The Humble Semi-Colon

In continuing with the theme of life-long learning...

I have another educational goal to share. This year I would like to improve my grammar. In particular, I want to learn to use semi-colons properly.

It's a lofty goal, I know; but until now I hadn't figured out what semi-colons were for. I found them somewhat intimidating, to tell the truth.

A quick Wikipedia search reveals the following helpful information:

In English, the semicolon has two main purposes:

1. It binds two sentences more closely than they would be if separated by a full stop/period. It often replaces a conjunction such as and or but. Writers might consider this appropriate where they are trying to indicate a close relationship between two sentences, or a 'run-on' in meaning from one to the next; they do not want the connection to be broken by the abrupt use of a full stop.

2. It is used as a stronger division than a comma, or a "super comma" to make meaning clear in a sentence where commas are already being used for other purposes. A common example of this use is to separate the items of a list when some of the items themselves contain commas.

There are several rules that govern semicolon placement:

1. Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction: "I went to the pool; it was closed."

2. Use a semicolon between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or conjunctive adverb: "I like to ride horses; however, they don't like to be ridden by me."

3. Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation: "There are several Waffle Houses in Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; Pensacola, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama."

I suppose semi-colons aren't so intimidating after all. They are really quite useful. Hooray for grammar.

If at First You Don't Succeed ...

"Well, I wouldn't say that is the best choice," my music teacher diplomatically stated.

I sat on the wooden piano bench, shoulders haunched. I had been on my feet all day, cooking food, cleaning the house and chasing after three active children. It was nearly 10pm and I was in no mood to analyse fugues or write introvertible counterpoint.

"What would you suggest?" I quietly asked as I reached for my well-loved eraser.

My teacher paused. "You know," she said, "In Russia my teachers often used the following phrase..." She rattled off a sentence in Russian, "It means something like this: 'You must learn from your mistakes'."

I sighed and stared at my music homework. The page was a mess of scribbles, eraser smudges and chicken scratch. For someone who claimed to be a piano teacher, my understanding of harmony and counterpoint was depressingly meager. I removed my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"Okay," I said, "Let's start again at the beginning..."

.....................

My music lessons this year have been a humbling experience, to say the least. Every Tuesday night I steel myself for an onslaught of (honest) criticism. I can't remember the last time I have felt so academically inept. Has bearing children caused my brain to turn to jello? Some days I wonder.

This year God has been teaching me an important truth: A wise woman learns from her mistakes. As well, a humble woman can admit she doesn't know everything and is willing to learn and grow. God is working on my pride. Ouch!

In the past, I was often afraid to try new things because I was scared to fail. I am now learning that I don't need to be perfect. I can try and fail, learn from my mistakes, and try again. Learning is a process. Whether I am making a pie or writing a fugue, I must swallow my pride and be willing to mess up a few times. What's the worst that could happen?

I sit here tonight nursing my bruised pride once again. Why do I even bother taking music lessons? God is molding and stretching me. I'll likely not use seventeenth century counterpoint for any practical purposes. The life-lessons I am learning, however, are priceless.

Silly Kids

Life with three small children is anything but boring...

Book Series Review

Annie's People
by Beverly Lewis

For a number of years I have enjoyed reading Beverly Lewis' novels. Her stories generally focus on Amish characters and are set in Pennsylvania. Lewis' latest series, Annie's People, consists of three volumes: The Preacher's Daughter, The Englisher and The Brethren.

Annie Zook is an Amish preacher's daughter caught between two worlds. God has gifted her with a talent for drawing and painting. However, her Old Order church forbids its members from creating fine art. She is torn between her love for art and loyalty to her family and community.

Beverly Lewis' novels are genuine and believable. Her attention to realistic detail makes the stories come alive. I especially like her vivid descriptions of authentic Amish cuisine. In fact, Beverly has also compiled a cookbook of Amish recipes. I was curious, so last week I also borrowed Beverly Lewis' Amish Heritage Cookbook from the library. Now I can make my own shoofly pie, if I'm ever so motivated.

