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Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Homeschooling?

Homeschooling thus fas has involved the purchase of bird and plant identification books and a visit to an aborigine cultural center. That’s it. I am the only one reading the classics right now, and am surprised to discover that I am actually enjoying them. That’s not to say the kids haven’t discovered Homer, it’s just a different one: Homer Simpson. The girls eagerly tune in every evening (if we are home) at 6:00 PM to catch this little taste of home.

I began The Norton Book of Classical Literature figuring I should get ahead of the kids and at least familiarize myself with some of the works before I try to get them interested. At this point I’m way ahead. The excerpts of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey by different translators hooked me, though I brought Fagles translations and have now discovered that contrary to my last impression, made one afternoon just prior to our departure, comparing versions on the floor of Books-A-Million, that I really prefer Lattimore’s. I’ll just have to read them both then, won’t I?

In addition to the gripping battlescenes and touching dialogue, I’ve noticed an awful lot of bathing and annointing of bodies with olive oil going on. This inspired me to pick up a bottle of freshly pressed coconut oil at the Sunday market. Now I bathe, annoint myself with oil, and settle into the hammock with Homer and company.

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