flying magnets

i smelled a campfire at william's school when i got there to pick him up and knew exactly where to look for him... the pioneer workshop... 

he's been working on whittling and sanding a butter knife for us for the past couple of days.  so now we need to get our hands on some walnut oil so we can use it, which he is itching to do.

henry, meanwhile, is hoping we can officially move him to his preschool i think.  he's out the door early and was upset when his dad picked him up late at 4:30 yesterday (since i was helping to cook the common dinner), and of course didn't want to leave when i got him today at 3:30.  he's having a great time with the friends who are back from their summer vacations and some of his closest friends aren't even back yet, so i can only imagine the good times he'll be having when the whole gang is around.  he's speaking a real mash up of danish and english at school, but leaning more danish than english, so that's a good sign.  william's starting to read small sentences in danish so it appears his lessons learning to read english this summer (thank you to our friend kat!) certainly didn't confuse the matter and probably helped move things in the right direction.

as you can see from the photo, it's back to being warm and sunny here for the time being, but it's been quite windy for the past couple of days, which cools things down outside, but has created the somewhat conundrummy quandaryish dilemma that it can become very warm in the (air-conditionless) house because at times it's too windy to keep more than a single window or door open, because too much air flow has doors slamming shut, papers and magnets flying off the refrigerator, cardboard-framed children's artwork toppling from the bookshelf.  It's not a pretty sight after a big gust, so things get shut up again until it becomes too warm and then we open things up and take our chances once more.  the next few days show no wind.  in fact the next few days show nothing but a big yellow sun and temperatures in the mid-70s... which... i'm just going to put myself open to criticism by saying it... can feel quite hot here.  i don't know why, but it's true.  if you don't believe me, come on over and visit.  it's the perfect time for it!