8/30 progress report
28 minutes until our twice-extended inspection objection deadline passes. At this point it's basically insignificant since we've already executed resolution to the objections, but I'll still feel better when it's passed.
What to do with ourselves now? The moment is not really right to move to the coast. That will probably be in spring. We'd love to get ourselves a gracefully aging (read cheap) RV to bridge the gap until we find our boat. But what about winter in Colorado? Where can we park ourselves, and how do we not freeze?
We'll continue trying to figure it all out...
April and the girls kicked butt for our first full school week. We decided to go ahead and throw Rosetta Stone Spanish into the mix, because math, biology, history, handwriting, spelling, grammar, composition, and ancient literature just isn't a sufficient course-load for a kindergartener.
What to do with ourselves now? The moment is not really right to move to the coast. That will probably be in spring. We'd love to get ourselves a gracefully aging (read cheap) RV to bridge the gap until we find our boat. But what about winter in Colorado? Where can we park ourselves, and how do we not freeze?
We'll continue trying to figure it all out...
April and the girls kicked butt for our first full school week. We decided to go ahead and throw Rosetta Stone Spanish into the mix, because math, biology, history, handwriting, spelling, grammar, composition, and ancient literature just isn't a sufficient course-load for a kindergartener.
8/30 schoolwork
Audrey
- Spelling: MCP Spelling Workout A, pp. 89, 90 (first half of Lesson 22)
- Grammar: First Language Lessons for the Well-trained Mind: Level 1, p. 2-4 (Lessons 2, 3)
- Handwriting: Zaner-Bloser Handwriting K, p. 87
- Composition: Writing with Ease Workbook: Level 1, Week 1 Day 2,3
- Reading aloud:
- D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, pp. 122-125 (King Midas)
- Finished Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning
- Science: sea monkeys have hatched!
- Reading Aloud
- D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, pp. 122-125 (King Midas)
- Little House on Rocky Ridge, "A New Friend"
8/29 progress report
We and our buyers executed the Inspection Objection Resolution today, so it looks like we're really on track to do this thing. Crazy!
I did a bit of research on renewing our passports and getting the girls their first ones.
travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html
travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html
I did a bit of research on renewing our passports and getting the girls their first ones.
travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html
travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html
8/29 homeschooling
Audrey
- Math: Singapore KB activity book, pp. 20 -22 (Unit 12, activities 2, 3)
- Language
- Reading to Audrey:
- D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, pp. 114-122 (Danaus, Perseus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Medusa and the Gorgons)
- Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, Ch ?
- Reading by Audrey:
- Memory work
- memorizing "If Little Red Riding Hood...", by Jeff Ross
- Science and history
- field trip to the Denver Museum of Natural History
- Mars
- Dinosaurs
- ancient Egypt
- primates
- Began Lesson 3 in TYCTR
- Read aloud Little House on Rocky Ridge, "The Orchard"
8/28 progress
We read a little for our remote first aid class.
I did a bit of research on classes for USCG Captains' licensing, which could lead to an income steam from deliveries and charters.
We've also been researching Rosetta Stone language courses for the girls and ourselves. It's a really cool program, and of course Audrey's at her prime age for learning languages. I'm thinking we might just have to do it.
8/28 schoolwork
Audrey
- Spelling: MCP Spelling Workout A, p. 88 (second half of Lesson 21)
- Math: Singapore KB activity book, pp. 2-17 (Unit 11)
- Grammar: First Language Lessons for the Well-trained Mind: Level 1, p. 1 (Lesson 1)
- Handwriting: Zaner-Bloser Handwriting K, pp. 85-86
- Composition: Writing with Ease Workbook: Level 1, Week 1 Day 1
- Reading aloud:
- D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, pp. 108-110 (Europa and Cadmus, Tantalus and Pelops)
- Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, Chapter 7
- A Friend for Dragon: Dragon's First Tale
- Science:
- Picked out 10 animals to study for the first 20 weeks of the year
- Read about, watched videos, and did dictation and copywork on kangaroos
- Reading Aloud
- Little House on Rocky Ridge, "Moving On"
8/27 progress report
I got our remote first aid book today, so we'll get started on reading that tonight. The course is just a couple weeks off now. It'll be in Denver for 4 hours on a Tuesday and Thursday evening and on the following Saturday from 8 to 5.
