Monday, January 30, 2012

Monday's Tattler

It's the last week of Geography, and we will be going to a Chinese restaurant this Friday. A post card will be going home with your child on Monday. The cost is $10.00.

We have had a really nice geography session this year. The kids have learned a lot. This last week we will be studying the Equator and three areas of interest: the Middle East including Egypt, the islands, including a luau, and India. Such fun places.

The weather will be up and down the thermometer and will include some rain. This is perfect illness weather. Please keep an eye on your child's throat. Lots of strep out there.

We are working hard on our arithmetic, our reading and our writing. Spelling tests are to see what kids can do. It's a project with a plan. Kids should study, but they are still very young.

We are doing a new discipline routine with kids. When someone does something that affects his classmates or the school, we bring it to everyone's attention. Disruption and disobedience is not just an individual case, but a case against the whole group. We hope this will help keep medals and allow children to flourish.

If a child is warned three times to quit a pernicious behavior, he will not be allowed to participate in the activities of the children who have contributed positively all day. It's his choice to participate or not by his behavior and his communication with other students.

We know this will benefit the whole group.

Summer sign up is next week!

Have a great week!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

It Occurred to Me...

One of our beloved parents commented to his child the other day while he was leaving for work,"Have fun!" Immediately, I thought, this place is not Disneyland or some street fair. This is school.

Of course I was delighted to think that parents think all the things we do are fun, the kids love it and they have a great time, but we are not an entertainment center. We're a school.

Watching facebook, and listening to a lot of parents and what they plan to do over the weekend, and watching family, I think a lot of parents think they have to "entertain" children.

Quite frankly, I never thought about entertaining my children. Their job was to entertain me!

And the more I thought about this, the more preoccupied I became with the idea that children really can't entertain themselves because they really don't know how to play either with toys or with each other, so I guess the next best thing is to drag, pull, take, carry, and place children in "fun zones" so they can be entertained.

Let's see...there are movies, pizza places with games, bowling and golf for kids, indoor swimming, games, indoor playgrounds, ice skating...there are a host of things to take children to, and that's always a fun thing, but you know, it probably should be a special occasion gig, because too often makes it seem like a right rather than a gift.

The very idea that every day the kids are home they have to be taken someplace, have something bought for them is really not a good thing, considering that most children never say thank you or appreciate all this money and work spent on them.

Few children really know how to play these days. They can operate any video game, and they can watch TV until their mind falls into their laps, but give them a box of blocks, and the fun stops.

Playing with real toys, not video games and TV, offer children the exploration they need to put the pieces together as an adult. It's early math; it's writing; it's communication, engineering, and problem solving. Children who never play with problem solving toys don't get a lot of reading and math concepts. It doesn't being with a first text book. It begins at home in the toy box.

It's time to re-evaluate the toy box. What's in it? There should be a set of some kind of blocks including Lego. There should a be make believe toys like dress-up and kitchen toys. There should be books, puzzles and quiet time toys, and there should be art supplies so that a child can invent.

It doesn't have to be grand or expensive, but it has to be available.

Little kids need to play, and play for little kids should not be a steady stream of video games and entertainment from an outside source. No wonder kids can't hold a pencil or offer a complete sentence!




Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday's Tattler

Pajama Party today! Your child wears his pajamas to school! It's a fun day on Friday!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Working with Teachers by Judy Lyden

There are so many differences among personality types these days...types who won't give an inch. It makes the "find" in a kindred spirit really rewarding. Today I was talking to our beloved Miss Dayna. We discussed the differences in childhood ages, and how that works in the whole education package.

I maintain...it's my theory...that three year olds NEED to be around older children, because threes need to see the next step. Most of a three year old's time should be spent playing. Confining him to a desk for long periods, expecting what you expect from a four or five year old won't happen...the desire and the ability in most instances just don't exist. If you get blood from a turnip...you are probably really getting blood from a turnip!

Threes watch fours and fives. That's their job. They won't understand the concept of continents, oceans, and the globe...but the words, the ideas, the time spent seeing and hearing will all be there next year when the child becomes four, and his cognitive ability is different.

At four, a child is ready for most kindergarten work. This is the age when all that paperwork, all the pencils, and crayons, and the wonder of the desk is really calling. Most fours would be office persons...they love paper.

You can get a four year old to do just about any kindergarten task if you find the right opening and you stay with it. They will read, write and do arithmetic with relative ease. Some concepts are going to escape them simply because they are lacking one thing a five year old has...an abstract imagination.

So this is the time, at age four, when the mundane, boring, and relatively repetitive kindergarten work is easiest to teach. And there are other reasons to teach a four year old how to read and write...it gets the "how tos" out of the way so that when the abstract imagination begins to invade a five year old's thinking, he won't have to waste his time learning to read when it's already done.

A five year old can understand abstract ideas, so he can do a lot of work based on what if...it's a great time to introduce geography, science, and games. Fives are splendid beings with so much to offer...

So Miss Dayna and I were talking about the different ages, and agreeing about how each of them work off the other and how one group can do this, but another one can't and it was splendid to be able to invent for them.

Miss Dayna works very hard in her classroom. She has all kinds of things she wants for her children to learn and to do. Understand what they can and can't do helps, but like any fighter...she will try nearly anything anyway, just to see who can transcend the job even though...

I love having wonderful, hard working, talented teachers...makes my day.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Monday's Tattler

What you need to know for this week:

This is the Southern Hemisphere week when we will study Africa, South America and Australia. Your child might be interested in the names of different countries on those continents.

On Friday, we will be having a pajama day. Children may wear their pjs, a robe, and their regular shoes so that they can go outside. It's supposed to be warm on Friday.

Please make sure your child is covered.

There could be dreadful storms tomorrow. We will have a storm drill. Please feel free to call us at any time to check up on your child. It could be a nasty day.

We will try to eat a variety of meals this week that will delight your child. On Thursday, we will have an African meal. Parents are always welcomed to attend lunch. Please let us know by 10:30.

We are looking for a new degu. If you see one in a pet store, we would love to have it.

Please dress your child for the weather. It will be mild all week.

Have a great week!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Cooking in a Bean Pot!

You simply must get a bean pot! This is the new cookery item. I actually got mine when this cashier broke the one that I wanted. When he dropped it at the check out line, I went back to get the more expensive one, and he charged me the cheaper price, which I was thrilled about...long story now done.

My bean pot is an oven clay deal. It's nondescript, and would make a nice planter, lamp, or catch-all. It's a nice shade of muddy brown, with two handles on the side and a lid. Love the bean pot.

First recipe I tried in it was a bean recipe to absolutely die for. You take soaked and boiled beans with their water and you add seven strips of uncooked bacon, a cup of maple syrup, a 1/2 cup of ketchup, 1/4 cup of mustard, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, pepper, a teaspoon of ginger and a 1/2 teaspoon of all spice. Yum, and I don't like baked beans.

Tonight's little recipe is a stew in the bean pot. I browned 1.5 lbs of stew meat in a tablespoon of butter. I added potatoes, last night's sweet carrots, and barbecue spices, garlic salt, ketchup, mustard, red wine, and then I added some of the beans from last night and a raw onion and went from the frying browning pan into the pot and then into the oven. Smells divine!

I will serve it with some of my homemade hamburger buns on some left over rice. Should be a delicious meal.

What I like most about the pot is that it cooks and conserves the liquid. That means a healthy alternative to grilling or frying.

Cooking for long periods is nice when you have the time. Makes the house smell good and it doesn't have to be done at the last minute.

Buy a bean pot; you will be glad you did!

Friday's Tattler

We had a great International Feast event on Friday. Lots of parents brought delicious food, and the kids seemed to really enjoy it.

We had Indian Curry, Chinese food, Gyogys which are Japanese, lots of egg rolls, pork fried rice, spicy chicken, Chicken Picatta - super good...Irish Soda Bread, Italian Spaghetti, Mexican foods of all kinds like quesadillas, enchiladas, a trifle to die for from a very evil mother who should never ever ever handle sugar of any kind!!! lol. We had Middle Eastern Falafel on pitas, Italian beef, and a lot more food that was incredible.

Kids were noisy on Friday. It must have been the excitement.

I was so pleased to have as many offerings as we had. It was truly a lovely afternoon, and we appreciate all the work and the love and commitment. Thank you so much for all you do!

Next on the agenda is the pajama party on Friday, January 27.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

So What's "Illness?"

Every parent signs a "Sick Child" agreement when they enroll their child at the Garden School, and most other places that care about children. Most of the time, this agreement is not even read, and I know this because so many parents are surprised when we say a child cannot come to school.

We get our list of childhood ailments from the State Department of Health. And for each one of the ailments on the agreement, there is a reason why this particular ailment is not conducive to sending a child to school.
Here's the list:

A fever of 99 degrees of higher
Vomiting within 24 hours
Diarrhea within 24 hours
Severe Constipation
Stomach ache
Headache
Earache
Ear infection
Profuse drainage from a cold
Any untreated infections
Hacking cough
Any flu
Strep throat
Tonsillitis
Pneumonia
Open wounds
Same day surgery
Teeth extractions
Tooth abscess
Head lice
Crabs
Chicken pox
Mumps
Measles
German Measles
Rubella
Fifth’s Disease
Roseola
Kawasaki’s Disease
Sleep Deprivation.