After a busy day, Beverly Lewis' novels are a welcome diversion. Her characters are interesting and the stories take place in beautiful settings. The Annie's People series is a satisfying, relaxing read.

Word of the Day (Part 2)

I think my son may be reading the dictionary on the sly (thought I'm not sure when he learned to read...). This morning he used the following word:

Duplicitous: (adj.) given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech.

Granted, he didn't use the word in the correct context, but we're amazed he even knew how to pronounce it.

"Daddy, did you know taxes are duplicitous?"

Word of the Day

My four-year-old son has a new favourite word: sleek.

"Look at my sleek spaceship, Mommy!"

"Isn't this robot sleek?"

I'm not sure where he picked it up. That boy has ears like sponges.

Sleek: (adj.) trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined

Little Boys

I love how my boys are young and innocent. They've been sheltered and protected, I think even more so than most kids their ages. As they should be! My oldest boy is only four years old. He has plenty of time ahead of him for growing up. I think he should spend his days playing, being silly, and enjoying his boyhood.

Every day at lunch time I put on a DVD for the kids. For the past two weeks my boys have begged to watch the same video --- Elmo's World. I must say, I am getting pretty sick of that furry, red monster. But I'll keep playing Elmo's World as long as my boys request it for two reasons:

1. The boys agree on the movie and they enjoy watching it.

2. Elmo's World is not cool for most four-year-olds, but my oldest son doesn't care. Last week a five-year-old buddy came over to play. My boys asked to watch Elmo's World. The friend proclaimed, "That video is for babies!" but my sons didn't care one bit. In fact, my oldest boy gave his friend a look that said, "What are you talking about? Elmo is totally cool!"

Children stay little for such a short time. I don't plan to rush my boys' preschool years. They will grow up soon enough!

BookCrossing

I signed up for my own (free) BookCrossing account and bought a (not-so free) "Book Release Kit". Check out my bookshelf here. (My BookCrossing secret identity is ink-spot79.)

Some BookCrossing quick facts:

• More than 35,000 BookCrossing members live in Canada
• Alberta boasts over 4,000 members
• About 1,500 BookCrossing members live in Calgary!
• Hunting for "released" books can become a serious hobby. The BookCrossing website is updated with new releases every 20 minutes.

Freed any good books lately?
Commit random acts of literacy!

This Book's Got Legs!

I found a great idea for bibliophiles (like me!). I'm going to give BookCrossing a try. What's is all about?

1. Read a good book.

2. Register the book at www.bookcrossing.com, and label it with an ID number and instructions.

3. Release the book "into the wild" for someone else to find. (Give it to a friend, leave it on a park bench, "forget" it in a coffee shop.)

4. The book's finder can log onto www.bookcrossing.com and complete a journal entry on the book, then release the book again!

5. Every time someone records a journal entry on your book you will receive notification via email. You might be lucky enough to track your book around the world!

In 2004, the term BookCrossing was added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary --- n: the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

What a fun way to share terrific books!

Junior Kindergarten

Our big boy is officially a junior kindergartener! Today I secured one of the last spots for September's class. I am excited about the prospect. My son, however, is quite ambivalent about the whole thing ...

Buying Organic

I am slowly working at incorporating more organic and locally-produced foods into our diet. Buying organic food can be expensive, and I think it is probably more cost-effective to buy directly from farmers. I have been searching for a good place to buy organic meat, in particular. Last night my friend recommended a great place where I can purchase organic chicken.

Country Lane Farms is located near Strathmore. They accept orders for organic chicken, beef and fresh fish online. Country Lane brings the orders into Calgary on scheduled dates at specific times, and one of the drop-off locations is our very own church parking lot. (Why did I not learn this sooner?!). They also deliver to the Southcentre Mall parking lot.

Another good website I've found is Slow Food Calgary. This site has a list of many local producers, and many of them raise organic foods.

"More Pancakes, Mommy!"

