Pressing On

This was the sight that greeted those who had to visit the Cancer Clinic today.  The picture does not do it justice in the least, the whole place had a lovely fall theme, provided, I understand, by the receptionist there who must have a LOT of storage at her disposal.  She does something wonderful for every season.  I know that because I have now been a guest there during every season of the year! My visit today confirmed that it has been a year since my surgery - I thought it must be something like that but I didn't have the wherewithal to look it up myself in my old planner. I mean, I didn't care THAT much to celebrate the anniversary. I also found out something else today that I suspected but didn't know for sure.  I'm considered a Stage 2A cancer patient, with a Grade 3 tumour.  This sounds really dumb, but based on what the surgeon had told me waaaay back I had supposed Stage 2 cancer but somehow the oncologist did not actually say those words and I have

Yes, the turkey looks like it's sticking out its weirdly long tongue at us. After I posted the picture I felt like it was rather a serendipity because, well, I don't feel like giving thanks. I feel like my thanks-giver is worn out. I feel tired of turning crummy things inside out to find the silver lining.  Some things are just crummy. I am thankful that we are all healthy this year, truly! I'm thankful I've got a warm place inside today because it's pouring gigantic drops of rain. There are many other things too, just not everything. I do realize it's not my usual approach, and it's anti-scriptural, and it's no good for me or anyone else but what can I say: I'm a bit gloomy this year and feel like calling spades spades - which should make the world very afraid... Note Bene (NB) for my international friends :  It's Thanksgiving Day in Canada today; I'm in Canada : )

As of this year I have survived  completed 10 years of homeschooling!  My flagship student is now in grade 10, meaning, including kindergarten, I have just entered my 11th year.  Gosh. I'm going to be homeschooling longer than it took me to graduate... hmmm. I remember just getting started, thinking that surely someone would step in and save us from this terrifying prospect.  I had no intention of homeschooling.  I had many intentions of hiring a tutor and travelling the world. Worst case I would homeschool for a year or two until such times as a tutor was realistic. Apparently a tutor was then and continues to be, highly unrealistic.    I would still hire a good private teacher in a heartbeat. The obvious question is why did we not just take advantage of local schools when kindergarten rolled around? Well, it's got to do with my delusions that life is what you make it and you can make it something great - or at least more of what you want it to be - if you have a vision an