When a child comes to school with "a little fever" two things are happening: the child is incubating an illness that he or she is going to spread to many other children. Also, the child who is passing his virus, is very vulnerable to any other bug lurking on the surface of toys, drinking fountain, toilet etc. When children do not remain at home and quiet during a "little fever" the "little fever" often becomes a huge and dangerous bug.

It's the same with vomiting, diarrhea, profuse drainage from a cold, any untreated infections, hacking cough, flu, strep throat, tonsillitis, pneumonia, head lice, crabs, chicken pox, mumps, measles, German measles, rubella, Fifth’s Disease, Roseola, Kawasaki’s Disease or any communicable childhood disease. These can be very dangerous to children, and bringing a child to school with one of these illnesses is a disgrace.

These are all spreadable, contagious illnesses which do not belong brought into a facility with children. Not only is it unfair, it's against the law. It's really a matter that must be reported to the health department who could turn over chronic abusers to Child Welfare.

As for severe constipation, stomach ache, headache, earache, and ear infections...really? Parents would actually bring children to school to "play" knowing that their child was in terrible pain? Really? The answer is yes.

And how do we get by with this? We baby pack and shove the kid through the door hoping that the over the counter medication we packed into a child will hold just long enough to make it through the morning...then when the call comes from school, we can postpone picking the child up till snack...Sound awful? It is criminal.

One of the things that is on the list that few parents are concerned with is sleep deprivation. Children need ten to twelve hours of sleep every day. When they are "kept up late" children suffer. Children who are chronically sleep deprived behave as if they are mentally disabled. They can't learn like other children; they can't eat like other children because they are just too tired; they can't run and jump like other kids. They mule around looking for a bed all day and miss most of what the other children are learning.

The guideline for whether a child should come to school is easy: if a child needs over the counter medication, he or she is not feeling well enough to go to school. Check the list. What exactly is the child suffering from? What can you do to keep your child safe, and his friends safe at school. One day? It's better than five.
For the most part, a child who is kept home on the first day that he or she is ill, that child will probably only be sick one day. Most kids can fight off illnesses easily.

We've had an easy winter so far this year, but several nasty bugs have been passed around already. With the see/saw weather we are experiencing, we are waiting for the next round. Please watch your child carefully in the morning. Not a bad idea to "cheek to cheek" during your morning routine. Placing your cheek to your child's will tell you instantly if your child is running a fever. His cheek on your cheek will be hot.

Wishing you the best this cold and flu season...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Wise Wednesday...

One of the things that makes my day is walking into three separate classrooms and finding real learning going on. We focus on the five year olds more than the other ages because the fives are giving back what they learned. The fours are learning to learn from the fives and the threes are putting together a learning plan while they do most of the watching. It's a remarkable group effort and never ceases to amaze me how demonstrative five year old children are and how much the others learn from them!

Today, I was amazed by our threes, however, who were playing sight word bingo and really getting it. Miss Amy has taught the children their letters and sounds well, so that they can put two and two together and actually play a game with nine little sight words.

The fours were busy with math...in fact, they were so busy, there was not a single noise. I marveled at the quiet. They were busy figuring out and sorting by coloring. It was a fabulously interesting problem, and Miss Dayna was holding a remarkable court!

As I walked into Miss Lisa's class, the fives were inventing a story about Mr. Terry. This is early creative writing. The mental juices were really flowing, and the children couldn't get enough of being next to "tell."

Our children get a fast and crazy thirty minutes of three subjects every morning...reading, writing and arithmetic. It's a fast paced program that keeps things moving. Teachers have only a short time to impart the day's lesson and then it's on to the next thing. Not an easy, leisurely pace, surly, but certainly geared for very young children.

Today's general lesson was North America and how we are part of a three country team. We talked about being "the UNITED STATES" as a group activity. We asked the children if they have ever heard of places like Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and Florida. "How about California?" Many of the children had heard of Hawaii, and Texas. We explained how these places, called states, all made up the "United States." Some of the kindergarteners will take home a map from one of the states to enjoy at home. It's to be brought back tomorrow, and another map will go home.

These cold, indoor days need a lot of zest, a lot of thinking and a lot of teacher plans. This P.M., as it was reported, was filled with finishing our relief maps. I was told they are adorable with trees, and rocks and a boat and gummy bear and whale crackers...

A great day!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Monday's Tattler - The Northern Hemisphere

So this week we will look at another part of the world...the Northern Hemisphere with an emphasis on the Temperate Zone. I have to remember that our focus is on the five year olds. Threes are there to observe learning. The fours are learning to learn and the fives are learning and telling us what they've learned. This allows the Threes the freedom to explore but not the obligation of things too hard for them. The fours are filled with curiosity and participate nicely, but they are often not there, and that's OK. Their time will come.

Trying to convey an abstract idea of space to a child who really can't grasp the globe and world as a thing they are standing on is always fun. So talking about its parts takes not only a creative mind, but also some fancy footwork, some humor and a lot of yeahs!

So today we will embark on three specific areas: North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.

On Friday, we will be having our annual International Feast. This is a lunch starting about 12:00 for all parents who can come. Invitations will go out today. Parents bring a serving for about four to school of a dish that is not a USA original dish. Examples? Spaghetti, curry, egg rolls, sushi, beef Wellington...

Everyone is welcome, and we do this at lunch time so more parents can come. If you can't come but would like to participate, you can send something with your child.

The weather is supposed to be a smorgasbord of hot, cold, rainy, sunny, dry, wet...all week. We will get kids out when we can.

Have a great week!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday 13th Snow Delay!

We are on a two hour delay and will open at 9:00 a.m.!

Biscuits...

Having made biscuits for years at home, it's something we have purchased on and off for the school because of the time element. We make our own refrigerated dough now with whole wheat flour, and now I want to incorporate biscuits into our lunch day. So, because there was a snow delay this a.m., I read this article and am sharing it with you!

My daughter Kate sent a recipe to die for...it's like monkey bread only pizza. Will definitely be making this for the kids next Wednesday...
From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.

How to Make Good Biscuits

What is a good biscuit? In the American sense of the word, biscuit is a shortened bread, to be eaten hot. It should be baked in small portions, delicately browned, but not hardened on the outside, moist and light from the steam so suddenly developed in it from the quick baking, rather thick with a very soft, fine-grained crumb, but flaky and tender rather than porous and elastic like bread. Many cooks fail to realize this difference and vigorously knead their biscuit, not knowing that as soon as flour is wet it develops a sticky, elastic substance called gluten, which becomes more rubbery the more it is worked. For the same reason that one does knead bread, one does not knead biscuit.

The secret of baking good biscuit is to have the dough as soft as one can handle it, but not to handle it a bit more than is necessary after the wetting has been added to the flour, and to bake it in a quick oven.

Cookery experts have experimented with every possible variation of the cookery recipe until they have not only established the standard recipe; but have ascertained exactly the result of varying it in any given detail. But it is not enough to follow the standard rule; there is something in one's technique. Experience proves that a cup of flour will make five large fat biscuits, or ten or twelve smaller ones, but that the smaller ones are a little superior; that a proper degree of lightness is secured by two teaspoons of baking powder to the cup of flour; that half a teaspoon of salt will take away the flat taste of the dough without giving an appreciably salty flavor; that there should be about half as much wetting as flour; that two tablespoons of fat is enough shortening to make a tender, flaky crust, but that more makes it too rich, more like pie crust, and therefore apt to give a greasy, heavy crumb.

One's results depend largely upon the way the fat is mixed with the flour, the quantity of the liquid added and the method of adding it, and the subsequent handling of the dough. Whether one chops the fat into the flour with knives, feeling that this is cleanlier than to rub it in with the hands, or that the heat of the hands tends to make the mixture waxy, or whether one feels confident in the cleanliness of one's hands and finds that if the materials are properly cold one can be surer of the right results when guided by the sense of touch, the point to be aimed at is a mixture in which there are no fatty lumps and no unshortened flour; it should feel slightly mealy.

Whether the liquid to be added is water or milk, it should be cold, and the quantity should be half that of the flour used. This makes a dough too soft to handle. Stir it lightly just enough to wet the flour, and turn it out on a thickly floured board. By this method the dough should all come away clean from the pan. The top will be too soft and sticky to touch, but if you sprinkle it thickly with flour you can easily flatten it out with the hand or spatula and shape it up so it can be cut advantageously. The inside is still to wet to handle, so dip the cutter in flour to keep the dough from sticking to it. You may have to use a spatula to transfer the biscuits to the pan.

Make 2-inch rounds, and put them in a pan which has been dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Never grease the pan, nor the outside of the biscuit.

Lay the rounds so that they do not crowd each other too much, or as they rise they will become misshapen and too thick. Experiment has shown that they are much better when cooked twelve or fifteen minutes in the top of a quick oven, than twenty or thirty minutes lower down in a slow oven. Overcooking does not produce the ideal biscuit.

Does the kind of shortening matter? Not greatly, though, of course, butter is more expensive than other fats, and gives a characteristic yellow color, as well as a characteristic flavor which many people think too pronounced for a hot bread to be eaten with butter. Many cooking fats and compounds contain cottonseed oil, which in its changed form is not in the least objectionable, but unchanged cottonseed oil gives off a strong, offensive odor and is therefore highly objectionable. If you use sour cream, of course, use less shortening — how much less depends on the quantity and richness of the cream.

