News, That's All

• My nephew, Kenny, has been relocated to Great Meadows Correctional in Comstock, NY. It's kind of nowhere -- like Malone -- but this nowhere is not near to me like that nowhere was. Still, we will try to visit somewhat regularly

• I'm busy dreaming up fun homeschool approaches to literature, writing, history, and current events. Hattie Big Sky, Sweetland (both DVD and book), and The Whistling Season involve the last homestead movement promoted by the US Government. Set in the WWI years, they also touch on the persecution of German immigrants. We will consider parallels in current culture. Presidential reports on W. Wilson will complete that segment. On to WWII with Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow (book), Swing Kids (DVD), The Hiding Place (book), Schindler's List (DVD), Diary of Anne Frank (book), with write ups on each (well, at least a couple.) Last but not least we will look at the current issue of global warming with Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth followed by the British Channel 4 television special, The Great Global Warming Swindle. Some additional reading and research culminating in papers with their conclusions well endorsed will finish off our year quite nicely, I hope.

• Groceries cost a lot these days. But you probably already knew that.

• Valentine's Day will be fun -- breakfast celebration with family, Merrick's Upward game, Sweetheart's Dinner here.

• Today is surely an indication that the icy grip of winter is loosening. Just loosening, mind you. But loosening, none the less!