Back To School

Brandon is healthy and ready to go back to school today.

It's a drizzly morning in Vedano, and it feels very humid. I have windows for some fresh air but it feels sticky.

I had a meeting at school this morning. It's time once again to start planning for the school residential trips. Last year Brandon's class spend two nights in a castle near the Po River in the Piedmont region of Italy.

This year they will be going into the Alps, just west of Torino. They will spend their time working on maps, orienteering, making treasure maps, learning about the ecology, hiking, canoeing and more. Brandon had a blast last year. He is really looking forward to this year.

I spent the afternoon working in Brandon's classroom. Instead of listening to them read, Ms Partridge had me play a game with different groups. It's a board game about recycling. Here are two questions: 1)The energy it takes to produce one aluminum soda can is equal to the production of how many recycled soda cans - 10, 20, or 30? 2) When you open the refridgerator door for 1 minute, how long does the compressor need to run to return the refridgerator to its proper temperature - 1, 2, or 3 minutes? The answers can be found at the end of this blog entry.

It's finally spring in northern Italy. Apparently is arrives much later than it does in Corvallis, Oregon. The trees are full of buds and some are starting to grow leaves. Brandon and I spotted a row of daffodils blooming along our walk home from school today.




Answers: 1) 20 recycled cans, 2) 3 minutes