Of course, the measurements given here mean precise, level measurements. Accuracy in biscuit making, as in all other forms of cookery, makes all the difference between the unreliable products, the occasional brilliant successes and the frequent failures; of the hit-and-miss cook, and the consistently good products of the cook who knows not only the rule, but the principle by which she works. To summarize:

1 cup flour,
2 teaspoons baking powder,
1/2 teaspoon salt,
2 tablespoons fat,
1/2 cup liquid

with as much more flour as may be necessary to handle the sticky dough. Vary this recipe sometimes for specially dainty occasions, by pressing down into the top of each biscuit a cube of sugar dipped in orange juice. But remember that the melting sugar makes the tops brown more quickly than they ordinarily would, so be careful to avoid overcooking. Sometimes a cube of canned pineapple may be substituted for the orange-dipped sugar, or you may find something among your own preserves more to your individual taste. The sugar and juice make a little well of sweetness in the top of the biscuit, and they do not split like ordinary biscuit. Put a little butter on the top, serve very hot and eat with a fork.

Delay, Friday, January 13!

The Garden School is on a two hour delay and will open at 9:00!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Crazy Days

Every day is a full day in the early childhood world. Amy and I start our days at 4:45 or so and are at school by 6:00. First thing on the agenda is making the coffee...feeding the cats...getting the kitchen ready for the day. While Amy prepares the scratch dessert to be eaten at 4:00 later that afternoon, I head off to the zoo room to make sure nobody is ill, and no one has gotten into trouble the night before. Usually, I dig out one section of the room, clean most of the surfaces, sweep, and then prepare to feed the animals the following: a half head of lettuce, several long carrots, a shovel of cockatiel seed, safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, rabbit cookies, chinchilla cereal, peanuts, crackers, cookies, and timothy. The animals chase me out of the room while they delight in their breakfast.

The first cup of coffee is ready and snack is in the oven. Pause.

Now it's time to get ready for breakfast. The first children arrive through the back door... it's early but there are special considerations... Miss Amy and I share the breakfast duties. Sometimes she switches gears and prepares delicious muffins and coffee cake, and sometimes I slice bread for French toast. Pancakes on Fridays...all done before seven a.m.

Checking the check in for Step Ahead, changing the roster for the day, putting mail where it needs to go, getting the notes to parents that need to go, deploying the mail from the day before, checking the calendar...are still quiet parts of the day.

Then the doorbell rings and the children begin to come to school. With every child, there are new demands. This one is going home with this person; this one needs to leave at 2:00; this one was puny the evening before, so watch him; this one was a nightmare for mom and deserves no medal...and the day begins to roll.

The bacon needs to be put into the oven...the toilet in the girls room has just emptied onto the floor...the phone rings and the State has changed it's mind about the upcoming inspection...the fish tank looks suspiciously unhealthy...second cup of coffee...it's 7:30, and another teacher arrives - Miss Dayna.

By 8:30, the school has filled with little voices, there have been eighteen crashes of toys, but teachers never flinch unless it's a head that goes down with the toy...dozens of conversations have occurred with parents about any number of things...this morning I taught a wonderful parent how to crochet. It's now breakfast time.

The bell rings, the children all stand still and listen to the plea to get toys picked up. There is some discussion about throwing our dishes and dress up clothes on the floor...one child will not attend to business and loses his medal with a frown and a scolding word. Before we finally assemble on the carpet, tables are scrubbed, sanitized and set. Kids are busy with geography...where and what, and then it's time to wash hands, call roll, pray and eat. Miss Lisa walks in.

"What have you eaten" is our meal eating incentive that follows every meal. This is an opportunity for children to speak publicly attest to what they have accomplished and voice an opinion. "I ate my breakfast and drank my milk," repeat about sixty-five percent. They are in the running for the prizes at the end of the week. Miss Dayna finishes with a roll call, and then we disperse to the carpet again for circle time which involves discussion, a prayer, the Pledge and the Star Spangled Banner. Children are expected to recite, to sing, to answer questions.

Class time runs an hour and a half. Teachers teach and Miss Judy usually has a project. Today I rebuilt the Degu house, made a quiche for lunch. Yesterday I hung artwork on the ceiling and watered all the plants. I might clean a set of toys, mop a stubborn floor or make something special in the kitchen. It's not unusual to have phone calls, inquiries, paperwork, cleaning or a sick or badly behaved child to manage. Lists of things to do, things to buy, errands, and records are done in this slot. Report cards need to be filled out this week.

It's also not unusual for any number of people to walk in unannounced including the health inspector, the USDA CCFP food inspector, the fire marshal, the welfare department, the police, and any other official who might need to ask, seek, or make an announcement.

At 10:30 it's time to cook again. When you cook from scratch, there is always something to do ahead of time. Today I made egg rolls and chicken fried rice. Fifty egg rolls needed to be stuffed and rolled. Chicken was cooked and pre-cut.

Recess is at 11:00 and children will once again make a gigantic mess. And there are messes in the kitchen, the bathrooms, the playroom while people come in a steady stream with questions or just needing to talk. Time to feed the cat's again.

Lunch is at 12:00. Music is at 12:30. While dishes are done and garbage removed, Miss Amy and I are teaching music. Miss Lisa has done the dishes and is busy getting the afternoon art project ready for forty children. Miss Kara is helping. Miss Molly is answering the phone, cleaning the fish tank, and busying herself with State issues regarding inspections.

Then the children play. But play is short lived because it's time to learn again. The children gather and have a lesson about geography. They have made paper mache relief maps, and will paint them today. But first it's story time.

Painting is usually a free for all, but teachers skillfully get the most out of every child. The incredible mess is cleaned up, and the children play again.

Snack is at four and then another story time, and then quickly and quietly, the children go home one by one.

It's always a great day because we are working as a team...planning, doing, building, making, talking, teaching, problem solving and just loving the kids.











Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Compliment Free Zone

Imagine living in a compliment free zone. Imagine that nothing you do receives a kudo. If you work hard and achieve, it seems to go unnoticed. If you accomplish a positive result after many negative results, there is no one to say, "Congratulations."

If you look great, it's a mute affair. If you bring home a trophy, a stellar report card, a bonus, a present, a new car, an elephant, it's all the same...not worth mentioning. This is a compliment free zone, and many people live in them, and sadly, many adults create these worlds for children. There is even a child expert who advocates a compliment free zone. His name is Alphie Kohn.

On the other side of the mountain, there is the wide wonderful teaching zone of compliments.

"I love that drawing, Magnetta!"

"Thank you, Miss Judy. I just did this and this and this," and the child eagerly shows, practices, and verbalizes her work and accomplishments.

"Those beads are beautiful, Robby. What made you string only the yellow and the blue beads."

"They are my mom's favorite colors," he says proudly.

When we extend ourselves in a loving and very human congratulatory cavalcade of words, we create a positive effect on the world. We teach that which is pleasing, beneficial, interesting and superior to things that are "not worth mentioning."

"I love these cookies, Miss Amy. How did you get them so moist?"

"I'm not sure. But I think it's the extra egg."

"That quiche looks fantastic, how did you manage such a great crust?"

And so the exchange of compliments leads to learning... practically every single time. It might not be a huge knowledge leap, but there is always information exchanged, and that's what kids and most adults need to feel good about themselves.

The big sixty four thousand dollar question is: Why would someone constantly fail to encourage another by refusing to notice their achievements?

Well, there's the sociopath who is so focused on self, they can't begin to ask anyone question that won't fill their own quasi emotional pocket, compliment another or learn anything from anyone because nobody really matters but self. And since that's only one in twenty-five people, we don't generally have to focus too much on that answer.

Then there's the green eyed monster answer, and many people would shrug the negative person off with "they're just jealous," but jealousy toward a child is really a strange bit of evil.

There's the "He doesn't know how. Never learned it in childhood and probably won't ever be that kind of generous person."

There's the oblivious answer. "So and so is oblivious to what is going on, so don't expect he/she to notice anything."

Perhaps the one thing that makes the most sense is: He or she who refuses to acknowledge another simply is not in the habit of doing so. Bad habits can take over a life that is in chaos. These bad habits begin in childhood and grow up with us, so that we never really learn to verbalize someone else.

Putting a smile on another's face is such a pleasure, it's hard to imagine giving that up. I can't imagine a day that I don't make our children at school laugh. Making someone laugh, smile, or take pride in something they have done is such a personal lift...almost makes you feel selfish!

The next step, of course, is teaching the children to say uplifting, complimentary things to one another. We will spend February doing just that because February is "social awareness month."

It's not hard to compliment someone. It's not only the exceptional people who encourage others. It's not only the boss, the achievers, the sales types, the athletes, the pros, the rich, the saints of this world who reach out to others and say, "Hey...I liked that because." Anyone with a voice can say something true to another that will make them feel good.

And does it cost to say something nice? No, it's free. In fact, saying something nice to someone else is such an effective tonic, it takes years off the voicer's life because it reduces stress, lowers the blood pressure and puts a smile on the headache waiting to happen.

Say something nice to a stranger, and you have made your own day. Say something nice to a child and encourage him to say something nice to another child, and you have a lifted feeling like no other.

