Let's see if I can remember what has happened since my first post of the year...
Back in November, November 24 to be exact, I lost my voice. It happened while we were on Thanksgiving vacation in Missouri. I didn't yell until I lost my voice, there wasn't any trauma, a cold or flu...it just left. This happened when I was in high school too but only for a couple of days at a time and about 3 or 4 times out of the year. I can handle a few days and I know my family can too but tomorrow will mark Day 60!! I can whisper so I am not exactly quiet but even that is very weak sometimes. To get someone's attention (family) I tend to whistle or clap. For the furry family members I throw things. No not sharp things!! Usually just an empty soda bottle or pillow, but sometimes I do throw a capped pen or permanent marker.
The longer this continues, the more serious I am about learning American Sign Language (ASL). I found a couple websites that give you direct instructions, with video on how to do each "word". What I didn't know is that they don't sign each word. It is more of a broken speech. Rosetta Stone also has a program and then on top of that I have met two people who know sign language and have offered to help with some "lessons" and another friend is taking a college ASL class! You may think I am joking, but I am beyond the joking phase.
Being unable to communicate vocally is actually very difficult and strains even the best relationship. I have discovered that homeschooling is actually quite difficult. Both the teacher and the student's tempers seem to flare. One day was especially bad...
Even Furby was in a bad mood! Nothing seemed to ease up so we made cookies, well...why waste all that time waiting for the cookies to bake when you can just eat the cookie dough? Sometimes cookie dough is just not meant to be cookies!
Since I have been so lazy, attempting to talk when you have no voice is tiring, I have been doing a lot of reading (8 books so far this year!) and my Christmas tree is still up. I did however put away all of my other Christmas knick-knacks, bobbles and decorations. The ornaments and lights are off the tree, the tree just needs to be put back into the box and then carted off to storage.
So how is school going (without a voice)? Well, it's going. Not as smoothly as I would like but it's going. Last week Kira informed me that I was behind in grading her math. *sigh* Unlike most kids she wants to know what her grade is. I didn't plan on grading papers but since her public school friends get their papers graded she wants hers graded as well. I wanted to reply with "you are behind in your reading comprehension", but decided to keep the peace. I am proud to announce that her year-to-date math grade is a 97% and her language is at a 89%. I don't keep grades on her science and social studies. She has completed her cursive workbooks and it is surprisingly neat! We still need to work on it as this cursive book did NOT include capital letters...IDK.
My accomplishments? Yep, I am still working on the kitchen. I have managed to keep the kitchen table cleaned off for more than a week. It still needs to be sanded and a coat polyethylene but let's just work at keeping it cleaned off first. I am still in the decluttering phase and I think the kitchen may have to carry over into February. I would like a little more input from my hubby on to what stays and what goes.
3 books? Yep, I have read those and 5 more. Grand total of 8 books and counting. I am also still knitting. I haven't been able to master the purl stitch although I think I am making a break through. I'll post pictures of what I accomplished tomorrow...I promise! Really I do!!