There's lots more ready to be done now: We have a house full of stuff to sell, give away, and/or store as we begin to downsize in earnest. We need to get the ball rolling on passports, and begin to research travel and work visas and quarantine issues. Work visas will require lots of concrete documentation of work history. We need to start to get more specific about cruising finances and sustainability. I need to learn lots more about system maintenance and repair -- fiberglass, sails, through-hulls, diesel, rigging electronics, etc., etc..
There's lots more ready to be done now: We have a house full of stuff to sell, give away, and/or store as we begin to downsize in earnest. We need to get the ball rolling on passports, and begin to research travel and work visas and quarantine issues. Work visas will require lots of concrete documentation of work history. We need to start to get more specific about cruising finances and sustainability. I need to learn lots more about system maintenance and repair -- fiberglass, sails, through-hulls, diesel, rigging electronics, etc., etc..
8/27 schoolwork
Audrey
- Math: Singapore KB, 12.4 (pp. 25-26)
- History: Family history project -- interviewing GranMiri, Papa, Mom, Dad
- Reading aloud:
- Mummies in the Morning, Chapters 6, 7 (hieroglyphs)
- D'aulaires' Greek myths on Orpheus and Euridice, pp 102-108
- Reading aloud:
- Little House on Rocky Ridge "Coming Home"
- Noni the Pony
- Science:
- added sea monkey eggs to habitat
- observed earthworms from last night's downpour
- Yoga class at Shoshoni
Summer Retrospective (by April)
Is the summer over already?! It has just whizzed by us, and there is still so much I wanted to pack in that I didn't. Not that we haven't already made the most of summer, as evidenced by my total neglect of my share of the blogging.
We spent lots of time at the pool, both in swimming lessons (both girls are now swimming short distances independently) and at the local outdoor pools just splashing around. Oh- and the pièce de résistance, Water World. We also spent several days in Grand Lake, Breckenridge, and Winter Park.
Broomfield Bay with Gramps
going over Trail Ridge Road
making friends in Grand Lake
pool party at Beaver Run
downtown Breckenridge with Gramps
Audrey did 3 week-long camps. She danced to live harp music and played in the woods building fairy houses for a week at Fairy Camp. Then she and Lorelei both went to Sunflower Farm for a week. It was Lorelei's first camp experience and she loved it. Last, Audrey spent a week at Avid4Adventure Camp. She said that was her favorite, although she loved them all. With Avid though, she begged for another week, and cried when I told her they were done for the summer. The first day they went rock climbing, the second day they kayaked, the third they mountain biked, the forth they canoed and the last they hiked. They also did some story-time yoga, art and music along with learn tons of new fun group games.
frolicking at Fairy Camp
walking through Fairy Camp with her friend Tatum
Sisters at Sunflower Farm
riding ponies at Sunflower Farm
ready to rock climb
kayaking with Edie
As far as moving closer to our goal of hitting the open sea, and far off ports, our house is under contract! Yea! Keeping the house clean enough for a showing all summer was exhausting. We still have not made it through the inspection process, so I will feel much more at ease once that is completed. The main new worry at the moment though is what to do with all of our stuff.
We have also finished our first aid and CPR class and signed up for the next step, wilderness survival.
Cheers to summer! You will be missed....sort of.
Here are a few more pictures of our fun-filled summer!
visiting with GranMiri and Papa
playing at the beach with Michael
partners yoga with Zander
visiting with Gramps and Holly
up close and personal with the cast of Wizard of Oz
Renaissance Festival
Elitch's with Michael
S'mores at our Nederland family camping trip
The skirt Audrey made herself at her Fabricate sewing day-camp
We spent lots of time at the pool, both in swimming lessons (both girls are now swimming short distances independently) and at the local outdoor pools just splashing around. Oh- and the pièce de résistance, Water World. We also spent several days in Grand Lake, Breckenridge, and Winter Park.