Life is supposed to be joyful, a happy experience, an encouraging stream of goodness flowing from each of us. Extend that handshake and encourage and advances everyone around you. You'll be glad you did...then go teach your child how to...





Monday, January 09, 2012

Monday's Tattler - Around the World...

This week at school we are honing our geography skills by moving away from the polar regions and looking at the land masses and the oceans. We expect our students to try to understand the land water concept and to learn at least some of the names of the oceans and the continents.

We will be doing regular classes this week and report cards will go out this week.

The weather is supposed to change, so please dress your child for the weather it should be at noon on any given day.

Please remember that an ill child is a child who feels poorly enough in the morning to require medication from over the counter! Please help stop epidemics by keeping ill children home.

Please remember that we will publish our snow closings on WFIE.

If you are looking for a cat, please let us know. We have several beautiful neutered cats available who are looking for their furever home!

Much happiness this week!

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Sunday's Plate - Organizing a Cheap Food Week

When money is tight, and it nearly always is with families after Christmas, the one really fluid part of the budget is the food budget. You can always scrape a few dollars out of the food budget if you think it through, and nobody seems to notice for about a week.

Here are some really cheap menu plans that taste good and fill up the family and won't break the bank. You'll have to do a little cooking, but you can save a bunch even if you have to buy everything listed.

Granola for breakfast.

Use half a large carton of whole oats $4.00, half large package of coconut @ $ 1.50, 3/4 cup canola oil @ $ 2.50, 1 cup brown sugar @ $ 2.00, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bake 350 degrees in a baking pan for about 35 minutes. Let cool and serve every other morning.

$10.00

French toast for breakfast.

Use one quarter loaf of Italian bread @ $ 2.50 and two of a dozen eggs @ $ 1.50 and 1/4 stick of butter @ $2.50 lb. Use cinnamon sugar as a topping. Serve three days.

$6.50

Lunch:

Peanut butter @ $2.00 and brown bread or cinnamon bread @ $ 3.00 sandwiches serve M/W/F.

$5.00

With another loaf of Italian bread @ $ 2.50 make cheese @ $ 3.50 sandwiches T/W.

$6.00

Boil 2 eggs for egg salad for two days and use remaining Italian bread.

Apples every day for a week. @ $ 4.00 a bag.

$4.00

Dinner:

Chicken soup: 1 package of whole grain noodles @ $1.00; 1/2 jar of chicken bouillon @ 2.50; and 2 chicken breasts @ $3.00. Boil noodles, add bouillon, add cooked chicken, thicken with flour and water mix.

$6.50

Pancakes: Always a favorite: 2 cups whole grain flour @ $3.00; 1/4 cup canola oil; 1 egg; salt; 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder, milk @ $ 3.00 to desired thickness. 1 cup sugar @ $ 3.00 added to 1/2 cup water boiled three minutes will make syrup. Add 1/2 stick of butter.

$9.00

Mac and Cheese: One box of whole grain noodles @ $1.00. 1/2 stick of butter to 1/2 cup of flour cooked in a pan. Add two cups of milk, add rest of cheese from sandwiches, 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Serve over cooked noodles. Serve with piggy link sausage @ $ 3.00 additional = $4.00 total. Use some of the apples to make applesauce.

$4.00

Fake Crab sandwiches. Use one package fake crab from the sushi department @ $4.00. Chop celery and onion with crab @ $ 2.00. Use one piece of Italian bread and one egg. Make one package refrigerator biscuits at $2.50 for 4 tubes. Serve with left over mac and cheese, celery sticks and carrot sticks @ 1.50 a bag on special.

$10.00

Pizza: With some of your flour and a package of yeast @ $2.00, and some warm water and a tablespoon of oil, make a pizza dough. Use 1/2 can of tomato sauce @ $1.00 and one package of grated mozzarella or Monterrey Jack Cheese at @ $3.00. Use left over sausage...

$6.00

Meatloaf: buy two pounds of ground meat @ $ 8.00 and use some of your oats with the meat, 1/2 the can of tomato sauce. Bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Microwave potatoes @ $ 3.00 and serve with some of your carrots and celery steamed.

$11.00

Meatloaf sandwiches on the final night! Serve with any leftovers especially oven baked sliced potatoes dredged in oil.

If you had to buy everything here, it would cost under $80.00 and still be good for you. If you had oil, flour, and butter, it would, of course, be cheaper. Eating at school or grabbing a piece of toast in the morning is even cheaper. Substituting the meatloaf for tacos, might come out more cheaply as well.

Hope I've gotten you to thing about "cheap weeks!"


















Thursday, January 05, 2012

Canola Oil or Applesauce - Which is Healthier?



I made apple muffins this morning for the kids. We make apple muffins a lot. We use whole grain wheat flour, reduced sugar, farm fresh eggs, milk, baking powder, salt, and canola oil.

"Oh," says a mother, "Have you tried applesauce muffins?"

"With applesauce?" say I, because we use fresh chopped apples in our apple muffins.

"Yes, but you substitute the fat part of the recipe and use applesauce," says the parent.

"Why would I want to do that?" question I.

"Because it's healthier for your child," insists the parent.

"Really? Are you sure?" quiz I. What are you adding and subtracting to make that statement true? Few people know; they just go along with the latest pap. And, some people are determined to believe myths. So I've gathered some information so that our readers can make their own minds up about applesauce or oil.

Here is the nutrition breakdown for applesauce:

Sugar: 36 grams to a cup which is 12 teaspoons
Carbs: 43 grams

"theGood" This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.

"The Bad" A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.

Now read what an applesauce replaced recipe is losing: Health benefits of canola oil

Canola oil has distinct health benefits than many other vegetable edible oils. It is fast emerging as healthiest oils in tandem with olive oil. Distinct flavor and unlike many other oils which are derived from nuts and seeds, olive oil is obtained from fruits and hence contains large amounts of plant derived anti-oxidants, phyto-sterols and vitamins. It is very low in saturated fats. It contains essential fatty acids at 2:1 making it as one of the healthiest cooking oils at a ratio even better than olive oil.

It has highest levels of plant sterols, especially. The FDA has approved the following claim for phytosterols: "Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." Phyto-sterols competitively inhibit cholesterol absorption in the gut and thereby can reduce cholesterol levels by 10% to 15%.

Canola oil is high in calories. However, its high calorie content comes from better fats. It is especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like oleic acid (18:1) which constitutes about 61% of total fats that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

The oil contains valuable amounts of anti-oxidant particularly gamma-tocopherol. 100 g fresh oil has 27.34 mcg of a-tocopherol and 17.46 mcg of alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.Being a vegetable source, it has very high levels of plant sterols, especially.

The FDA has approved the following claim for phytosterols: "Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." Phyto-sterols competitively inhibit cholesterol absorption in the gut and thereby can reduce cholesterol levels by 10% to 15%.

Canola oil has highest smoke point oil is also an ideal choice for deep frying because it can be heated to a higher temperature (smoke point -450 °F). This results in lower oil retention in the fried foods.

So, when I'm baking, I'll stick to canola oil and the fresh apples. And while I'm staying with my "heart healthy" recipe, I'll enjoy a light, flavorful fun muffin rather than a heavy, lifeless gluepod. But then, I'm a terrible kitchen snob....lol...

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Ernest Shackleton, Explorer South Pole

We always begin our Geography Study with Ernest Shackleton. He is an example of greatness, and his story needs to be told to impressionable children who will then be able to dream big dreams and know that success is at hand when we work hard and do the right things.




Ernest H. Shackleton
1874-1922

The Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917

In Shackleton's own words, "After the conquest of the South Pole by Amundsen who, by a narrow margin of days only, was in advance of the British Expedition under Scott, there remained but one great main object of Antarctic journeyings--the crossing of the South Polar continent from sea to sea".

When Shacklet
on returned from the NIMROD EXPEDITION, on which an attempt was made to plant the British flag on the South Pole, attention was turned towards the crossing of the continent as Shackleton felt certain that either Amundsen or Scott would succeed where he had failed, just 97 miles from his goal.

Shackleton felt that the first crossing of the Antarctic Continent, from sea to sea via the Pole, apart from its historic value, would be a journey of great scientific importance. The distance would be roughly 1800 miles, and the first half of this, from the Weddell Sea to the Pole, would be over unexplored territory. Shackleton intended on taking continuous magnetic observations as the glaciologist and geologist studied ice formations and the mountains of Victoria Land. While the Trans-continental party worked its way across the continent, other scientific parties would operate from the base on the Weddell Sea. One sledging party would travel towards Graham Land, making observations and collecting geological specimens while another party would travel eastward toward Enderby Land conducting the same types of studies. A third party would remain at the base to study the fauna of the land and sea and the meteorological conditio
ns. From the Ross Sea base in McMurdo Sound, another party would push southward to await the arrival of the Trans-continental party at the top of the Beardmore Glacier. Two ships were required for the expedition. The ENDURANCE would be used to transport the Trans-continental party to the Weddell Sea and would afterwards explore the shores of the coastline. She was constructed at Sandefjord by the famous Norwegian builder, Christensen. She was barquentine rigged and had triple-expansion engines which gave her a speed under steam of 9 to 10 knots. Some 350 tons, she was built of selected pine, oak and greenheart. Fully equipped, she cost the Expedition £14,000. AURORA, the ship used to take out the Ross Sea Party, was purchased from Douglas Mawson. She was very similar to the TERRA NOVA of Scott's expedition.

