Family Mellmann

Although stage fright prevents Katherine from doing any solo acts, she does sing in the junior high school choir.  They did a very nice job on their two songs.

In his last performance ever in the Fine Arts competition, Patrick did an oral interpretation of drama that was a (nearly) ten minute monologue.

Patrick has had his first performance today, a bass solo.  We won't know until the end of the day how he did against the other competitors, but his performance was well done.

Today is election day in Vermont. Included on the ballots are things like budgets, voting for bonds to make large purchases, and some administrative housekeeping to clean up town charter documents (for example, I voted yes to remove the position of Poundkeeper, which has been a position in the town for generations  but has been an unfilled position for decades...because we no longer have a pound). Patrick came with us, as he is done a few times before, but this time, as a newly minted 18-year-old, he was able to cast his own vote...not just watch.

The internet is clogged with unoriginal, inaccurate, and often silly tidbits of entertainment.  One such tidbit is called the "meme".  By definition, a meme is " a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users".  Well, let's just focus on the "humorous image" part. A friend of Patrick's recently captured one of his senior pictures.  Senior pictures are traditionally an event, a right of passage experienced by high school seniors when it comes time to have their school photo taken.  A professional photographer is hired to take a series of formal and candid photos of the senior in a way that sets these school pictures apart from all the other pictures taken of the student over the years. Standard School Picture - 2nd Grade Senior Picture (one of many) So, back to Patrick's friend.  The other day Patrick and I were working on something when his friend s...

Take that!, Vermont winter.   There might be a little snow on the deck, but I can still grill dinner.

It's been a long time since I did any felting so I decided to make a new project bag.  It took me a few weeks, but it is finished and filled with two new projects.

Before the wind could drift the snow into a new shape, I thought I would capture a picture of my pregnant snow guest enjoying the sun on my deck.

Into each Vermont winter an occasional snow day must fall.  This particular snow day brought roughly eighteen inches of snow followed by some seriously cold (-20 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures. The kids found ways to stay warm or busy. After the big heavy sow was moved (by the snow blower) Katherine went out and cleared the half inch of dust off the driveway and walkway so that it wouldn't get packed down and get slick. Patrick and his buddy hung out over a game of checkers and a little baking. Me?  Just because THEY had a snow day doesn't mean *I* get a snow day.  My task list included cleaning, laundry, and several other chores and office tasks.  Oh, and I was the paparazzi. :)