I’ve been preoccupied with many things besides the blog, so this post is going to be only bits of this and that.
First: the double give-away for Footprints on the Ceiling. I chose the elegant method of asking two housemates for a random number, and the number they chose was the comment number. The lucky names were Lolita Hershberger and Mary Ann Mast. That was a lot of fun!
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An ESL teacher milks every holiday and special occasion for lesson material. This week for me (several times) it was The Grinch that Stole Christmas. I thanked God again for Dr. Suess and I hope my students enjoyed the story as much I do.
Twice yesterday I introduced students to the silly song I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. It’s simple vocab, and funny, and it went over great. But oh, it makes a dreadful earworm.
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I’m reading Steinbeck’s East of Eden. I find it both repulsive and wonderful. The vixen in it (no spoilers here, plus I’m only half-through) is what makes me want to throw the book across the room, but Samuel Hamilton keeps me from it because he is so beautiful and wise. I can hear the Irish lilt in him. That, and Steinbeck’s uncanny one-line observations about human tendencies keeps me engaged in the story. I hope I won’t be sorry.
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Have you seen sunshine today? Did you thank God for it?
Tis a Gift to Receive 
Yes, I see sunshine, and I am enjoying and am thanking God for it. And who could resist a combination of the Grinch and the Hippopotamus?:) I think I’ll spend 10 minutes teaching that song to my boys – they’ll get a kick out of it. Now that Zoe’s talking and singing, no doubt she’ll join us on the last word of each phrase. Thank you for the window into your week.
Oh dear, Janelle, I hope you don’t regret teaching them that! One of my friends tells her children they may only sing it outside. =)
The sunshine is absolutely beautiful today!Thank you Jesus!
Love the hippopotamus song! 🙂
Steinbeck’s East of Eden? . . . enjoy that treasure. His worldview is a bit morbid but you’re right, his insights on human nature are spot on and make for a rich narrative. I can’t help but think of Samuel as a sort of “Santa Claus” figure. He can make/fix anything, has a boundless source of wisdom, and is anchored in his beliefs.
Yes, that’s a good way to describe Samuel. Another hero is Lee. I love his use of words, and when he says “What happened to my Oriental repose?” =)