I met a woman in theatre group this year who truly blew us away with her generosity. She organized a work bee at our home on Friday and around 30 people came by in total. Here is a shot of those who were able to do the dirty work. I am still amazed.


As if that weren't touching enough, she also wrote and submitted this article to our town paper ...

Papua New Guinea is literally half a world away and in mid-July that is where a local family is moving for two years. The Neal Campbell family are selling their house, car, and most of their possessions to move to the tropical island of West New Britain, north of Australia. With its exquisite coral reefs and lovely beaches this might not sound like much of a hardship but Neal and Kristina Campbell and their sons, Jonam and Evan are expecting 36 c temperatures with no air conditioning and their arms hurt with the inoculations they are now going through in preparation. The Campbells will be traveling as Associate Missionaries with New Tribes Missions (NTM).


Last Friday night the community came together to lend support to the Campbell family's dream and help them prepare. Sporting rakes, ladders and brooms the event was attended by about 30 neighbours, friends and some who didn't even know the family. Everyone commented on how much fun it was and how much they all missed this type of community spirit. The Big Give- Campbell Yard Work Party was spearheaded by Evelyn Ward de Roo, Professional Organizer/ Interior Redesigner as part of National Organizing Week (NOW). NOW is a project to give back to the community by the Professional Organizers of Canada, http://www.organizersincanada.ca/noweek/index.php. Annually they choose a charity with which to volunteer. Choosing the Campbell family as her charity, last weekend she organized this old fashioned 'many-hands-make-light-work" event at their east end home, the historic Old Fire Hall, on main street.


The Campbell's adventure of a lifetime was sparked by hearing a talk they attended at their church, Temple Baptist, in Sarnia. For sometime, Neal and Kristina have been itching to step out of their comfort zone and share their lives with others in need. A hard oiler, Neal works for Henderson Builders Limited and is currently the construction project manager for the new addition at St Philip's Catholic Church. He will be doing support maintenance. A graduate of UWO, Kristina is a home-schooling mother and curriculum writer. She will be teaching at Malango School which has been educating missionary children since 1988. Their boys and children from many nationalities, including local children, will attend the school. The school is part of a missionary compound which supports expatriates working in remote jungle villages. Jonam (13) says "God has given us an amazing opportunity."


In order to qualify for this opportunity, they must raise their own support needed for the two year contract. In preparation their home-schooling lately has been to study Pigin English and the culture of their soon to be adopted country. And they have been experimenting with some native recipes. Because the compound where they will be living is only accessible by a small airstrip, their belongings are being pared down to the basic necessities. On the weekend they participated in the town-wide garage sale, selling off a lot of their things, including a toboggan. "One thing I am sure going to miss is the snow, but I think it is going to be fun, " says eleven year old Evan.


Ward de Roo met the Campbell's through Petrolia Community Theatre's (PCT) recent play, Peril at Petrolia. "I was immediately impressed by Kristina's talent, personal integrity and dedication. The decision to move to Papua New Guniea transpired while we were rehearsing over 2 months. I witnessed them processing this huge life transition with great trust and excitement. I was moved to help them in some small way", says Ward de Roo. The entire Campbell family has been involved with the PCT since moving back to Petrolia. And recently Jonam starred as the White Rabbit in the VPP's Young Company production of Alice in Oil Town. The Campbell's were featured artists on the Lambton County Studio Tour. They are active in Lambton County home schooling association, where Kristina has served as a director for the local home-school co-op. Kristina's ebooks are published through theoldschoolhousestore.com. The family's adventure can be tracked on their Facebook group, "The Campbell Family is going to Papua New Guinea" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid107239922


Since 1942 NTM has been mobilizing missionaries help establish indigenous churches among remote peoples in 18 countries, through the translating of the Christian Scriptures. Any one desiring to support the Campbell's may contact: New Tribes Mission of Canada, PO Box 707 Durham, ON, N0G 1R0
www.ntm.org

murder mystery

Last night I had a blast with the cast of the Bridge is Out. This is most likely the last play I will perform in before moving across the world and it has me kind of sad. That's ok. I will cherish the memories. I cannot begin to tell you how supportive this group of people have come to be in our lives. We are a rag-tag bunch of hooligans, some Christians, some not, but we know how to get along and work together ... and we know how to "kill" each other real well, too!

I was Varoom Oblique, a schoolteacher with a temper. Hope that isn't a carry-over ...

As I was searching through my photographs for a throwback to post, I came across this one my husband took only a few months ago. By now, things have changed greatly as this maple is almost ready to completely unfurl her leaves, the sky is clear and blue and the grass underneath this tree needs cut for the first time this season. Seeing this image made me reflect on the past frosts of my own life; those times when everything seemed at a stand-still, without the promise of anything to come. Not always a time of desolation or depression, even, just a stillness ... a missing what is right around the corner simply because I could not or would not envision it. That time of year in Ontario where you just cannot imagine spring because winter is everywhere you look. Sometimes our hearts can get like that if we aren't careful ... and it made me think of Robert Frost.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.

borrowing from and for the bard

Today marks the 444th birthday of Shakespeare, and if you haven't figured it out by now, he is one of my favourite writers.