Preparations were started in the middle of 1913 but no public announcement was made until January 13, 1914. After the announcement, Shackleton was flooded with applications from eager members of the community to join the adventure. Nearly 5,000 applications were received from which 56 men were picked. In March, the promised financial help fell through so Shackleton immediately set about appealing for help. The funds were raised to complete the purchases with the largest contributors being the late Sir James Caird (£24,000), the British Government (£10,000) and the Royal Geographical Society (£1,000). Most of the Public Schools of England and Scotland helped the Expedition to purchase the dog teams--each dog was named after a school that contributed. The AURORA was purchased and Mackintosh was sent to Australia to take charge of her.

In this chapter, you will read of the most incredible, in my opinion, adventure of this era. What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that all men from the Trans-continental party made it back alive. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the Ross Sea Party, whose story will be told in the next chapter.


The Endurance Expedition

The Transcontinental Party

Towards the end of July all was ready when suddenly the war clouds darkened over Europe. Arrangements had been made for the ENDURANCE to proceed to Cowes to be inspected by His Majesty on the Monday of Cowes week. But on the Friday before, Shackleton received a message saying the King would not be able to go. They sailed from London on Friday, August 1, 1914, and anchored off Southend all Saturday. On Sunday afternoon Shackleton took the ship off Margate and on Monday morning Shackleton went ashore and read in the morning paper the order for general mobilization. Shackleton immediately returned to the ship, gathered all hands, and told them of his intention to telegram the Admiralty offering the ships, stores and services to the country in the event of war breaking out. It was requested that in the declaration of war, the Expedition would be considered a single unit as there were enough trained men among them to man a destroyer. Within an hour after sending the telegram, Shackleton received a wire from the Admiralty saying "Proceed". Within two hours, another arrived from Winston Churchill in which he thanked them for their offer but desired that the Expedition go on. The ENDURANCE sailed on to Plymouth and on Tuesday the King sent for Shackleton and handed him the Union Jack to carry on the Expedition. That night, at midnight, war broke out. On the following Saturday, August 8, the ENDURANCE sailed from Plymouth.

The voyage out to Buenos Aires was uneventful and on October 26 they sailed from that port for South Georgia. For a month, final preparations were made for the assault. According to many, the war would be over within six months so when it came time to leave for the south, they left with no regrets.

The Leader

Shackleton wrote, "I had decided to leave South Georgia about December 5, and in intervals of final preparation scanned again the plans for the voyage to winter quarters. What welcome was the Weddell Sea preparing for us? The whaling captains at South Georgia were generously ready to share with me their knowledge of the waters in which they pursued their trade, and, while confirming earlier information as to the extreme severity of the ice conditions in this sector of the Antarctic, they were able to give advice that was worth attention...I knew that the ice had come far north that season, and, after listening to the suggestions of the whaling captains, had decided to steer to the South Sandwich Group, round Ultima Thule, and work as far to the eastward as the fifteenth meridian west longitude before pushing south. The whalers emphasized the difficulty of getting through the ice in the neighborhood of the South Sandwich Group. They told me they had often seen the floes come right up to the Group in the summertime, and they thought the Expedition would have to push through heavy pack in order to reach the Weddell Sea. Probably the best time to get into the Weddell Sea would be the end of February or the beginning of March. The whalers had gone right round the South Sandwich Group and they were familiar with the conditions. The predictions they made had induced me to take the deck-load of coal, for if we had to fight our way through to Coats' Land we would need every ton of fuel the ship could carry.
I hoped that by first moving to the east as far as the fifteenth meridian west we would be able to go south through looser ice, pick up Coats' Land and finally reach Vahsel Bay, where Filchner made his attempt at landing in 1912. Two considerations were occupying my mind at this juncture. I was anxious for certain reasons to winter the ENDURANCE in the Weddell Sea, but the difficulty of finding a safe harbor might be very great. If no safe harbor could be found, the ship must winter at South Georgia. It seemed to me hopeless now to think of making the journey across the continent in the first summer, as the season was far advanced and the ice conditions were likely to prove unfavorable. In view of the possibility of wintering the ship in the ice, we took extra clothing from the stores at the various stations in South Georgia". The day of departure arrived. The order was given to heave anchor at 8:45 a.m. on December 5, 1914 and the last link with civilization was broken. The morning was dull and overcast, with occasional gusts of snow and sleet. The long days of preparation were over and the adventure lay ahead.

The ENDURANCE left under steam and sail to the southeast. The course was laid to clear them of the coastline of South Georgia and then south of South Thule, Sandwich Group. On December 6, they passed two bergs, several growlers and numerous lumps of ice. Fifteen miles north of Sanders Island, the ENDURANCE was confronted by a belt of heavy pack-ice, half a mile broad extending north and south. The noon latitude had been 57°26'S which left Shackleton uneasy finding pack-ice so far north. This first encounter was only a portent of things to come. The situation became dangerous that night as they pushed into the pack in the hope of reaching open water beyond. Unfortunately, they found themselves after dark in a pool which grew smaller and smaller. The ice ground against the ship in a heavy swell as Shackleton and Worsley remained on deck all night in an attempt to dodge the pack. It was early in the morning before the ENDURANCE was able to get clear. They went east to find better ice and five hours later succeeded in rounding the pack. Sails were once again set. Shackleton wrote of the ice, "As the pack gets closer the congested areas grow larger and the parts are jammed harder until it becomes 'closer pack'...where the parts do not fit closely there is, of course, open water, which freezes over in a few hours after giving off volumes of 'frost smoke'. In obedience to renewed pressure this young ice 'rafts', thus forming double thicknesses of a toffee-like consistency...the opposing edges of heavy floes rear up in slow and almost silent conflict till high 'hedgerows' are formed round each part of the puzzle...All through the winter the drifting pack changes--grows by freezing, thickens by rafting and corrugates by pressure".

By early January they had shifted only a few miles further south. Frustration of the crewmembers was relieved on January 5 as a football game was played on the ice. Everyone was having fun until the ship's captain, Frank Worsley, fell through rotten ice and had to be rescued. Another perceived problem was the killer whales. Spotting a seal, the creatures would dive to great depths and then smash through the ice, seizing the seal in it's mouth. The expedition found a hole 25 feet in diameter that had been created by a killer whale. As photographer Frank Hurley took a dog team over the thin ice, he would hear whales blowing behind him. He would quickly dash for solid, thick ice with "No need to shout 'mush' and swing the lash. The whip of terror had cracked over their heads and they flew before it. The whales behind...broke through the thin ice as though it were tissue paper, and, I fancy, were so staggered by the strange sight that met their eyes, that for a moment they hesitated. Had they gone ahead and attacked us in front, our chances of escape would have been slim indeed...Never in my life have I looked upon more loathsome creatures".


By the 19th of January, the ENDURANCE was solidly frozen in. Their position was 76°34'S, longitude, 31°30'W. A sounding was taken which found them in 312 fathoms, finding mud, sand and pebbles. "Icebergs hang upside down in the sky; the land appears as layers of silvery or golden cloud. Cloud-banks look like land, icebergs masquerade as islands...". The ship was now drifting southwest with the floes. The ship's rudder became dangerously jammed on the 21st from the heavy ice which had to be cut away with ice-chisels constructed from heavy pieces of iron with 6-foot wooden handles.

Just before midnight on January 24, a crack developed in the ice some five yards wide and a mile long, only fifty yards ahead of the ship. The crack widened to a quarter of a mile by 10 a.m. on the 25th, and for three hours Shackleton tried to force the ship into the opening with engines at full speed ahead and all sails set. The only result was a clearing of the ice from the rudder. Later in the day, Crean and two other men were chipping away at a large chunk of ice that had lodged under the ship when suddenly the ice broke away, shooting upward and overturning, pinning Crean between the ice and the handle of an ll-foot iron pincher. He only suffered from some bad bruises but the thick iron bar fared worse..it had been bent against him to an angle of 45°.

The days that followed were uneventful. On the 27th, Shackleton decided to put the fires out. They had been burning coal at the rate of a half a ton each day in order to keep steam in the boilers. With only 67 tons remaining, representing 33 day's steaming, no more could be afforded as they remained stuck in the ice. Land was sighted to the east and south when the horizon was clear. By the 31st, the ship had drifted eight miles to the west. James and Hudson rigged the wireless in the hope of hearing the monthly transmission from the Falkland Islands. Nothing was heard. The sun, which had been above the horizon for two months, set at midnight on February 17th. On the 22nd the ENDURANCE reached the farthest south point of her drift, touching the 77th parallel of latitude in longitude 35°W. The summer was gone. Temperatures fell to -10°F at 2 a.m. on February 22. Shackleton wrote, "I could not doubt now that the ENDURANCE was confined for the winter...The seals were disappearing and the birds were leaving us. The land showed still in fair weather on the distant horizon, but it was beyond our reach now, and regrets for havens that lay behind us were vain. 'We must wait for the spring, which may bring us better fortune. If I had guessed a month ago that the ice would grip us here, I would have established our base at one of the landing places at the great glacier. But there seemed no reason to anticipate then that the fates would prove unkind...My chief anxiety is the drift. Where will the vagrant winds and currents carry the ship during the long winter months that are ahead of us? We will go west, no doubt, but how far? And will it be possible to break out of the pack early in the spring and reach Vahsel Bay or some other suitable landing-place? These are momentous questions for us'". On February 24 ship routine ceased...the ENDURANCE became the winter quarters.

