What? WHAT?

It’s so hard to see them not get all the places and faces that come with their extracurriculars (and there was definitely a time they were pushing towards Too Many). Claudia can be hard to motivate with “practicing” music now — practicing for what? She’s not interested in performing anymore outside of dance, and just has spells of songwriting where I will find her lugging around her PA system and instruments. (And she sounds great, with her maturing voice.) We have come to a deal that she will continue regular uke, bass, and vocal practice, because it’s good for her, even if she is more sure than ever that she wants to stay in Classics.

This is the deal that is getting her — as I tear up, thinking of her saying “I don’t want to become a teenager under quarantine”, because I think that’s very much what we need to prepare for — a custom-made ancient Greek lyre for her birthday. I have a friend who is a luthier and he’s already sketching, but Claude knows there’s no lyre for someone who doesn’t show they understand that music (and discipline) in general is a helpful skill.

We continue to manage to make great memories (Halloween was, frankly, amazing) during one of the hardest times in history. We are safe and well and interested in many things, and nothing makes you richer than that. And we got some very good news today.

I was more pessimistic about this than was apparently called for.

I’m gonna take a hint from that in general.

About half of the new curricula showed up; I’m enjoying looking through those. The personalization that home education provides is beyond measurable value.

Also at the ready:

Looking ahead, with hope and joy, and high expectations.