This I found while surfing for information for my latest literature study guide and think it is just about the cutest thing I have stumbled upon in almost forever. Made me want to knit one, but I am too preoccupied with other ventures at the moment. So, I pass on the link for a delectible distraction ... the picture of the wee Prince is worth it alone. Pericles, Prince of Persia? Young King Lear? You decide.

While I am at it, why not give you a pattern for a delightful daffodil crown for your wee princess?

Last but certainly not least, be sure to visit this site and hear a satisfying story-telling of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Don't forget to read this great article about the the writer himself and how to approach the "to be or not to be" question.

and, from my dearest 'mum' comes this addition; the Hokey Pokey,

Shakespearean Style

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke.
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from heaven's yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke - banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say 'tis what it's all about.

shakespeare on tuesday

Well, I certainly hope this post makes it it. It has been incredibly frustrating to have things to write but, seemingly, no venue upon which to post. Today, however, is beautiful in temperature, with the buds on all trees ever-increasing in size and colour. I cannot wait to smell the lilacs and watch the maple leaves unfurl in our yard, especially since I shall say goodbye to my growing garden all too soon. I love gardening and all that spring promises to reveal, slowly but surely. I will miss having a space that is truly my own; you just cannot claim the same things when your house is borrowed. I know I will have those feelings and the twinges of "I am not so sure I want to do this and all it entails" that come creeping in when I am tired and things are at a bit of a standstill. I know it is all par for the course, so I plug away. We are attempting to finish up all our lessons by the end of May so the boys can have some time off before they start at Malango School August 6. It will be such a change, and yet, at the same time, not so much. From the sounds of things, it will be like having co-op every day instead of just on Monday. That thought appeals to me in a myriad of ways. I will be tired, yes, but that healthy, "I just made the right choice and did something really good for all of us" way.

Today we finished reading through Lamb's Tales of Shakespeare. Well, sort of. I got part way through Othello and the boys both sheepishly told me they were "done." It's all good. Not everyone is as addicted to the Bard as I. If I had done my Master's it was going to be about Shakespeare. I never decided what about, exactly, just about whom. Maybe one day ... if I think I really need a Master's, I will re-visit the idea. For now, I am happy to have introduced him to my boys and that they truly appreciate him as a play-write. Their favourites include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Hamlet, Twelfth Night. I cannot blame them one bit. They chose some of my personal favourites, too. Good genes.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Callaloo

Our presentation to the Missions Committee of our church went well. Neal did an excellent job and I sat back and listened for the most part. I am not sure when we will know what they decided about being our sending church, but we wait eagerly to hear.

I also have a meeting in a couple of hours at bestsister's house (yah!) to discuss the survey we handed out to the moms who attend HIGH Day each Monday, which bestsister and I are Directors of. The other two Directors will join us and we will do some brain-storming and tea drinking to figure out what the moms liked and what we need to change ... again. This year was a blast, truly, and I am glad to have been a part of a homeschool co-op this year. Last year? Truthfully, not so much, but instead of whining about it and wishing it were different, to meet more of the moms needs, I stepped up to the plate and implemented change. Not alone, of course, but as a group I feel we were able to tap into the needs of this generation of homeschool families and really hear what they needed the group to be.

Today, for lunch, we began experimenting with the foods we will have readily available in the Islands Region of PNG ... Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Callaloo (or in our case, spinach that we already had).

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 large callaloo (taro) leaves ... or a bunch of spinach
1 sweet potato
1/4 cup shredded cheese
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk (or less, like we used)
Heat the oil and add the callaloo, cooking until soft adding water as needed to keep it from sticking. Remove and leave to cool.

Boil the sweet potato, peel and mash with the cheese, butter and egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper. Add the nutmeg.

Add half the cooked callaloo and combine. Add the flour, a little at a time, until you can form a soft dough. (here I wondered if the spinach would have been better left uncooked as it added a fair bit of extra liquid and the gnocchi ended up moister than regular potato gnocchi would have been)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt if you wish.

Divide the sweet potato mixture into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 1 inch thick and cut into 3/4 inch pieces, or so. Drop the pieces into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface. Remove and drain.

Pour the milk into a saucepan, bringing to a boil, adding salt, pepper some more nutmeg the rest of the callaloo and cheese, cooking until thick. (ours never did thicken due to the excess moisture present in the spinach so we didn't use the sauce). Spoon over the gnocchi and serve.

tuesday timetable, chapter from the swiss

We are trying to accomplish something before Neal comes in the door from his in-town meeting and loads us all in the car to drive to our doctor, about an hour from here. Today we find out how many shots and pills we need to take, when, and the cost! not everything is covered by OHIP.