The "Ritz", as they called their new winter quarters, was firmly caught between gigantic floes which could crush her easily. Shackleton ordered the sides of the ship cleared so that nothing would prevent her from rising above the ice as it pressed in against her sides. The men continued to take out their frustrations on the ice as football and hockey games were regularly played. On May 1 they said good-bye to the sun and the 70-day Antarctic winter night began. Oddly, on May 8 the sun rose at 11 a.m. and set 40 minutes later, rose again at 1:10 p.m. and set 10 minutes later. The navigation officer, who had announced its final disappearance a week earlier, had to explain to his jeering friends that it was not a mistake, it was a refraction of 2° more than normal. They celebrated Empire Day, May 24, singing patriotic songs. On June 15 Frank Wild, second-in-command, started his favorite team of dogs (a 6 to 4 favorite) in the first ever Antarctic Derby. With five teams competing, Wild's team, pulling 910 pounds, or 130 pounds per dog, covered the 700-yard race with a winning time of 2 minutes and 16 seconds. All 28 men had a bet and winnings were paid in chocolate and cigarettes.

A bi-weekly performance, cleaning the Ritz



Beautiful sunrise glows on the horizon came early in July. At midnight on the 11th, the temperature was -23°F. The most severe blizzard experienced to date in the the Weddell Sea swept down upon them on the evening of the 13th. By morning, the kennels to the windward side of the ship were buried under five feet of snow. By evening, the wind reached 70 miles per hour and the ship trembled under the attack. At least a 100 tons of snow piled up against the bow and port sides. Pressure from the ice increasingly became a cause for concern. Distant rumblings and the appearance of formidable ice ridges gradually approached the ship. Shackleton wrote, "The ice is rafting up to a height of 10 or 15 ft. in places, the opposing floes are moving against one another at the rate of about 200 yds. per hour. The noise resembles the roar of heavy, distant surf. Standing on the stirring ice one can imagine it is disturbed by the breathing and tossing of a mighty giant below". By the middle of September they were running out of fresh meat for the dogs. The seals and penguins had disappeared altogether and it had been nearly five months since a seal had been killed.

The men got an Emperor penguin on the 23rd. On the following day Wild, Hurley, Macklin and McIlroy took their teams to the Stained Berg, about seven miles west of the ship, and on their way back got a female crab-eater, which they killed and skinned. They climbed the berg and at an elevation of 110 feet could see no land. By the end of September, the roar of the pressure grew louder with areas of disturbance rapidly approaching the ship.

The Beginning of the End

Sunday, October 23rd, marked the beginning of the end. Their position was 69°11'S, longitude 51°5'W. At 6:45 p.m. the ship sustained heavy pressure in a dangerous position. The ENDURANCE groaned as her starboard quarter was forced against the floe, twisting the stern-post and buckling the planking. She immediately began to leak. The bilge pumps were started at 8 p.m. and by morning the leak was being kept in check. Then came Wednesday, October 27. Shackleton wrote, "The position was lat. 69°5'S, long. 51°30'W. The temperature was -8.5° Fahr., a gentle southerly breeze was blowing and the sun shone in a clear sky. 'After long months of ceaseless anxiety and strain, after times when hope beat high and times when the outlook was black indeed, we have been compelled to abandon the ship, which is crushed beyond all hope of ever being righted, we are alive and well, and we have stores and equipment for the task that lies before us. The task is to reach land with all the members of the Expedition. It is hard to write what I feel". She had drifted for at least 1186 miles and were 346 miles from Paulet Island, the nearest point where there was any possibility of finding food and shelter. A small hut was built there by Otto Nordenskjöld's Swedish expedition in 1902 and was filled with stores left by an Argentine relief ship. Shackleton knew of these stores because he was the person who purchased the stores in London on behalf of the Argentine Government.

The End

Shackleton ordered the boats, gear, provisions and sledges lowered to the floe. The ENDURANCE had been locked in the ice for 281 days. The 28 men pitched five tents 100 yards from the ship but were forced to move when a pressure ridge started to split the ice beneath them. "Ocean Camp" was established on a thick, heavy floe about a mile and a half from the wreck. On November 21, 1915, the ENDURANCE raised its stern and slipped beneath the ice, coming to rest at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. The ice was rotting around them so on December 20, Shackleton decided to abandon Ocean Camp and march westward to reduce the distance to Paulet Island. Christmas was celebrated on December 22 with their last good meal for eight months. Two of the boats were now man-hauled, in relays, from Ocean Camp: the JAMES CAIRD and DUDLEY DOCKER, with the STANCOMB WILLS being left behind. If their ice floe disintegrated, the 28 men would jam into the two boats, each measuring 20 feet in length, to be at the mercy of the Weddell Sea. On December 29, with the ice too cracked to carry them, they set up camp on a solid floe, but it cracked during the night as well. They shifted to a strong, old floe, surrounded by ice too soft to sledge over, but with not enough open water to launch the boats. Adrift on their new "home", they crossed the Antarctic Circle on New Year's Eve. Shackleton wrote, "Thus, after a year's incessant battle with the ice, we had returned...to almost the same latitude we had left with such high hopes and aspirations twelve months previously; but under what different conditions now! Our ship crushed and lost and we ourselves drifting on a piece of ice at the mercy of the winds". Meanwhile, Wild returned to Ocean Camp to retrieve the STANCOMB WILLS.
The ice disintegrated to the point where they were forced into the boats on April 9. The floe split directly beneath them and two hours later the channels opened wide enough for them to throw their stores aboard the boats and cast off for a three-mile stretch of open water a short distance away. The DUDLEY DOCKER got caught between two ice floes but the JAMES CAIRD was able to pull her free. By evening they had retreated to a new floe and once again hauled up the boats, pitched tents and lit the blubber stove.

The next day the boats were pushed into the water and by 11 a.m. they had reached a stretch of open water. On April 12, Shackleton discovered that instead of making good progress to the west, they had actually drifted 30 miles to the east. Elephant Island, in the South Shetlands, appeared to them in the north-northwest. A gale suddenly came up and separated the DUDLEY DOCKER from the others. She made for a narrow rocky beach and to their delight, the others were soon sighted making for the same area. Shackleton, in the STANCOMB WILLS, was the first to land. When all were ashore, the men were running around the beach as if they'd just discovered a keg of rum...they simply were ecstatic from touching land for the first time in 16 months.

Landing at Elephant Island



They knew they couldn't camp here for long so Wild, Marsten, Crean, Vincent and McCarthy left the next morning in the STANCOMB WILLS to locate a safe camping area. By nightfall, the men still had not returned which, once again, brought much anxiety to Shackleton and the others. At 8 p.m. they heard a hail in the distance. They couldn't see anything at first but out of the darkness like a ghost came the boat and men. They had located a nice, sandy spit about 7 miles west of them. After a lengthy struggle, the new camp was set up at the spit which they named Cape Wild...it was April 17, 1916. Shackleton wrote, "As we clustered round the blubber stove, with the acrid smoke blowing in our faces, we were quite a cheerful company...Life was not so bad. We ate our evening meal while the snow drifted down from the surface of the glacier and our chilled bodies grew warm". At 2 a.m. Shackleton felt a wave come up under his tent so they quickly relocated to a group of high rocks at the end of the spit. For the next week, Shackleton planned his dangerous voyage to South Georgia, 800 miles distant. As the question remained concerning their rescue, the whaling station on South Georgia seemed the only answer. The ocean south of Cape Horn in the middle of May was known to be the most storm-swept area of water in the world.
The men would have to face these conditions in a small, open boat for an anticipated month's voyage to South Georgia. Although Wild wanted to go, Shackleton refused as he wanted Wild to hold the party together on Elephant Island until the rescue. If by spring they hadn't returned, Wild was to lead the men to Deception Island. On Easter Monday, April 24, the men launched the STANCOMB WILLS and loaded her with stores, gear and ballast which would be transferred to the JAMES CAIRD when the heavier boat was launched. The ballast consisted of bags made from blankets and filled with sand. Some 250 pounds of ice was gathered to supply fresh drinking water. As for instruments, they had a sextant, aneroid, prismatic compass, anchor, some charts and a pair of binoculars. As the JAMES CAIRD was launched, the swell suddenly increased causing many to get soaked to the waist...a serious matter in that climate. When the JAMES CAIRD was afloat in the surf, she nearly capsized before the men could steer her clear of the rocks as Vincent and the carpenter were tossed into the water. This was terrible luck as it would be very difficult to get their clothes dried once underway. But soon they were free from the heavy surf and rocks. The STANCOMB WILLS came alongside, transferred her load, and headed back to the shore for the next load. This time she had to be beached and, as a consequence, the sea lapped right up over the stern. The boat had to be overturned to dump the water out before she could be reloaded...all were soaked to the skin. By midday, the JAMES CAIRD was ready for the voyage. The crew of the STANCOMB WILLS shook hands with those in the JAMES CAIRD, exchanging their last good wishes as the boats bumped together and then the JAMES CAIRD cut loose, setting the jib for the northeast. Shackleton, along with Worsley, Crean, McNeish, McCarthy and Vincent, began a voyage of a lifetime.

