Recently

Just a few brief bits about what we're up to:

• Last night, Sis started taking American Sign Language classes with me.  As you know, I've been taking one-on-one ASL since last May.  And I've gotten pretty good, much better than I expected.  I can hold my own in a conversation with my teacher (and her husband, who is harder to follow because a). he's faster and b.) I don't sign with him as often) without resorting to spelling everything.  It's the farthest I've ever gone with a language as far as conversational abilities, but then I took ancient Greek and Latin and only reading-skills of French and German.  But all my self-study of Italian and Mandarin never paid off like this.  See, I've always wished I could speak in another language.  I just shouldn't have gotten so hung up on the "speaking" part.  Sis blew through the alphabet and numbers and will pick it up quickly, I think.  We don't call her "Eagle Eyes" for nothing.
• Sis is selling Girl Scout cookies!!!  As usual, Mama is making the most progress, with donations to the soldiers from her co-workers, but Gommie and Pop made a sizable contribution, too.  Thanks!!
• Today, Mrs. K (their 1-2nd grade teacher) and her daughter, who also babysat for us some, came over for a post-holiday visit before said daughter goes back to college.  The kiddos had a wonderful time sharing card tricks and piano songs with them.  We also drank hot chocolate and ate some of the Christmas sugar cookies I had stored in the freezer.
• Bud is prepping for kung fu performance season, which always kicks into high gear for Chinese New Year.  There will be extra practices and perhaps three performances . . . .
•  . . . the week after Gommie is here.  Yep, Gommie is coming!  She'll be here almost a week during February break.  Yay!  Gommie, shall we all go see Matilda in town??  We'll see if we can get tickets.
• Also coming up:  celebrating Chinese New Year with the in-laws before they head to Thailand (which means Mama and Goo, hopefully, will be making the dinner on the actual holiday), and I go on a drawing retreat.