Broomfield Bay with Gramps
going over Trail Ridge Road
making friends in Grand Lake
pool party at Beaver Run
downtown Breckenridge with Gramps
Audrey did 3 week-long camps. She danced to live harp music and played in the woods building fairy houses for a week at Fairy Camp. Then she and Lorelei both went to Sunflower Farm for a week. It was Lorelei's first camp experience and she loved it. Last, Audrey spent a week at Avid4Adventure Camp. She said that was her favorite, although she loved them all. With Avid though, she begged for another week, and cried when I told her they were done for the summer. The first day they went rock climbing, the second day they kayaked, the third they mountain biked, the forth they canoed and the last they hiked. They also did some story-time yoga, art and music along with learn tons of new fun group games.
frolicking at Fairy Camp
walking through Fairy Camp with her friend Tatum
Sisters at Sunflower Farm
riding ponies at Sunflower Farm
ready to rock climb
kayaking with EdieAs far as moving closer to our goal of hitting the open sea, and far off ports, our house is under contract! Yea! Keeping the house clean enough for a showing all summer was exhausting. We still have not made it through the inspection process, so I will feel much more at ease once that is completed. The main new worry at the moment though is what to do with all of our stuff.
We have also finished our first aid and CPR class and signed up for the next step, wilderness survival.
Cheers to summer! You will be missed....sort of.
Here are a few more pictures of our fun-filled summer!
visiting with GranMiri and Papa
playing at the beach with Michael
partners yoga with Zander
visiting with Gramps and Holly
up close and personal with the cast of Wizard of Oz
Renaissance Festival
Elitch's with Michael 
S'mores at our Nederland family camping trip
The skirt Audrey made herself at her Fabricate sewing day-camp
8/26
April did an awesome job for the first day of Audrey's first school year! They did all this:
Audrey
Audrey
- Handwriting: Zaner-Bloser Handwriting K, p.84
- Math: Singapore KB, 12.2-12.3 (pp. 21-24)
- Spelling: MCP Spelling Workout A, finished Lesson 20 on long vowel a (p. 84)
- History: The Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, Introduction (pp. 1-6). Began family history project, interviewing Gramps, Nani, Aunt Dani.
- Science: sea monkey habitat prep
- Reading aloud: Mummies in the Morning, Chapters 1- 5
- My Book of Coloring: Ages 2-3-4, pp. 31-34
- Reading aloud: Cinderella, Country Mouse & City Mouse
Library trip:
- 2 fun reading books for each girl
- a book on sea life (specifically for the shrimp)
- a book on mammals (specifically for the kangaroos)
- a magic tree house book on mummies for history unit on archeology
- a non fiction book about an archeologist
8/24
- Math: Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics (Singapore Math) B textbook, 12.1 (pp. 19, 20)
- Spelling: Modern Curriculum Press Spelling Workout Level A, started Lesson 20 on long a (pp. 81-83)
Do not adjust your set.
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8/22/2013
We all went to the opening session for KinderHeart, Audrey's twice-a-week homeschool-supplemental Waldorf program, today. It was really nice, and I think it'll be a great community of kids for her and parents for us.
- Math: Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics (Singapore Math) B textbook, pp. 14-18 (second half of 11.7 - Unit 11 Review). Finished Unit 11.
- Spelling: Modern Curriculum Press Spelling Workout Level A, pp. 77, 78 (second half of Lesson 19). She's now more than halfway through this book.
- Reading aloud:
- Jacob: Daulaire's Greek Myth pp. ?? on the Muses, Mnemosyne, and Orpheus
8/21/2013
Audrey
Lorelei
- Math: Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics (Singapore Math) B textbook, pp. 5-13 (11.3 - first half of 11.7)
- Spelling: Modern Curriculum Press Spelling Workout Level A, pp. 77, 78 (first half of Lesson 19)
- Reading aloud:
- Jacob: Daulaire's Greek Myth pp. ?? on centaurs, Syrinx, Daphne, Esclepius, Hygeia
- April: several pages of The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
- Audrey: Fancy Nancy and the Late, Late, LATE Night
- Swim class at Ocean First
- swimming the pool width and streamlining
- working on
- windmill arms
- floating
- Jacob read aloud Little House on Rocky Ridge "Going Home" chapter
- Swim class at Ocean First
- swimming independently without arms
- working on flutter kick with arms
Blog reorg
I've made some tweaks to the blog. There are 2 new tabs: Homeschooling and Progress. All due to popular demand, you understand. The main Posts tab, served at the base URL, will henceforth be reserved for posts containing relatively "interesting" content actually intended for consumption by casual readers. My daily reports on homeschooling and on steps toward our goal will show up on the new tabs.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
8/21/2013
Finished lesson 11 in MCP Spelling A.
