The Book List - November

This morning, at 4:50 the fire alarm in our attic started screaming.  (It is part of a security system that had been put in this house by the previous owners.)  Frank had already left for work so I started running around trying to figure out what was going on.  There was no fire anywhere in the house.  No surprise - none of the regular smoke detectors were going off.  I kept punching the off buttons on the alarm control panel but to no avail.  Hunter was screaming for me, terrified by the sound.  I told him he could get out of bed and follow me.  Then Solomon came running, literally shaking with fear. 

Back to the control panel, nothing worked, in spite of me carefully following the instructions to turn the alarms off.  So I finally just ripped the thing off the wall and detached the wiring.  That alarm stopped, but the fire alarm kept blaring.  (The dogs were going absolutely bonkers and I was starting feel the same!)

I climbed up into the attic and looked at the wiring up there.  I couldn't detach anything.  So I went back down the ladder and then downstairs.  I asked Hunter if he thought I would get shocked if I cut the wiring.  He said "Pull the main switch!"  So we ran to the breaker box and I pulled it.  A few seconds later there was blessed silence in the house.  Ahhhh ....

Then I took the boys back to bed but stayed with them a bit because Solomon was still shaking and Hunter was wide awake.  It's 6:39 right now and Hunter is still awake and Solomon is very restless.  This may prove to be a still crazier day ...

Ad from the Sept. 1942 American Poultry Journal which my mother-in-law has.  I thought the feed ad showing the Axis powers of WWII was so interesting.  Chopping off Hitler's head!

 But then life just has been a bit crazy lately.  Monday, on the way to Lilly's grave, we got a flat tire.  But, thanks to God, it happened less than a mile from Frank's cousin Sandra's home.  We pulled into her driveway and her husband Gary happened to be home and was able to help put the spare tire on.  Hunter enjoyed watching and Solomon loved playing around in the yard.  If you know Solomon, you know he LOVES tractors.  Sandra and Gary had a old Farmall tractor that Solomon pretended to drive, making sound effects the whole time.

On HAPPY news - we have heat again!  After about a week and a half of no central heat, our new heating system was finally installed yesterday afternoon.  YIPEEE!!!!  The repair men are coming back today to finish up, much to Hunter's excitement.  They will be giving him some old parts out of our old system. 

For about a year now, it seems like we've been slammed with having so many things break.  It all started with having to replace our hot water heater.  Then we had to replace the clothes dryer.  Then the stove.  Even my hair dryer died.  All in between assorted car repairs for our old vehicles.  I know things are built to fall apart, but I sure hope we can catch a break for bit!

Last month I read 4 books.  Here they are:

Gettysburg by MacKinlay Kantor - We read this for Tabby's history course when we studied the War Between the States (aka Civil War).  I learned a lot of interesting things about the battle of Gettysburg.  But there was something about the writing style of this book I found rather odd.  I can't quite figure out what it was.  It was written in the 1950s and is in the Landmark Books series.  When I was young, we went to Gettysburg with an uncle and cousins.  During our tour, I remember my young cousin interrupting the guide to tell him all about his new shoes.  Unfortunately that's about the only thing I remember!

Animal Farm by George Orwell - I first read this book in high school, but didn't remember much so I re-read it when I assigned it to Tabby for literature this past term in homeschool.  I really enjoyed the book this time around, not only because I understand more about its satire of Communist Russia, but we have a little farm!  By having our own dogs, chickens, and goats it really made me think of those characters in the book in a whole new way.  I have found when I go to collect eggs from the chickens I am sure to tell them "thank you girls! I appreciate it!"  And that maybe I don't really want a pig after all.  (I've been wanting us to raise one and then butcher it for the meat.)  [I made a number of mini posters for our study, illustrating different characters and chapters.  If you are teaching this and would like a copy - just let me know!]

A 1940 issue of American Poultry Journal - look at all those wonderful eggs!

Queen of the Reformation by Charles Ludwig - Tabby has been urging me to read this book for years.  It is one of her favorites.  It is about Katharina Von Bora - a runaway nun that eventually became the wife of the great reformer, Martin Luther.  This is a really interesting historical novel which uses a lot of actual quotes.  Katharina was an amazing and tough woman that worked so hard to help her husband Martin.  I have heard and read elsewhere that their marriage was difficult at first but Martin really came to love and depend on his wife.  Katharina is a great example of what all a strong woman of God can do and is an excellent role model. 

Kids in the Kitchen: Simple Recipes that Build Independence and Confidence the Montessori Way by Sara E. Cotner and Kylie D'Alton - This book has ideas on how to make your kitchen child friendly and sequenced beginner skills to prepare your child for cooking.  The second half of the book is recipes, with each step illustrated, so that a child can follow along to prepare simple things.  Honestly, if your child already spends time in the kitchen with you helping with everything - like Solomon does with me - then you really don't need this book.  Still, I found it interesting and it reminded me of some skills that would be good to teach.  I can see Solomon wanting to follow the recipes on his own when he is a bit older.

Solomon loves chopping and cutting.  Potatoes are his favorite thing to cut.  The other day he helped me cut up ham.  He has his own little cutting board, from Haven Enterprises.  It is heirloom quality and has his name engraved on it.  It will be fun for him to pass down to his own children one day.

OK - the slab of ham doesn't make this a very appealing picture.  It isn't staged well!  To see really good pictures, of all things Haven Enterprises has to sell, go directly to their Etsy shop.

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" - Psalm 118:24