Always in demand

While Sharon helps Arianna with her math . . .

Bruno awaits her help with the Sistine Chapel . . .

First Place

Today Arianna won a Blue Ribbon for her Science Fair presentation. She practiced her presentation all weekend. And, despite her nervousness, she excelled. 

So, as with her History Fair work, it goes to DeKalb for Regional judging. We're not certain of the dates, but we think it's early March - sometime after my birthday.

It goes without saying, we're all very proud of her.  

First Honors

Expectations are misleading. I should think one would be blase about Arianna's academic success at St. Catherine of Siena, were one unaware of the day-to-day effort she puts into her school work. Truth be told, not all of her exemplary work comes easily. In my opinion, this is good. One cannot truly achieve anything without breaking a sweat. Today's grade report of 3.97 GPA says nothing about the long nights, the tears, the disastrous tests from which she rebounds over the course of the quarter. 

We hope that the work pays off . . . that we'll be able to send her to a high school, where she'll continue to grow, be challenged, and realize opportunities for improvement. 

All that lies in the future. For now . . . well done! 

To Text Or Not 2 Txt

Last year, as a consequence of Arianna's participation in History Fair, we spent time with Frank Lloyd Wright. This year, it's Science Fair. When compared to History Fair, Science Fair receives a lot more attention and demands considerably more discipline. Arianna's been working on her project almost since the first week of school.

Her topic is a psychological study having to do with the effects of texting on a person's spelling skill. One might be inclined to believe that the more a person texts, the worse their spelling skills would be. Especially since texting is fraught with acronyms, abbeviations, and replacement words.

Arianna's research demonstrated an altogether different view.

Her paper completed and presented, she had to turn her attention to her presentation board this weekend.

Unlike the Frank Lloyd Wright project, the Science Fair presentation board is strictly governed by a set of rules. It's less artistic, but no less work. 

In contrast to last year, when Arianna and I worked together to create the board, everybody's getting into the spirit of things. Here, Sharon gains some perspective on the layout of the various bits of information that has to be presented.

Arianna's title board. Late yesterday evening we discovered we didn't have enough 'T'. Luckily the neighborhood OfficeMax had the letters we needed.

Arianna yawns, Sharon critiques . . .

And Daddy measures . . .

So he and Arianna can fasten it all down . . .

Wind storm

Another snowless day in Chicagoland. We're approaching a record 335 consecutive days without an appreciable snowfall, i.e., a snow of at least 1".

After a couple days of bitter cold -- yes, that's ice on Lake Sharon 

-- a southwest wind is blowing with great strength.

Progress . . .

Every day . . . Sharon and her Dad make a bit more progress on the Sistine Chapel.

Look closely and you can actually recognize it.

Still at it. And, making progress . . . however slow.

I'm reminded . . . 2000 pieces.

At the Feeders

Grey, dreary. It's January. But, it's been colder than it is now.

The beauty of living in a semi-rural area is the wildlife. In the more contemporary suburban developments wildlife -- deer, Cooper's hawks, owls, and yes even the more mundane grey squirrel are not as infrequently seen as in our neighborhood.

Regardless of the animal, their sightings become a part of our day. We observe their behavior with joy . . . and often time with a measure of vexation, as in the case of squirrels invading the bird feeders . . . .

Finches . . .

Puzzlemania . . .

The dining room table remains occupied . . . 

Untrimming the tree

As luck would have it, Sharon is scheduled to teach the Spring semester. So, rather than wait until after Arianna resumes school to be begin the sad but necessary process, after Mass, she and I were greeted with questions having to do with the whereabouts of ornament boxes.

Untrimming the tree is invariably a more somber activity than when it goes up. There are no songs written about wrapping figurines and ornaments in tissue paper, about storing away decorations for another year. And so, no music plays . . . there's little nostalgia for when an ornament was first acquired. It's all just work-a-day busyness.

 

What she did on her holiday . . .

Of course, Arianna's Christmas holiday is not limited to cozying up with a book, but it's remarkable that of the nine books she received as gifts -- 10, if you include the book about sign language Grandpa gave her -- she's already finished more than half.

Breakfast Reading

I remember a chap from Great Britain, with whom I lived in Abbott Hall at Michigan State University. He had a curious habit of always joining us at meals with a newspaper or magazine. This behavior vexed one of my old De La Salle chums, with whom I also sometimes ate. 

At the time, I didn't understand why this behavior might be vexing.

On days I work from home and weekends, sharing breakfast with family is amusing. With the Chicago Tribune spread across the kitchen table, or in Arianna's case a book at hand, she and Sharon immerse themselves in the propaganda or amusement of the day, wholly oblivious to me and my questions.

    

5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Happy New Year!

For a couple years now, Arianna has stayed up and rung in the new year from an Eastern Standard Time  perspective. This year she was adamant that she was going to stay up until midnight.

With this in mind, I ensured Mass attendance by celebrating the Vigil. If she really was able to stay awake, she'd be able to sleep in.

After Mass, our customary smorgasbord was all laid out . . . compliments of Sharon and her Dad. Perhaps someday soon Arianna will kick up her heels on New Year's Eve, but until that day comes it's gonna be a puzzle on the dining room table and videos in the living room.

Bruno retired early . . . 10:15 PM. (Perhaps he wasn't feeling well.)

Sharon announced her intention to cash 30 minutes later, but waited until the ball dropped in Times Square, at which we time Arianna, Sharon, and I clinked glasses of sparkling cranberry juice.

Then Sharon turned in.

Now what?

Well, there's always a book to read . . .

Here's to a year better than the last . . . Prosit!