I learned three things at breakfast time this morning:

1. Pancake batter is easier to mix in a blender than by hand. It's less messy too.

2. Silicone spatulas are not indestructible. I should have known better than to let mine touch the whirling blender blades. (I hope my husband remembers that "nothing says 'I love you' like a new spatula".)

3. Small, hungry boys are capable of eating their own body weight in pancakes, if given the chance. My two-year-old consumed five. The four-year-old ate six.

Mom's Buttermilk Pancakes
(from Dining On a Dime, p. 48)

2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. sugar
2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 C. flour

In a bowl, mix first three ingredients. Stir soda into buttermilk in a measuring cup. Add to bowl. Lightly stir in baking powder and flour, just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Mixture will be thick and lumpy. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat and lightly grease. Cook on a hot greased griddle. Flip when bubbles break on surface and the edges begin to dry. Makes 18-20 medium pancakes.

(Notes: I substitute whole wheat flour for white. Instead of real buttermilk I mixed 8 tbsp. powdered milk, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and enough water to make 2 cups.)

Our Big Girl

Baby Girl is already seven months old. She can nearly sit up on her own and likes to eat many different types of food. She enjoys rice cereal, barley cereal, bananas, apple sauce, apricots, sweet potatoes and carrots. This morning our girl even tried to eat a few (soggy) cheerios. Before we know it she will be toddling around, chasing after her big brothers!

Gobble, Gobble

"You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"
(Ebenzer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol)

.....................

A hush fell over the crowded auditorium. The house lights dimmed and the stage was illuminated by dazzling spotlights. A small, Oriental man strode across the platform. He was greeted by a warm round of applause.

"And now we bring you the highlight of our evening!" the man announced, "A new sport for your viewing pleasure!" With a sweeping gesture, the man pulled aside a heavy red curtain.

A tall, geeky man wearing shin pads and a helmet ran across the stage. The audience clapped and cheered. The man paused and assumed a ready position, preparing to kick what appeared to be a large, round, white ball.

No, wait. The audience gasped in surprise. The object rolling across the stage was not like any ball they had ever seen before.

It had a beak. Two orange feet ... And feathers.

In fact, the "ball" looked suspiciously like a turkey. (Perhaps a turkey that had swallowed a beach ball.)

The athlete ran towards the ball, drew back his foot, and gave the turkey a mighty kick.

"Squawk!!" bellowed the bird ball as it sailed through the air.

"Wait!" screamed an angry member of the audience, "Can't you see this is wrong?! This is animal cruelty! You can't just genetically engineer animals to suit your fancy. Turkeys were not meant to look like beach balls!"

The crowd murmured its agreement as the scene faded to black ...

....................

(Note to self: Just say no to pb&j sandwiches before bed.)

Quick Tip

I gleaned this tidbit from my Dining On a Dime cookbook. It works very well!

Wrap your celery securely in aluminum foil before you put it in the crisper of the fridge. The celery will last a long time without becoming pale and limp.

My School Kid

Yesterday morning my son and I paid an impromptu visit to his new preschool I wanted to pick up a registration form, and I had hoped we might take a look around. My big boy was terribly excited to visit the school.

Ben and I would like to register our son for junior kindergarten this September. The junior kindergarten program runs five afternoons per week, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. The class is geared towards four-year-olds ---- kids who are a bit too big for preschool, but not yet ready for kindergarten. The program focuses on pre-reading skills, an introduction to phonics, listening skills, play time, story time, and lots of crafts. The kids also spend some time working on computers.

The junior kindergarten class is very small. There are 20 children to two teachers. Early registration has already started, but we will not be allowed to register our son until Jan. 22. Three spots are still open in the class. On the registration day I plan to arrive at least half an hour early, and hopefully we will secure one of those last three seats! If not, we'll register our son in the three-day-per-week preschool program and put his name on the waiting list for junior kindergarten.

I was very impressed with the school when we toured it yesterday. The director was a kind, caring woman. She made a point of showing my son every classroom, and even let him play with some of the toys. The school has four large, bright classrooms, offices, and a computer lab for the children. We even toured the washrooms and the storage closet!

