Kathleen's Korner at TheStidhams.com

Had a very busy week!

Went skiiing at White Pass over last weekend. The boys had a great time playing in the snow — I had a great time staying quiet indoors.

Monday the children went to school. Tuesday (and through most of next week) G and I have been hanging out together while the WASLs are administered. M is in school for the period, as the WASLs in 7th grade are much less time-consuming, and actual instruction has been planned for the classes.

Had a small burn pile on Tuesday afternoon, and something in it caused me to have a nasty allergic reaction. Sure enough, it’s triggered the itchy-burny skin reaction I have to perfumes again. Just as I had been able to be comfortable going places again!

argh.

Yesterday and today, G and I have been making stamped calendars with Mother; a really nice woman does “Close to My Heart” workshops and sales.

And M is now in track, not sure exactly which events he will do, but certainly he will have fun.

oops. That should be Spring Break…

The kids are home for the week. Luckily, so is T. Took the whole week off just to be with us! I am so fortunate.

Just got back from taking all the boys (including Lucky and M’s friend) for a walk at Frye Cove Park. It was short — mosquito season has begun — but very nice. There are little yellow native violets blooming in a few places, trillium, of course, and the apple trees from the old homestead are lovely — dripping in ice-green lichens and gorgeous white blossoms. They look so much like they belong in Rivendell, or a fairytale farmyard.

Have been playing Babble now for about three weeks. It does seem to get better and go faster, but the real draw has been the conversations on the chat log. There are some truly wonderful, kind people out there and many of them play Babble! Of course, there are also a few trolls… but they don’t seem to stick around for long.

Yesterday, we went to the Olympia Farmer’s Market with Mother, and she bought us a few plants… some Lewisia for me, alyssum and violets for G, two fuschias for M. Will try to get them planted or potted up tomorrow. The weather has been quite springlike (appropriate) and should be alternately rainy and dry all week. Hope to be in the yard more than inside most of the next couple days…

I actually volunteered in a classroom today. First graders, listening to them read. Wasn’t well enough to do that when my kids were little, glad I can now. This will be a weekly thing for me until school is out for the year.

Transplanted the other kiwi. Hope I got enough of its root system — it had gone under a large root. Only one other plant that needs actual digging is the other rugosa. Then I can start planting the trees that are in pots and the tubers in the closet…

Was a fine day here in Western Washington. We could be out in the sun. I actually ate my lunch at the picnic table T brought home Saturday from his friends’ house! That was such a treat.

Everyone is healthy at the moment, looking forward to next week’s unscheduled activities… and anticipating getting lots of yardwork done as the days continue to lengthen and warm.