DAY 32

The novelty of home schooling is officially wearing thin. A student revolt took place which ended in a sit-in. Sitting in a time out chair, actually. She was given a list of things to do in the morning to prepare for the day. Eat breakfast, get dressed and washed up, pick up her messes and make her bed. She flat out refused to do any of it. Finally I told her that she had a choice, she could do the things on her list or sit in a chair all day. She chose the chair. After five minutes she was fidgeting and making noises. I ignored her. Then she started talking, mainly b**ching me out. I ignored her. She got louder. I went into another room, closed the door and turned on some music. She came to the door and said loudly "I know you can hear me!" I told her to go back to her chair. It took her about twenty five minutes total before she decided that she would "do my stupid list." I told her that I have dealt with the likes of her before and if she thinks she can outlast me she is sorely mistaken.

I keep thinking that going through this together is going to make us closer as she becomes a teenager. That is my hope, anyway. It could go totally the other way and we will be sick of each other. If we all come out of this with any semblance of sanity it will be nothing short of a miracle.

Our town cemetery cleans up all of the grave blankets and wreaths in the spring. They are piled up near the lake to await transport to the landfill. All this dried up greenery is full of ribbons, flowers and other holiday items. My neighbor called this afternoon and told me that the clean up had been done and that she was heading over to look through it. Miss Nine and I met her there and working on opposite sides of the pile at a safe distance we picked through the pile, pulling off decorations to save for future projects. It's the most exciting thing we have done in days! Isolation has turned us into grave robbers. Remember this next year when you receive a lovely floral arrangement with questionable origins.