Etcetera

I just went to check if there were lists of textbooks used by our county school system available online (nope), after someone recommended Glencoe as a comprehensive science texts for secular folk, and to find out when the next book depository sale is (March 10.)

The header on their website states: "Broward County Public Schools" (and, underneath), "Transforming education one student at a time". Sheesh, is that why it's taking so long?

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Had a tearful call from my mother asking me to give my brother a ring; he's having another rough spell and needs someone to boost him up. Yes, the poor guy has been through hell, with uncovering his wife's affair and 15+ years of lies and theft, discovering she had bankrupted him, subsequent divorce, getting the short end of the stick in a nasty child custody fight, and the constant harassment by her and her new husband, plus losing his job and a brief hospitalization for a nervous breakdown, all over the past year or so. But I thought it was all behind us and he was getting back on his feet.

I was wrong. Now the ex is planning to take his children to live in England for two years. We are back to Square One.

I love my brother, but there's only so much I can give. I need to preserve my mental health for the sake of my kids. He never takes the voluminous good advice offered by his supporters (or his medication apparently); he always seems to take some irrational, offensive, immature, or spiteful tack and, quite frankly, his depression is contagious. How can I be expected to help him when he won't even try to help himself?

I'm afraid my only advice would be, "Grow up. Face the facts. Get over it. Stop wallowing in self-pity." I probably shouldn't call. I'm a mean, rotten sister.

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Hurray! We finished The Scarlet Letter

In keeping with the color theme, I think our next read-aloud will be The Scarlet Pimpernel

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The girls just raced in, breathless with news of huge paw prints in the mud. Sure enough, there are very large, fresh tracks in front of our house, at the water's edge. They are definitely not raccoon prints, as there are clearly identifiable raccoon prints nearby to compare them to. Much larger, and no nail marks. There is supposed to be a panther on our end of the island (more likely a bobcat) and even though it's possible as we are up against a state park, we were always skeptical. Even after losing a few cats... Two neighbors claim to have spotted it drinking fresh water out of buckets left by their doors for rinsing sandy feet. I'd like to believe the poor thing could survive the rampant development over the years. Maybe, finally, some evidence?