August Already

It is so hot. We've been staying indoors, not even going out to play in the water because it's Just. Too. Hot. Jonathan's been going out to play a bit, and Benjamen less so, but Nicholas and I are staying in the air conditioning.

In a strange twist of fate, we started 1st (for Benjamen) and 3rd level maths this morning, and it was not just painless, but fun and happy. Jonathan said afterward, "It's over already? Why does time go by so quick when stuff is fun?" I had no intention of doing any formal math or doing any curriculum at all, but I had already bought the books way back when. When we had company, I moved the books from the guest room to the bedroom bookshelves. Jonathan saw the 3rd level books and wanted to look at them so I told him to knock himself out. He poured over them for hours. He asked me to start doing the lessons with him, but we quickly figured out that it wouldn't work because it was all based on the calendar, and the calendar started in August. He's been checking off the days, waiting for August 1st so that we could do math, and Benjamen, ever the little brother, jumped on the wagon, as well. I woke Jonathan up this morning (he never gets up, just rolls over and goes back to sleep) and said, "We get to do math today!" and he jumped down from bed and ran into the dining room. He almost threw a fit at me because I was in the middle of making his breakfast when I woke him up and had to finish it before we could start.

Now all I have to do is not mess it all up. My mantra all summer has been, "Help them clear the path when they ask for help, but most of all, stay out of their way!"

We're finishing the middle ages this week, looking at Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada and pirates, which is fun. I'm making salmagundi (not that recipe!) for dinner on Friday, and we've got a list of projects he wants to do. I had bought them the Piratology book a while back because I knew this was coming up, and all three boys have been tussling over who gets to look at it. Big hit.

Next Monday we start "Early Modern Times" with the pope crowning Charles Holy Roman Emperor and a look at conquistadors in South America.

Jonathan came running in today yelling that he had been swinging on his swing (tied under the deck) and saw a deer crossing through the woods across the road. He said it had "small horns" so maybe we saw our first buck on the road. We've lived here over two years and I've only ever seen one buck, and it was several miles from our home. I was excited and ran out to see if I could pick it out (they're so well camouflaged!), but I couldn't see it. Meanwhile, Nicholas had run out the front door and both girls (dogs) ran out and up the road and out of sight before I even knew what had happened. They came staggering back about 15 minutes later, tongues hanging out and dying from the heat and their exertion. Weirdos. I always panic when they get out and runn off (a couple times a year), but they always come back just fine, if completely worn out because they so seldom get to run for that kind of distance. They never learn their lesson, so it must be more fun than not.

What else is exciting? Oh! Jonathan has discovered Roald Dahl and is devouring his books faster than we can get them from the library. Dan brought home a stack on Friday that I had ordered and over the weekend Jonathan read Matilda, The BFG, The Witches, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, The Minpins, Revolting Recipes, and More Revolting Recipes. He read most of them Friday night. I went to put them in the bag to return Monday morning and he said he wanted to keep them and read them all again. So there you have it, a ringing endorsement.

And Papa brought home another bag full of Roald Dahl this evening, so that should keep him occupied tomorrow, at least. I'm so thankful for the library, and so grateful they have online services so that I can reserve them from home. It's been a lifesaver.