I’ve got eight more maps to draw, so I’m still just plugging along here. It occurs to me, a little late, that a blog about writing is going to consist of a lot of posts that say, “Well, I’m still working on it…”

This map work is so repetitious that I’m bribing myself in all sorts of ways to keep on with it. I get to eat chocolate every third map. I’ve been playing movies on my laptap (movies I don’t have to pay much attention to, like What About Bob? and Galaxy Quest) to keep myself from going nuts. And listening to plenty of music. My Lord of the Rings soundtracks, all my Dave Matthews CDs, and my old REM collection are getting heavy use. And I’ve discovered a great new group: the Gabe Dixon Band. If you use iTunes, sample the tracks on their Live from the World Cafe disc.

Meanwhile, life continues on the home front. I took all the kids to Jamestown last week; I haven’t been there in years. We went through the fort, spent at LEAST an hour listening to the weapons maker explain how all the different swords should be used, and climbed around the three ships anchored in the bay. Then we took the ferry over to Smithfield for lunch and fed the seagulls off the ferry’s back gate.

I offered to buy Emily a Jamestown doll (awww! girl stuff) but she wanted a bow and arrows instead. She’s currently pelting her brothers with them at every opportunity.

This is what happens when you have the girl LAST.

It’s nineteen degrees today, and the boys have serious cabin fever. They finished their schoolwork early, and now the testosterone is in charge.

Although the Warrior Princess’s estrogen doesn’t seem to be kicking in, I must say.

Showing 6 comments
  • Melissa in Va

    Well, I think that the pink hand muff is a lovely addition to the outfit of the Warrior Princess. Too cute!
    I am utterly amazed at all that you are able to accomplish. totally inspiring. Have a lovely Sunday.

    Melissa

  • Dy

    Oh my! I’m so glad you shared this. We have three boys and then, bringing up the tail end, a little girl. Came as a total surprise, and we’re enjoying her thoroughly, but we wonder what having her last will do – and I got such a chuckle out of today’s entry. Thank you. This is pretty much what we envision, and it’s adorable.

    Keep workin’ on it, and it will come. Each project, step by step, right? (Come to think of it, I think many things in life are that way…)

    Have a wonderful day! Kiss those babies.
    ~Dy

  • Melora

    I have only two, but the younger is the girl, and she is a little tiger. She loves her baby dolls, but when her brother gets out the swords, she is the fiercest little fighter around. The picture on that red shield is terrific!
    Cordially,
    Melora

  • Karen

    Hi Susan,

    So happy to find your blog this morning. I am currently taking my last two homeschooled children, both boys, though Vol. 3: The Early Modern Times. We have so thoroughly enjoyed your books and I have combined them with some great documentaries from Netflix to add some extra color to our studies. (The documentaries on the Aztecs added perhaps too much color last month!)

    I also wanted to identify myself as the woman who gave the Toastmasters speech on the mummified chicken. That was a couple years ago when I won the District Humorous Speech contest with that story and to this day, a Toastmaster from a competing club, a man who is originally from Egypt, points at me, laughs, and says, “oh, it is Karen, the chicken lady” every time he sees me! thanks for the material!

    We look forward to the fruits of your labors…..

  • Kay

    Lol! We just have two boys right now (ages 4 and 2) and are planning a third child… part of me is thinking 3 boys would be cool, another part really wants a girl. But by the looks of things, any girl we have is going to forgo the girly stuff anyhow!

    Is there some testosterone related thing that makes every stick a sword, and every tree/couch/object of any sort a target? Argh!

  • Camy

    Yea, Emily!!!! My boys have *serious* testosterone issues at this time of year. Like Emily, I’ve resorted to “interesting methods” to enforce my power over them. It is always my aim to keep things light around here (7 children, 6 of them are boys 12 yo and under), kwim? Well, I now wear a belt w/ a sheath and sword (Bilbo’s and Frodo’s “Sting”). It’s the one my mother gave to the boys as a gift a few years ago.

    During the boys’ rambunctious moments, I can be heard exclaiming “Look! Sting is blue AGAIN! Orcc (sp?)! My sword is wielded and swinging at this point. The boys scramble like cockroaches in a spotlight. Perfect! They often run for cover and quiet down for awhile.

    I wonder if mom ever thought that sword would be used in this way??? LOL!

    Keep at it, Susan (smile).

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