End of Term

It is so sad that it's end of term. I have started to pack my trunk. How come it all fit when I arrived? Oh well ...

I do look forward to summer camp, though, and hope to meet up with some of my new friends.

Sadly, the parcel I sent to StrangeCat met up with an accident and the handle broke off the teapot. I was very upset about it, but she said she could easily repair it. She has been so busy, she's only been able to send me a PM to say she's received it.

I guess I'd better search around for any other things I may have left in the common room.

See some of you this summer?

Muggle Studies Homework

Ah, homework has been posted. Time to bring out my quill and parchment. This one is really stretching my limits, too.

Part 1: Short Answer
1. Explain why Muggles need electricity.

• Muggles use electricity to run their appliances such as toasters, mixers, blenders, computers, and vacuum cleaners. They also use it to see by rather than candles.
  

2. What are the most common ways Muggles communicate when they are not together in the same place?

• They yell at each other ... well, wee Muggles do at any rate. Otherwise, those who are a bit more civilized us paper and pencil/pen, write their missive, put it into an envelope, address it, and adhere a stamp, which pays the message's way through the postal system to the recipient. If the Muggle is lucky to have a computer, they can communicate via the odd geeky waves that hook up computers through wall jacks. Lastly, there are telephones and cell phone, where the signals are bounced around through the air until received at the other end.
  

3. How do Muggles cope with broken items?

• This depends on what's broken. Super glue, tape, rope, yarn, string, Elmer's glue, wood glue, epoxy glue, duct tape, paperclips and rubberbands, or hammer and nails or screws can mend most things.
  

4. Describe a popular Muggle sport.

• I'll pick one close to my heart. Dance. It's even considered a contact sport. Young kids don't tend to like that part, but older dancers do! It's rhythmic movement, creative expression to any type of music. Dance in costume or regular every day clothing. Sometimes special shoes are required, like in tap or ballet (pointe shoes).

5. Name something you'd like to try doing without magic, and how you would accomplish it.

• Knitting, of course! This way I won't feel overwhelmed. I'd hire an octopus. Well, maybe not, maybe more along the lines of Molly Weasley. I'd have to go and ask her what type of spell or charm she put on her needles. The charm would have to be very exact because it would have to deal with needle movements, yarn movements, and pattern/design.

Part 2: Identify these common Muggle items.
1. A small squared-off rod held in the hand with many soft buttons on one side with numbers and words written on them.

• This can be a cell phone, telephone, or a remote control for a television or VCR/DVD player. As there are more words on the remote control, I'll chose that one.

2. A metal box with a long, handled hose, which counts several sets of numbers when you compress the handle.

• Gas station gasoline dispenser thing.

3. A heavy rod with a single button that emits light when pushed.

• flashlight
  

4. A small, thin, glossy rectangle that has pictures on one side and emits a variety of noises, often attached to Muggles' ears with a thin cord.

• iPod, iTouch, iPhone, MP3 player, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, etc.

5. A large cabinet with one glass side, displaying a variety of neatly organized items, which occasionally spits one out when the correct code is entered.

• Vending Machine

Part 3: Find a picture of the following Muggles and describe why they are famous.
1. Spike Jonze - director and producer of movies and music videos, such as "Where the Wild Things Are" and others.2. Oprah Winfrey - talk show host. 3. Bono - Born Paul David Hewson and is the main vocalist for the Irish singing group based out of Dublin, U2.
4. Elizabeth II - Queen of England. The Queen Mother. I always fancied I was named after her, but my mother states that's not true.5. J.K. Rowling - Well, she is a prolific writer! Super imagination. I mean, we could go on and on with this one! She's the famous author of our beloved Harry Potter series of books. Looking forward to more of her work. She is the queen of our literary world right now as of a family of 6, 5 of us are enamored with her work and she's touched us the most with her writing.

My kit arrived

This is my kit from Dagmara. It is based on Nymphadora Tonks.

A set of beautiful rosewood US2 double point needles, Harry Potter "Opal" Yarn with a picture of Tonks on it, and some really pretty brown (and VERY soft yarn). There is a small sock coin purse, and a book of patterns. My kids were thrilled with the HUGE box of Goldfish. The teas are my favorite and I'm nearly out of both, so timing was great. The brown bear sits on his bum with sand weight in his tushy. Lastly are the striped items. I'm not quite sure what they are. The smaller one may be a purse/bag. I don't know what the other is. Dagmara?

Thank you again. Mortimer arrived in good form and was fed and cared for and will have a rest in our cedar tree before heading back home.

Wee Tiny Daisy Sock

I am a member of the Wee Tiny Sock Club and this was the May sock. These are my pretty violets. I do not have much of a green thumb. The violet is one of the hardest plants to care for, and I have yet to kill it! My wonderful children gave me this plant several years ago for Mother's Day. It had more blooms this year than ever before.

S.P.E.W. - Stitches for the Heart

Here are the items I sent on to CelticMommy. One is missing from the photo, because it was made afterward (to make an even dozen).

What a week ...

It's been a busy week here. Last Thursday we were passed on a wee tiny baby bunny rabbit. Neighbor's dog got out, ate the nest of siblings, only one got away. Other neighbor said the mother was not coming back, vet wouldn't take the bunny, would we like to have it? DH was NOT a happy camper, but I could not let it die and was determined we'd find the right home or get it to the right place. LONG story short, it ended up at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center that following Sunday. We are going to call and check on it tomorrow (Thursday) to see whether it has survived and been moved to live on her own outdoors.

I was working on a special item for my spoilee's package and finally finished. I did two items. I think if I block the second one I made, it will turn out okay.

Planning the next school year ... what a chore. We are going to co-op with another family next year and hope this doesn't mess with our friendship. She's a bit pushy in getting the school year planned now ... and I'm not even done with this year yet! I need a breather. She wanted to plan straight through 36 weeks of a certain curriculum, but I need to breathe between unit studies. Time to collect my thoughts and re-energize my brain cells. Hoping she will understand that as the year progresses. Things don't always go as smoothly as we hope them to!

Gryphon received his package this past week. It was WONDERFUL. I'm hoping he blogging about it, because he really does need to share!

On that note, I have photos to download and probably add to this entry, but I wanted to get my words written down in case I totally forget.

Arithmancy Homework

Well, not only did I volunteer in a Quidditch match today, I have completed the homework for the week. What a relief.

The answers to the Sudoku puzzles:

Puzzle #1 - Dobby
Puzzle #2 - Harry Potter
Puzzle #3 - Hogs Head

The Quidditch match was Slytherin vs Hufflepuff. I was recruited as a chaser for the Slytherins. I posted a sock and a hat. I felt the sock was very important because, after all, this is the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap group! The hat will wing it's way with the rest of my S.P.E.W. contribution.