Seriously Summer
The temperatures have been outrageous here. 105, 107, 108 all amped up by the humidity. Our house A/C is struggling to keep things cooler (currently the thermostat reads 82), but we are running fans, too, along with using ice bottles for the rabbits and an occasional ice pack for one of us. Sleeping is horrible, because it doesn't get any cooler. Jonathan sometimes sleeps on his floor because it's not as hot as his bed.
And I'm in Summer Slug mode. I try to get what I can done in the cooler hours of the morning because, come mid-afternoon, it is nearly impossible to move or do anything. Cooking has become a hated chore. I've done all I could to have lighter, cooler meals this week. If any cooking needed to be done, it was done in the morning. For example, we had chicken salad sandwiches with the sister missionaries on Thursday. I cooked the chicken in the morning. I had made french toast for dinner Wednesday evening and nearly drown in my own perspiration! We've had salads and sandwiches, anybody have any other ideas?
Buggy
All the insects are out joining the hit heat parade. Cicadas, crickets, grasshoppers, wasps, etc. So far, they've left the inside of the house alone, but there are plenty outside. The toads, who love the convenience of the shaded part of the house where the A/C moisture is released as water into a trough, have had a daily feast of creepy crawlies. Let them.
We have friends at church who have been caring for beehives. This week, they harvested 25 lbs. of honey. Wow! Considering what it takes just to make a small amount, this was a huge take! One of my graduated students, however, got stung four times on her leg on the side of her knee. Made my interest in a beekeeping hobby flag seriously!
Keeping Busy
Of course, VIPKid is still an ongoing thing, though classes have slowed some as families enjoy their summer in China, too. Some aren't, though, in Shanghai where a typhoon has blown across, disturbing, destroying, and causing all sorts of troubles. I don't know for sure if I have any students near that area, but I wonder and hope they're okay. Once, I had a student taking his class at his married sister's home far from his own because of storms. I could see the window behind him, dark, wet and stormy. We had all sorts of technical issues that night, but most of all, I was concerned for him.
He's one of my regulars and I dearly love our classes. He's smart and funny. It's sometimes hard to get through a lesson because he chats so much. But he's never disrespectful. His parents continue to give me 5 apple ratings; I think they like the fact that he's having conversations in English. That's one thing that Chinese parents want: that their children can speak English naturally in a conversation. He's not shy! He cracks me up constantly. The other day, we were talking about growing (aging) with a picture of a girl going through the stages of life: baby, toddler, child, teen, mother, grandmother. After that, he wrote the word RIP. I laughed so hard I choked. He likes to joke about sharks and zombies, too. Whatever sentence or story we're working on, he's bound to include them in it. When I see his class coming up, I always feel brighter.
Besides VIPKid, I am prepping for Seminary, which begins again next week. I have a few things left to do: finish the bulletin board, set up the room, label the journals, fidgety stuff. I also need to work on the two lessons for this week (school starts Thursday). The first one is all on my own, no manual. Bro. Sturges asked me not to, but instead to have my students focus entirely on a study of the Savior. That Jesus Christ be at the center of everything we think, read, and study from this Fall. To be honest, it was already in my heart and mind. I just hope and pray I can do it right. For the kids.
I had a short meeting with the parents & students after church today. They want the time to be a little bit later. I want to have the time I need to study and teach and talk with the kids. We are going to start at 6:25 for now. We'll see how it goes. But we have to start right on time. We need to set up our class with a hymn, prayer and devotional to have the Holy Ghost with us. If they can't do that, it'll have to be 6:15 again. This year, I'll have to give one of my students a ride to and from school. She had a ride last year, but that student graduated. The other students coming are driving themselves: one with his brother in the small cab of a pick-up. The other is driving with his sister and his parents are nervous enough about that to begin with. So, it's up to me. I certainly don't want to stop this girl from coming; I'd do pretty much anything to keep her in Seminary.
And (there's more!), I will be starting up my tutoring business with EPIC Charter School. I have an appointment next week with one parent about her son's reading & writing difficulties. I will admit, I'm a little nervous. This kid has a bunch of issues (ADHD, Autism) and possibly is dyslexic or dysgraphic. He could be beyond me and I have to figure out of I can handle it or not. I've been studying up on dyslexia (reading disability) and dysgraphia (writing disability) this summer...I bet you're wondering when I found time. But I'm not really trained for it. Especially with all the other issues. Pray for me.
Keepin' Cool
Beyond that, I don't have much else to say. No pictures, because nothing was photographic IMO. Analiese & I did go to a RS Ice Cream Social Saturday and had a nice time there. I had (per request) made a Church History game (Jeopardy) to play with the sisters and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Back to the grind, or more of it! Have a great week!
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