really limping. The new knee brace I ordered is really helping; I've even worn it sleeping. I've called my doctor and had to go in to get referred to the Physical Therapy department. I have an appointment next week with Erin to look at my knee. The x-ray didn't show any bone problems, but I actually need a MRI but the doctor said she couldn't order it because my insurance company wouldn't cover the expense. I plan on asking my PT about my carpal tunnel problem hand to see what she thinks about that.