Christmas Lights and the Beach

In case I forgot to tell you... Trish and I are toughing out December without Internet (**dramatic gasp** How did anyone ever survive without the Internet????). It's amazing how much simpler it has made life... I mean, I actually get bored in the evenings, until I realized a couple nights ago that I could use that time to paint so the last few nights have been late due to my new painting addiction (what's worse, a painting addiction or a Facebook addiction? At least I have something to show for my painting addiction!).

Life without Internet is also a bit more complicated as I don't have easy access to communication tools like email or my blog. Simplified and complicated all at once... What's a girl to do with life?

Christmas decorations are in full swing here. I forgot about the torquoise and fuchsia garland on every public Christmas tree here, but there it was yesterday at the bank, the grocery store, even in the hallway here at school. It's ironic to me that they also use snowmen and icicle lights to decorate here... when many of them have never experienced snow or the loooooooong cooooooooold winter of the north (or way south for that matter).

I have gone to a beach the last two weekends. I cannot fail on the stereotype that all people living close to the equator are tan. I am also going to another beach this Saturday to complete this self-promise. Plus, I am also just taking in all the Vitamin D I can because there won't be as much in Elgin or Kewanee. My borrowed coats and scarves and hats and gloves will prevent any Vitamin D intake.

(Yes, Mom, I am wearing sunscreen SPF 30 at the beach. I am learning the secrets of wearing sunscreen and getting tan, all at the same time. It's much more comfortable than my past sunburns.)

4th Grade is good. I think the only reason I am so chipper this week is because I know a break is just around the corner. I am excited to do nothing and think nothing about 4th grade for 3 weeks. Well, the thinking part might be hard to start, but at least it won't be required thinking. We have had lots of illness going around, such as bronchitis, head lice, tapeworms, and sore throats. I think the kids are just diagnosing themselves with tapeworms since we talked about it a couple weeks ago in science, but there is one student who really has one and is on medication.

Last week, we discussed what we could do to stop pollution, and one boy pipes up, "Miss Siscoe, I think we should put cars on every street corner and cameras on the dashboards and when the cameras sense someone littering, the car will automatically turn on and run over the person." Am I teaching at a Christian school or something? I couldn't help laughing but when I collected myself I asked him if it was very Christian-ly.

We also had one more dress-up day before the semester ended. The theme: Christmas. I was a Christmas tree in my red shoes, brown pants, green shirt, gold bow in my hair... and don't forget the garland and string of lights wrapped all around my green shirt. I made lots of people laugh when I would pull the plug out of my pocket and plug myself into any nearby socket.

I fly back to the States Monday! See you then!!! :)