The departure was celebrated on Elephant Island with a two-week blizzard. Wild decided to make a hut from the two remaining boats and scraps of old tent fabric. Parallel stone walls were erected to support the boats which were laid side by side. Tent fabric and sail material was stretched over the upturned hulls to keep the rain and snow out while tent canvas was used for the walls. A blubber stove was set up and the second engineer, A. Kerr, made a tin chimney out of biscuit case linings. Celluloid windows were constructed with panes from a photograph case. Water was always a problem. As the temperature rose to just above freezing, drainage was nearly nonexistent within the structure...one day they bailed out 160 gallons of water. Midwinter's Day was celebrated on June 22 with a drink made from hot water, ginger, sugar and a teaspoon of methylated spirits. At Saturday night concerts, Hussey would play his banjo as the men sang vulgar songs about each other. By the beginning of August, food was starting to become in short supply. They dug up old seal bones and stewed them in sea water along with seaweed, which they found "very tasty". The last of the methylated spirits was drank on August 12 and from that date forward their toasting was done with hot water and ginger. The surgeons, McIlroy and Macklin, amputated the frostbitten toes of Blackborrow's feet by the light of the blubber stove.

Meanwhile, the JAMES CAIRD was making 3 mph between the icebergs. Worsley imagined structures and creatures etched into the mighty bergs as he described, "Swans of weird shape pecked at our planks, a gondola steered by a giraffe ran foul of us, which much amused a duck sitting on a crocodile's head. Just then a bear, leaning over the top of a mosque, nearly clawed our sail...All the strange, fantastic shapes rose and fell in stately cadence with a rustling, whispering sound and hollow echoes to the thudding seas...". They were making a fairly good distance each day...some 60 to 70 miles. But the going was very rough. The sleeping bags became soaked making it increasingly difficult to find warmth. The boulders taken aboard for ballast had to be shifted continually in order to trim the boat and give access to the pump, which became clogged with hairs from the moulting sleeping bags and finneskoe. The four reindeer sleeping bags shed their hair freely from the constant dampness and soon became quite bald. Their legs were chafed by the wet clothing, which had not been changed for seven months. The insides of their thighs had been rubbed raw with seawater increasing the pain. Meals were regular in spite of the stormy weather. Breakfast, at 8 a.m., consisted of a pannikin of hot hoosh made from Bovril sledging rations, two biscuits and some lumps of sugar. Lunch, at 1 p.m., was more Bovril sledging rations, eaten raw, and a pannikin of hot milk. Tea, at 5 p.m., had the same menu. They had 6½ gallons of fuel for the oil lamp which complemented their supply of candles. On the fourth day out, a severe storm hit them. During the afternoon they spotted small bits of wreckage, the remains probably from some unfortunate vessel that had failed to weather the storm. The next day the storm was so fierce that they had to put out the sea anchor in order to keep her heading into the sea, take in the double-reefed mainsail and hoist the small jib instead. A thousand different times it appeared the small boat would capsize but she lived on. The southwesterly gale was born above the Antarctic continent and with it came temperatures near zero. The sea spray froze on the boat, coating everything with a heavy layer of ice. The boat became so heavy that the men were forced to use what tools they had to continually chip away the ice as it froze. By the next day the weight of the ice became a serious problem as she became more like a log than a boat. The situation called for immediate action. They first broke away the spare oars, which were encased in ice and frozen to the sides of the boat, and threw them overboard. Two of the fur sleeping bags went overboard...they weighed a good 40 pounds each since they were so wet and besides, they were frozen stiff as a board. About 11 a.m. the boat fell into a trough, losing the sea anchor in the process. They had no choice but to set sail and trust that it would hold. They beat the canvas until the bulk of the ice had cracked off and, fortunately, it worked as the little boat came up to the wind again. Frostbite became a serious problem as large blisters developed on exposed fingers and hands. By the dawn of the seventh day, the wind had subsided. Once again the course was laid for South Georgia...it had been six days since an observation had been made. The sun came out and the men hung their sleeping bags to the mast and spread their socks and other gear all over the deck. The ice began to melt away as porpoises came blowing alongside the boat. Cape Pigeons and an occasional Stormy Petrel swooped within a few feet of the tiny craft. Wild "snapped" the sun and determined they had gone over 380 miles and were nearly half-way to South Georgia. The eighth, ninth and tenth days of the voyage had little to report. On the eleventh day (May 5), a tremendous cross-sea developed and at midnight, while Shackleton was at the tiller, a line of clear sky was spotted between the south and southwest. Shackleton wrote, "I called to the other men that the sky was clearing, and then a moment later I realized that what I had seen was not a rift in the clouds but the white crest of an enormous wave. During twenty-six years' experience of the ocean in all its moods I had not encountered a wave so gigantic. It was a mighty upheaval of the ocean, a thing quite apart from the big white-capped seas that had been our tireless enemies for many days. I shouted 'For God's sake, hold on! It's got us.' Then came a moment of suspense that seemed drawn out into hours. White surged the foam of the breaking sea around us. We felt our boat lifted and flung forward like a cork in breaking surf. We were in a seething chaos of tortured water; but somehow the boat lived through it, half full of water, sagging to the dead weight and shuddering under the blow. We baled with the energy of men fighting for life, flinging the water over the sides with every receptacle that came to our hands, and after ten minutes of uncertainty we felt the boat renew her life beneath us". The cooking stove was floating around in the bottom of the boat and portions of their last hoosh seemed to soak everything. It was 3 a.m. before the stove was finally functional again. The next day, May 6, Worsley determined that they were not more than a hundred miles from the northwest corner of South Georgia...two more days of favorable wind would put the island within sight. Thirst took possession of them. Their mouths were dry and tongues were swollen. On the morning of May 8, about 10 o'clock, a little bit of kelp was passed. An hour later two birds were seen sitting on a big mass of kelp and at 12:30 p.m., McCarthy caught a glimpse of the black cliffs of South Georgia, just fourteen days after departing Elephant Island.

Landing at South Georgia

They looked for a landing place but the presence of blind rollers proved the existence of uncharted reefs along the coast. Here and there were rocks close to the surface and over them great waves broke spouting thirty to forty feet in the air. The rocky coast seemed to descend sheer to the sea. Night was drawing near and despite their craving thirst for water, there was no choice but to wait until the following morning to make shore. At 5 a.m. the wind shifted to the northwest and increased to one of the worst hurricanes ever experienced by Shackleton. The little boat was tossed around in the raging sea and when dawn appeared, no land was in sight. At 1 p.m. land was once again sighted but sheer cliffs with roaring breakers was all that awaited them. Evening approached and suddenly, when disaster seemed imminent, the wind shifted and the small boat was once again free to locate a safer landing place. The night wore on and as dawn arrived on the morning of May 10, there was practically no wind. They sighted an indentation which they thought was King Haakon Bay. Shackleton decided this would be their landing place as the bow was set towards the bay. Soon angry reefs were on both sides with great glaciers reaching the sea. About noon they sighted a smooth stretch of water that reached the head of the bay. A gap in the reef appeared and they made for the opening but suddenly the wind shifted and blew straight against them right out of the bay. That afternoon, after tacking five times into the strong wind, they made it through the small entrance into the wide mouth of the bay.

A small cove, guarded by a reef, made a break in the cliffs on the south side of the bay and they turned in that direction. The entrance was so small that they had to take in the oars but in the gathering darkness, the JAMES CAIRD ran on a swell and touched the beach. At 2 a.m. on the first night ashore, Shackleton woke everyone, shouting, "Look out boys, look out! Hold on! It's going to break on us!" It was a nightmare...Shackleton thought the black snow-crested cliff opposite them was a giant wave.

Unfortunately, the men were 17 miles from the Stromness whaling station: a journey over South Georgia's mountains and glaciers awaited them, an effort no one had ever accomplished. McNeish and Vincent were too weak to attempt the trek so Shackleton left them in the care of MaCarthy. On May 15, Shackleton, Crean and Worsley set out on their adventure. They climbed over icy slopes, snowfields and glaciers until reaching an altitude of 4500 feet. Looking back they could see a fog rolling up behind them. The ridge was studded with peaks and since they had no sleeping bags or tent with them, it was imperative they find a lower elevation before night set in. They managed to descend 900 feet in two or three minutes by sliding, like children, down a snowy slope. The country to the east was an ascending snow upland dividing the glaciers of the north coast from those of the south. Another meal was had at 6 p.m.; Crean was the cook as Shackleton and Worsley broke the wind from the cooker. Night was upon them and for an hour they plodded along in nearly complete darkness. About 8 p.m. a full moon appeared from behind jagged peaks, lighting their pathway. By midnight they were once again at an elevation of about 4000 feet. After 1 a.m., the Primus was started again and the men ate hot food which renewed their energy. By 1:30 a.m. they were on their feet again, still heading towards Stromness Bay. A dark object in the distance looked like Mutton Island, which lies off Huvik. Their high hopes were soon shattered as crevasses warned them that they were on another glacier...Shackleton knew there was no glacier in Stromness and realized it must be Fortuna Glacier. Back they turned and tramped up the glacier again. At 5 a.m. they were at the foot of the rocky spurs of the range. The men were exhausted as they sat down, under the lee of a rock, and wrapped their arms around each other to keep themselves warm. Within a minute, Worsley and Crean were asleep but Shackleton realized that it would be "disastrous if we all slumbered together, for sleep under such conditions merges into death". After five minutes rest, Shackleton woke them up, told them they had slept half an hour, and gave the command to begin again. They were so stiff that for the first 300 yards they couldn't bend their knees. A jagged line of peaks loomed before them. This was the ridge that separated them from Stromness Bay. They found a gap in the ridge and went through it at 6 a.m. with anxious hearts and weary bodies. The twisted rock formations of Huvik Harbor appeared right ahead in the early light of dawn. While Worsley and Crean started the cooker, Shackleton climbed a ridge above them in order to get a better look at the land below them. At 6:30 a.m. Shackleton thought he heard the sound of a steam whistle calling the men from their beds at the whaling station. Shackleton descended to the others and told them to watch the chronometer for seven o'clock as this would be the time the whalers would be called to work; right to the minute the steam whistle sounded. Never had they heard such a sweeter sound.

