Unlike the story, we don't live in the Ozarks, and instead of buying two puppies for raccoon hunting like the boy in the book, my son walked to the neighborhood bike shop and bought himself a skateboard. (I'm sure he would like two puppies as well.)
My daughter introduced me last week to some people she met through a church youth-group service project. The people are volunteers who help feed the hungry in the city. I decided to follow my daughter's lead and join the volunteer effort too. It felt very good to volunteer for a worthy cause once again. I've been absent from this kind of work for far too long.
After our food-pantry gig, I planned to take the subway home, but my daughter suggested we walk. The food pantry is 3.68 miles from our apartment (I looked up the distance when we got home), and we talked and talked, and laughed a bit too, all the way home. We plan to make this a regular routine, and I'm sure we'll benefit from the project just as much as the people we hope to help. We already have.
Also last week, my daughter and I learned about Victorians' Secret. We attended a lecture about 19th-century unmentionables! What a hoot.
The historian re-enacted the daily dressing routine of a wealthy woman from the New York City merchant class in the late 1850s. She began the session wearing a chemise and stockings and then added layer upon layer (upon layer and layer!) until she was fully dressed, including an outer coat and bonnet.
We joined the crowd of aficionados, sipped the tea that served and nibbled the pastries, and we learned about an era of history in a whole new way for us. I guess you could say we learned about 19th-century history from the bottom up.
Oh what an interesting lesson about the Victorian's Secrets! Sounds like lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteYOu are the funnest homeschool mom that I know! I love reading what you do!
ReplyDeleteSounds like it would have been a fascinating presentation. My daughters and I would have enjoyed listening to it. Seeing history "in real life" makes learning all that more enjoyable and memorable.
ReplyDeleteMy children do better about saving their money after reading Where the Red Fern Grows too. We do live out in the country so my children have gotten to experience coon hunting since we read the book. We have 2 pups & abigger dog now. If I would let them we would own an Old Dan & Little Ann too. Three is enough for me, LOL.
ReplyDeleteVolunteer work is such a good idea. My kids and I have volunteered before at the local food bank, filling bags with produce, sorting cans, and so forth. Sounds like your long walk back gives you lots of time for chatting too!
ReplyDeleteLove the fashion show - both my kids have been very interested in Victorian times since we went to the Dickens Faire!
Everyone - thanks for your comments. Studying the history of clothes would be a project many of us would probably love to do!
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