After reading all the resource material, browsing the web site, touring the school, and meeting the director and several teachers, I feel confident that our son will do well at this preschool. Our family will embark on a new season this September. I can hardly believe my little man will soon be a school kid!

What's in a Name?

I received a package in the mail today. It was my free "Bite Into Books" selection. (Another cereal box prize!)

Do you know what the return address was on the envelope?

1655 Inkster Boulevard
Winnipeg, MB
R2X 2W7

Everyday Wisdom

Perhaps my son should start a career writing fortune cookie messages. This evening my four-year-old imparted the following sage words:

"Wet or dry, any soap is ordinary."

"Girly" Toys

"I want my Lego!!" our preschooler wailed from the backseat, "You forgot my Lego at home!"

"Whoa, calm down, dude," my husband called over his shoulder. He kept his eyes on the road as he carefully pulled our van into traffic.

"But you said I could bring my Lego to Grammy and Grandpa's," our son sobbed.

"Nooooo. I don't remember agreeing to that," Ben replied, "I think you said you were bringing your Lego, Buddy."

I turned slightly in my seat and joined the conversation. "Besides," I added, "Auntie V. has Lego you could play with. She has that girl Lego."

"I can't play with girl Lego!" our son protested, "It's too girly!!" He burst into a fresh flood of tears.

Ben and I glanced at one another, sighed, and continued the short trip to grandma and grandpa's.

As we pulled into the driveway, our son sniffled and dried his tears. He bounded out of the van and ran to the front door. Once inside, he threw off his coat and boots. Our boy scurried downstairs and quickly immersed himself in his grandma and grandpa's play room. Surrounded by cool toys, he rapidly forgot his Lego-induced tantrum.

A few minutes later our son emerged from the play room, smiling and content. Apparently, he had found an interesting new toy to occupy his attention...

Our little boy clutched a dainty baby doll in one hand and a small pink brush in the other. He lovingly brushed the doll's long, blonde hair.

My husband cleared his throat, "Glad to see you found a toy that wasn't too girly, Son."

Our preschooler laughed, hugged his doll, and happily ran downstairs to play.

The Best Deal

I think most women like to go shopping, and many ladies enjoy snagging great deals. I have several friends who love searching for sales. They spend hours leafing through flyers, driving from one store to another, comparing and contrasting various products. I like shopping, too, but I don't have the time and energy to search through many stores. Instead, I have decided to try an idea I read about.

I am going to start a master spreadsheet. It will have columns for entries such as: product, brand name, size, price, unit price, store, and date. Every time I find a great deal on an item I use often (like laundry soap or mushroom soup) I will enter it into my spreadsheet. My theory is this --- some products are cheaper in some stores, but no one store sells every product I need at the best price. I'll save money in the long run if I buy large quantities of items when they are on sale, even if I must drive to two or three stores to find them.

For example, this week Sobeys had a great sale advertised in their flyer. They were selling frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4kg) for $27.95. That is about 25% off the regular price. I would not choose to buy all my groceries at Sobeys because their prices are usually quite high, but I made a special trip to the store simply to pick up some chicken breasts. They were all sold out, but I asked for a rain cheque at the customer service desk. Now, I can keep the chicken in my deep freeze, and I'll enter all the sale information into my spreadsheet.

Most stores advertise terrific deals in their flyers. These are called "loss leaders" because the stores don't make much (if any) profit on them. If I'm smart and disciplined, I can stock up on only the sale items. Of course, the stores try to lure me in with the loss leaders, hoping I will spend money on other things too. As I build my spreadsheet, I can compare the best prices for products I use all the time and buy larger quantities when they are on sale.

I figure now is a good time to hone my shopping skills, when our family is young. Ben and I are hoping God blesses us with many children, and we know He has called us to be good stewards of our resources. I am learning to find good deals for my family. That's partly what becoming a "Proverbs 31" woman is all about.

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!

(Proverbs 31: 10-31, The Message)