Stream of Consciousness
WordPress tells me this is the sixth time I've written a stream of consciousness post.
Somehow, I thought I'd done more than that.
Weird.
So, let's see. What's going on in my brain right now?
For starters, I sort of can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week. The kind of warm weather we've had here on the east coast is throwing me off.
I think we're going to take most of next week off of school, so, yay! And then Christmas break is comin' up not super long after that, which is another yay!
School is actually going quite well this year, mind you, but even when it goes well, it does take up a lot of time, and so it's fun to have a break.
A thing that is helping school go better this year: even my youngest kid is getting to be quite independent with her schoolwork. This is pretty marvelous.
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Yesterday, I picked up another book (Servant's Hall) by Margaret Powell, who wrote Below Stairs. I'd put it on hold at the library, and I was super excited when I got the email saying it had arrived.
Even though it was a packed day, I did manage to squeeze in a few chapters of reading and so far, this one is every bit as good as Below Stairs.
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I got a bag of Brussels sprouts in my produce box, and I decided to try Cook's Illustrated's recent salad recipe, which has a warm bacon dressing.
None of us are particularly fond of Brussels sprouts, but all six of us thought they were fairly tolerable this way.
Basically, I consider that to be a cruciferous vegetable win.
(Could everyone get them down the hatch? Yes? Super.)
I would probably not ever purchase Brussels sprouts on my own, and that's why I keep getting my produce box...it expands my boundaries a bit.
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Joshua and I spent several hours dealing with the leaves in our yard on Monday, and now, two days later, it's a little bit hard to tell we did anything.
Oh well. We'll keep at it, and eventually, the trees WILL stop dropping leaves.
Although I do have mixed feelings about that, because bare trees are sort of not my favorite thing in the whole world.
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I finally got around to taking Joshua in to get his learner's permit.
(I may or may not have put this off because a trip to the DMV always involves large amounts of waiting.)
He passed the test (with ease, despite his nerves) and that means I'm about to embark on the journey of teaching someone how to drive for the first time.
I will be a pro at this by the time Zoe gets her permit, but right now, I'm a total noob. Fortunately, Mr. FG and I have navigated all of our other parental newbie moments passably well, so I have faith that we will get through this.
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I had a "duh!" moment this week when a reader left a comment about this peeler, which I've owned for 3 years. She said she loved the Kuhn Rikon peeler, and my goodness, isn't that little helper tool on the side helpful for removing eyes?!
And I was like, "Wait, what? Does my peeler have that?"
Sure enough, it does. But I never noticed it in 3 years.
I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. Ahem.
But I'm pleased to say I totally used the side tool to remove several potato eyes yesterday and it WAS indeed epic.
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So. That's the stuff that's running through my brain right now. 😉
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P.S. I keep forgetting to tell you all that the winner of the Amani Ya Juu giveaway was Laura J. Laura, you've been emailed!
You know, I like bare trees. I find their silhouette against the sky quite striking. However, I do not like the cold weather that comes with them.
We found the best time for a beginning driver was Sunday morning, when there is less traffic, after you progress from parking lot driving.
Good luck with the driving! I thought my son would take to it like a duck to water after all the go-karts and such he's driven over the years. However, he HATES to drive. I think the enormity of the responsibility weighs on him. He has been eligible for his license for 2 months but is in absolutely no hurry to get it. I wish I could help him relax a bit and enjoy it more. It isn't really feasible to not drive in the long term in our area.
This recipe from Girl Versus Dough on Monday 11/16 looks delicious. I thought you might enjoy it or that it might help you use up your Brussels sprouts.
http://www.girlversusdough.com/2015/11/16/dijon-roasted-brussels-sprouts/#more-7030
You know, if you stopped to consider how much time you save by home schooling, you might be amazed* what an efficient use of time it is.
1. You don't have to pack your kids lunches.
2. No commuting to and from school
3. " " multiple schools
4. Wardrobe requirements are flexible, so less shopping and less a.m. angst.
5. No parent/teacher conferences or back-to-school nights
6. Far less wasted time during the actual school day
7. Far more one-on-one learning for your kids
8. You can arrange Dr/Dentist appointments for off-peak times.
9. You can add or reshuffle days at will, which allows for...
10. Off-peak vacationing, saving money, time, and best of all, avoiding crowds.
*Since you've homeschooled for ages, you know all these things and more. I just thought I'd point a few thoughts out for the benefit of others who might be considering it. And maybe just a teeny tiny bit for you. You really are getting a lot of bang for your (time) buck as well. The end of the school year will most likely arrive much sooner for your family than for regular school kids. It just seems like eons away, particularly after the time changes in the fall.
That is true...I do always wonder what the one-to-one comparison ends up being. I mean, it's easy to be like, "Ooh, a whole quiet 6 hours every day! What a miracle that would be!" but that doesn't count all the homework time and conference time and such.
No Way! I've been using that peeler for 30 years now and I never even noticed that little tool! Let's see... why do Swedes have flat foreheads...
You should DEFINITELY try it! It works like a charm.
I love bare trees and I LOVE brussel sprouts! I'm so sad that they're so expensive! I just like them with a little olive oil drizzled on and roasted at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. YUM! 🙂
A stream of conscious response:
Though I don't comment much (at all, really), I read your posts daily. I really enjoy your writing style; you have such a distinct voice that comes through in your writing and I find myself laughing out loud during practically every post. I made your frugal brownies twice last week and they were fantastic with all brown sugar as well as with all white sugar. I love Brussels sprouts sautéed with pecans in butter and salt until they are no longer bitter. I had no idea that there was an eye-removal tool on the side of my peeler-all these years I've been using a paring knife to get them out! I love bare trees because I love winter and all things snowy 🙂
I love your stream of consciousness reply!
And I'm so pleased my posts bring a chuckle to your day. 🙂
One of the things I am most thankful for is that I never have to teach anyone how to drive ever again 🙂 I remember it as being my least favorite part of the teenage years !
I felt that way about potty training. We shall see if driving competes!
Best brussels sprouts: take the outer leaves and stalks off. Cut them in half or quarters if they're big. Saute with coconut oil, when they're 3/4 of the way done, drizzle maple syrup and a pinch of salt and let them get nicely coated and finish cooking them. Love love love!
I initially started to teach our middle son to drive a few years back and we did ok. However, we also enrolled him in driver training to take advantage of insurance discounts for such. I must say, the improvement in his skill and confidence was phenomenol after taking the course even though he was driving ok with me. The thing is, after driving for years, we all tend to develop habits, both good and bad that we can easily pass on without realizing. The drivers Ed course was invaluable. I highly recommend it.