Started Singapore Math Kindergrten B textbook. Did lessons 11.1, 11.2.
Reviewed poems at dinner.
Read and took dictation on Narcissus the nymph Echo.
Project Fun Way
Audrey's been really getting into sewing and made this skirt at camp yesterday. I'm pleased with this development for a couple of reasons.
It's an asset to homeschooling as any passion is, in its own right. Beyond that it's got to be great for developing spatial reasoning.
One of the big expense categories for a number of cruisers who've kept records has been clothes, yet fabric is one thing that is widely and cheaply available in a lot of places. So several of the kid boats we follow do lots of their own sewing for their growing crew.
The Burj Dubai of character
You build an awful lot of character rolling around in a sea of fiberglass in a 110-degree unventilated attic for 7 hours. So now we're ready for our inspections and I have an extraordinarily tall pile of, um, character.
Audrey finished up her Kindergarten A math books, so I guess we'd better hurry up and get the Bs.
Inspections
We have 3 inspections on Monday and Tuesday so I've been working feverishly to get everything in order.
Audrey's about to start the last unit in the Kindergarten A math book.
I found this card on which she'd written out the numbers from 1 to 53. Several are reversed, but still pretty cool.
Lorelei is starting lesson 3 of TYCTRI100EL.
We're going to make some changes around here pretty soon. We'll be separating out the homeschool journal, the progress reports, and the actual interesting posts. I know you'll all be thrilled.
Certified, or certifiable?
We're certified in CPR and first aid!
Next up: wilderness and remote first aid. Bring on the avulsions!
Finished with first aid.
We finished our online study for first aid, and Tuesday evening we'll do the hands-on part.
We memorized "Some One" by Walter de la Mare this week. We'll need to pick out a new one for this week.
Audrey's doing the last of her summer camps this week, so we'll be planning for our regular schedule to start probably next week.
There's a reasonably priced Nautor 40 that looks really cool, and much more do-able for April and I handle on our own than that big old Olympic 47 we love. This one is really a beauty, though she'd be pretty cozy.
We memorized "Some One" by Walter de la Mare this week. We'll need to pick out a new one for this week.
Audrey's doing the last of her summer camps this week, so we'll be planning for our regular schedule to start probably next week.
There's a reasonably priced Nautor 40 that looks really cool, and much more do-able for April and I handle on our own than that big old Olympic 47 we love. This one is really a beauty, though she'd be pretty cozy.
Inspection, first aid, school
I did lots of fix-up work around the grounds today in anticipation of our inspection, with plenty left to do.
We did 3 hours of school today. I don't know how that happened. I think as long as I'm working full time during the week, weekends will continue to be prime homeschool time, at least for me.
We completed unit 6 on our first aid thing, on frost bit and hypothermia.
We did 3 hours of school today. I don't know how that happened. I think as long as I'm working full time during the week, weekends will continue to be prime homeschool time, at least for me.
We completed unit 6 on our first aid thing, on frost bit and hypothermia.
Sudden illness...
...is the unit we reviewed for our first aid thing tonight. Here are the Cliff's Notes: if someone is unconscious, or talking funny, or has a really bad tummy ache, then call 911.
I'm having trouble getting my head around the notion that we are under contract to sell our house. We have a slow closing so that has something to do with it, but we are actually, truly, selling this house. Craziness.
I'm having trouble getting my head around the notion that we are under contract to sell our house. We have a slow closing so that has something to do with it, but we are actually, truly, selling this house. Craziness.