Stromness Bay Before Us


"Boys, this snow-slope seems to end in a precipice, but perhaps there is no precipice. If we don't go down we shall have to make a detour of at least five miles before we reach level going. What shall it be?" They both replied at once, "Try the slope". Abandoning the Primus lamp, they plodded downwards, reducing their altitude to 2000 feet above sea level. At this point they came upon a steep gradient of blue ice. It took two hours to cut and rope their way down another 500 feet. Eventually they got off the steep ice and a slide down a slippery slope, with the cooker going ahead, landed them on a plateau 1500 feet above the sea. A few minutes later they reached a sandy beach. By noon they were well up the slope on the other side of the bay, working east-southeast, with one more ridge between them and Huvik. Shackleton was leading the way over a plateau when suddenly he found himself up to his knees in water, quickly sinking deeper through the snow. They spread-eagled to distribute their weight and soon discovered they were on top of a small lake. After lying still for a few moments, the men got to their feet and delicately walked 200 yards to a rise that indicated the edge of the lake. At 1:30 p.m. they climbed round the final ridge and saw a little whaling boat entering the bay 2500 feet below. They hurried forward and spotted a sailing ship lying at a wharf. Tiny figures could be seen wandering about and then the whaling factory was sighted. The men paused, shook hands and congratulated each other on accomplishing their heroic journey.
The men cautiously started down the slope of the ice-clad mountainside. The only possible pathway seemed to be a stream flowing to the sea below. Down they went through the icy water, wet to their waist, shivering cold and tired. Then their ears heard the unwelcome sound of a waterfall. The stream ended in a waterfall that dropped 30 feet, with impassable ice-cliffs on both sides. They were too tired to look for another way down so they agreed the only way down was through the waterfall itself. They fastened their rope around a rock and slowly lowered Crean, who was the heaviest, into the waterfall. He completely disappeared and came out the bottom gasping for air. Shackleton went next and Worsley, the most nimble member of the party, went last. They had dropped the logbook, adze and cooker before going over the edge and once on solid ground, the items were retrieved, the only items brought out of the Antarctic, "which we had entered a year and a half before with well-found ship, full equipment, and high hopes. We had 'suffered, starved and triumphed, grovelled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole.' We had seen God in His splendours, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man". Shivering with cold, they set off for the whaling station, now just a mile and a half away. They tried to straighten themselves up a little bit before entering the station, but they truly were a sight to behold. Their beards were long, their hair was matted, their clothes, tattered and stained as they were, hadn't been washed in nearly a year. Down they hurried and as they approached the station, two small boys met them. Shackleton asked them where the manager's house was and they didn't answer...instead they turned and ran from them as fast as their legs would carry them. They came to the wharf where the man in charge was asked if Mr. Sorlle (the manager) was in the house.

"Yes," he said as he stared at us.
"We would like to see him," said I.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"We have lost our ship and come over the island," I replied.
"You have come over the island?" he said in a tone of entire disbelief.

The man went towards the manager's house and we followed him. I learned afterwards that he said to Mr. Sorlle: "There are three funny-looking men outside, who say they have come over the island and they know you. I have left them outside." A very necessary precaution from his point of view.

Mr. Sorlle came out to the door and said, "Well?"
"Don't you know me?" I said.
"I know your voice," he replied doubtfully. "You're the mate of the Daisy."
"My name is Shackleton," I said.
Immediately he put out his hand and said, "Come in. Come in."

They washed, shaved and dined on 'coffee and cakes in the Norwegian fashion'. Worsley boarded a whaler headed for Haakon bay while Shackleton prepared plans for the rescue of the men on Elephant Island. The next day Worsley arrived to find the three men waiting under the upturned JAMES CAIRD. They all returned to Stromness Bay and the next morning Shackleton, Worsley and Crean left on the Norwegian whaler SOUTHERN SKY for Elephant Island. Sixty miles from the island the pack ice forced them to retreat to the Falkland Islands whereupon the Uruguayan Government loaned Shackleton the trawler INSTITUTO DE Pesca but once again the ice turned them away. They went to Punta Arenas where British and Chilean residents donated £1500 to Shackleton in order to charter the schooner EMMA. One hundred miles north of Elephant Island the auxiliary engine broke down and thus a fourth attempt would be necessary. The Chilean Government now loaned the steamer YELCHO, under the command of Captain Luis Pardo, to Shackleton.

As the steamer approached Elephant Island, the men on the island were approaching lunchtime. It was August 30 when Marston spotted the YELCHO in an opening in the mist. He yelled, "Ship O!" but the men thought he was announcing lunch. A few moments later the men inside the "hut" heard him running forward, shouting, "Wild, there's a ship! Hadn't we better light a flare?" As they scrambled for the door, those bringing up the rear tore down the canvas walls. Wild put a hole in their last tin of fuel, soaked clothes in it, walked to the end of the spit and set them afire.

The "Hut" at Elephant Island

The boat soon approached close enough for Shackleton, who was standing on the bow, to shout to Wild, "Are you all well?". Wild replied, "All safe, all well!" and the Boss replied, "Thank God!" Blackborrow, since he couldn't walk, was carried to a high rock and propped up in his sleeping bag so he could view the scene. Within an hour they were headed north to the world from which no news had been heard since October, 1914; they had survived on Elephant Island for 105 lonely days.

Monday, January 02, 2012

Tuesday's Tattler

Good morning, and we are back to school with a vengeance. It's been a great holiday, and now it's time for us to get back on board the education ship. We will be launching Geography this week because last week so many kids were absent.

We will be watching Shackleton on Tuesday, and examining the arctic and the antarctic this week.

Please remember to dress your child warmly! Please avoid short sleeves.

This week, we will be sending home our new reading and math bags for kindergartners. Please remember to take this bag home with you and return it every single day. It will have your child's learning supplies in it. These supplies are for you and your child to work with. There should be a book inside the bag, and sight word cards. Please have your child learn or re-learn these words. He or she should be able to make a sentence out of these words.

Your child's homework should not take more than twenty minutes.

Please remember to put your child's bag someplace in your home that will remind you to bring it back to school in the morning. We recommend the doorknob on the door you leave by in the morning.

If you are reading this post, please tell Miss Judy for a treasure box pass for your child. This treasure box pass is valid on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

I Wish You Domesticity in the New Year!

While perusing the 1896 copy of Fanny Farmer's Cook Book, I read some entries about how to build a fire, gut a fish and make jam and jelly w/o store bought pectin. Knowing how to do all three, I put my historical hat on, and traveled back in time to where a person of domesticity would need to know how to do those things, and I began to realize that domesticity is learned and is not a natural by-product of being female.

Domesticity does not make me cringe as it does to some people, because I know that domesticity is skill and intelligence working together. And I won't, in our day and time, narrow that statement by saying that domesticity belongs to a particular sex, bank account, or brainscape.

If someone was to offer a definition about domesticity, I would nod graciously if "knowledge of the home" was included in the definition. It is, after all, knowledge of how things work in the home. But knowledge is only one part of domesticity. A true domestician not only knows about the home, but knows how to make the home work for the people who live there. Homes built on domestic prowess are homes everybody wants to visit, live in, be near simply because involved in domesticity is a kind of intelligence and strength that makes people comfortable, safe, and happy.

There are many parts to domesticity, and people who engage it are often good at some parts and not others. Organizational skills like time management, economics, purchasing, public relations, human resources are all part of the domestic domain.

Knowledge of art, math, sciences like horticulture, biology, botany, animal husbandry, nutrition, and electronics comprise a successful domestic's knowledge.

Any domestically talented person should find the world an easy place just because of what that person understands how to live the world without being dependent.

I've always said, a Renaissance person should be able to hold down a responsible job, dress impeccably, write his/her own speech, deliver that speech to any group, and at the end of the speech invite his or her audience home where his or her perfect meal awaits in his or her wonderfully appointed home and brilliant garden with well behaved children and animals while his or her conversation is bright with interests that follow many subjects and flow from a life spent acquiring knowledge.

And that Renaissance person can be said to have great domestic knowledge.

So in the New Year, I wish, for your success and happiness, domesticity.