Today has us learning about Manitoba, more Tok Pisin, more math, the Shakespeare we always read, and chapter eleven of The Swiss Family Robinson. Here is an excerpt ...


1. What is a sledge and what could it be used for?


2. What does the word indolence mean? Have you ever used the word promptitude? What is a portmanteau?


3. Do you like to eat salmon? What are some of the nutritional properties of this particular fish?


4. Out of curiosity, look up a picture of a jerboa and compare it to the kangaroo.


5. Why is the process of salting fish ideal for the Robinson family? Check out this link

http://www.web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/mod01/01600583.html


6. If possible, eat a meal of broiled salmon and potatoes, talking together about what you are thankful for.

booking through thursday

I finally got to see my son's show yesterday afternoon. I tried to go on Monday, after HIGH Day and a quick lunch, but arrived only to find that the show was going to be ending ten minutes later. So, I laughed that one off (what kind of a mother am I that I don't know when the show that my son is in is on?) and tried again the following day, for the afternoon show, which was cancelled that morning. Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of conspiracy to prove I really "don't know where my children are or what they are doing?" even though we isloate insolate them at home, through homeschooling? Third time's a charm I heard, and proved to be true. The cranky ticket lady didn't allow me to attend the morning show, but did reluctantly graciously allow me the honour of seeing the second show of the day. It was most excellent and well worth the time and effort Jonam put into it. I will be sorry to leave our fabulous theatre when we leave for Papua New Guinea in July.

Sarah did this so I have to as well. (Pavlov was totally bang on).

This week's BTT says...

Pick up the nearest book. (I’m sure you must have one nearby.)
Turn to page 123.
What is the first sentence on the page?
The last sentence on the page?
Now . . . connect them together….
(And no, you may not transcribe the entire page of the book–that’s cheating!)

How appropriate, considering what adventure I am about to embark upon ... page 123 of Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, the latest novel I am writing a study guide/unit study thing for. I kind of cheated in this post because the sentence sums up too much in my life right now, ironically, and made more sense to me than adding the last sentence on the page. Do forgive me.

"Tom, before, had known only the garden, and a very little beyond its limits; now, from his wall-top, he saw what seemed to be the whole world."

it might have helped ... tupperware toy

Back in the day there was this toy (ok, you can actually still purchase it at a home party) from Tupperware that my brother still has, if I am not mistaken. My mom got sucked in and bought it for him when he was a wee blonde boy at home. I, as the younger sister, was clearly not allowed to play with this toy (like the rest of his precious possessions in true older sibling fashion). I recall the beloved Indiana Jones hat that I so desperately wanted to "just put on my head to see". He had it expertly place on top of a styrofoam head and one day the temptation proved to be too much and I did it; I entered his room by opening a close door and voila ... my desire was satiated. Until he came home that is. What I didn't know was that he had secretly placed a hair from his own head in the latch of the door so he would know, by its absence, that I had broken in. I still got the pleasure of placing the hat on my head, though. Can you say "baby of the family?"
Anyway, there are many more stories I could write about my apparent deafness to instruction as a child but I was reminded of the old Tupperware toy, that I DIDN'T play with, today, as I attempted to change the ink cartridge on our stupid fantastic printer. I even had to call Neal to ask him to please kindly, without sarcasm, walk me through this impossible simple and delightful process. He did laugh a little but he knows when I am ready to blow so he refrains in the middle of crisis until I admit my own ineptness. I finally DID get the cartridges installed properly (insert required fanfare) but it was not until I calmed down enough from my total spaz to actually listen to Neal's instructions and look at the helpful pictures, which I had completely disregarded (ok, I actually didn't even try to look for help at first). Are you beginning to worry about my teaching abilities? I am convinced this explains why I don't "get" The Way They Learn by Cinthia Tobias. Oh well. One less book to go mental over. So ...

The colour cartridge goes in the slot where the hexagon is, and the black cartridge goes where the black triangle is. In fact, the whole BACKGROUND of the black cartridge slot is black, in case you don't pay attention to the acute triange illustrated ever so mockingly helpfully. That was when Neal reminded me
"there's this toy, you know ... where you put the right shaped plastic block into the right shaped plastic slot in the blue and red ball" And that was when *I* decided to inform him that I had clearly, CLEARLY, never been allowed to play with it, for if I had, this would surely never have happened.

many moons ago, before baby one

this photo says many things ... that I need a new hairstyle, that I am almost going to have my first baby and that it STILL feels as cold out today as it did this December day, more than thirteen years ago ... spring will come, spring will come ...