Memorizing poems is awesome
Over the weekend, we were eating dinner on the patio of a restaurant where there was a big lawn with lots of kids. I was watching how Audrey was handling herself with a boy who kept harassing her playmate, and who eventually ended up hitting Audrey hard on the butt.
Now, it goes without saying that he brings shame on his parents, but that's not the point of my anecdote.
It's this: Rather than hitting him back, which I frankly wanted to do myself, she called after him, as he courageously ran away after hitting her, that he was "hideous."
It also goes without saying that she could have handled that a bit better, and we did have a talk afterward about how insulting people is not a good way to resolve differences, but really, I was mostly just bursting with pride that she pulled out "hideous" in the heat of battle. Thank you, Ogden Nash.
April got this wonderful book of poetry and Audrey's going to be in charge of making selections for us all to learn each week:
O Lorelei
Audrey up and wrote a couple poems today.
This one is inspired by her sister's name, and by the Lorelei rock.
O Lorelei by Audrey Champnes
O Lorelei O Lorelei you Liv upon the
rocs you bouns FRum roc to roc
O Lorelei I WISh I cIT do wut you
do o wut you do sounds so fun I do Wish
I CIT do wuT You do AND THos rocs
r NAMd Afdr You. The end
8/3
Behan posted a really great essay on sorting out wants and needs. She warns of the distinct possibility that failure to recognize the difference may mean that one never even gets off the dock. It's a great reminder.
I'd go a step further and say that some who know it full well nevertheless embrace failure to recognize that difference as a strategy in an unacknowledged campaign of sabotage against their own stated desires to accomplish any number of goals, including becoming long-term cruisers. They may say that they wish to cut the dock lines and sail for the horizon, but they are secretly terrified to do it, and so they unthinkingly throw up barriers in the form of insurmountably long lists of nice-to-haves deliberately misidentified as critical equipment or crucial to-dos.
Anyway...
April, Paul and I took the girls rafting on the Colorado River today. We did some light Class III rapids, according to our guide. The girls loved it.
I jumped off a 30-foot rock into the river which was a cool thing for me. It was one of those great moments when all you want to do is back out of something, but you step over the edge, literally in this case, and come out victorious over that inner voice of fear.
Finally, we learned about some of the causes of sudden illness in first aid tonight.
I'd go a step further and say that some who know it full well nevertheless embrace failure to recognize that difference as a strategy in an unacknowledged campaign of sabotage against their own stated desires to accomplish any number of goals, including becoming long-term cruisers. They may say that they wish to cut the dock lines and sail for the horizon, but they are secretly terrified to do it, and so they unthinkingly throw up barriers in the form of insurmountably long lists of nice-to-haves deliberately misidentified as critical equipment or crucial to-dos.
Anyway...
April, Paul and I took the girls rafting on the Colorado River today. We did some light Class III rapids, according to our guide. The girls loved it.
I jumped off a 30-foot rock into the river which was a cool thing for me. It was one of those great moments when all you want to do is back out of something, but you step over the edge, literally in this case, and come out victorious over that inner voice of fear.
Finally, we learned about some of the causes of sudden illness in first aid tonight.
8/2
We learned about modified CPR for unconscious choking this evening. Our practical class is a week from Tuesday. Then we'll get to register for remote first aid.
8/1
It'll be a year this month since we hatched this crazy plan of ours. We've published 310 blog posts, I've lost fifty pounds, we've started homeschooling, and we're under contract for the sale of our house.
I'd say we have 2 or 3 years' more work to do until we cast off. Hopefully we'll be living aboard and preparing a vessel within 18 months or so.
We fell in love with this one a long time ago and have never been able to get her out of our minds. I know it's probably too much boat for us, so most likely it won't ever happen, but we think about her still. It would really be best if someone else would just buy it and make it easy for us.
I'd say we have 2 or 3 years' more work to do until we cast off. Hopefully we'll be living aboard and preparing a vessel within 18 months or so.
We fell in love with this one a long time ago and have never been able to get her out of our minds. I know it's probably too much boat for us, so most likely it won't ever happen, but we think about her still. It would really be best if someone else would just buy it and make it easy for us.
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