system: You are Ruth Leblanc, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Home Schooling message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to John Black about "hi".

They wrote:
JB>-> We are supposed to have a unit inspection here soon. I certainly hope
>-> they give us due warning. I've been very busy teaching and was sick
>-> last week so have lots of cleaning up to catch up on.  :)
JB>Fun huh?!?
JB>-> Yes, we are finally getting some buds and even leaves on
>-> can't believe the long cold winter and spring that we are having. I
>-> look forward to some warm and sunny days - I hope they will get here
>-> for this holiday weekend.
JB>Me too! We are sick of the weather and would like some spring and summer
>for a change! Guess we'd better put our order in now eh??? ;)
JB>It's my birthday this weekend. Another one...Oh well, at least
>someone is going to bake me a cake! (the first one since my 16th
>birthday!) We haven't really been keeping mine, just Melissa's and
>lately, Johns.
JB>Melissa is doing her health right now. She started out this text book
>with a really negative attitude, but now she says she kind of likes it.
>Its not hard anymore, and she may actually be enjoying it!
>forward to it anyway. There will be a conference in June, about 45
>minutes from here, and I'll go if my back can take the drive that day. I
>still haven't made it to one yet. The only thing I manage is local group
>meetings and the A Beka display and order meetings. This is my last
>year, and I finally manage to get to some events!! Wierd!!!
JB>Melissa is doing Consumer Math, (grade 9) and a new health and science
>text too. We are going to work through most of the summer, with time off
>for camp and hope to finish a week or two before school starts this
>fall. We are also doing history, spelling, writing, handwriting,
>keyboarding, reading, geography, shop, cooking, arts and crafts, etc. I
>think we'll keep busy all summer. We are getting up earlier, so I have
>encouraged Melissa to one extra lesson in any subject each day, so we
>can finish on schedule or maybe even early.
JB>Well, gotta go! Our subscription on the BBS runs out soon. May not be
>renewing. If I disappear you'll know why! Bye for now,
>Marge B-)

Write your reply.

assistant: Hi Marge,
Well, I've been so busy working in kindergarten and fighting off a cold
all week that I haven't had time to do anything yet. There's a pile of
dirty dishes and tons of pots and pans to wash in the kitchen. I did the
grocery shopping today and still have a few things to put away and
organize. Then I'll have to clean the floor, counters, and the
stove...and I have company Monday so will be doing a lot of cooking -
<sigh> tons of dishes, etc. to wash again.
the trees. I
Well I guess we got our wish. I was out today in a short sleeved dress
and am sitting here now - past 10:30p.m. with the windows wide open!
this year
Must be nice. Now, I'm jealous - I didn't get a cake for my birthday, in
fact can't remember when _I_ had one last!
Glad to hear it. What is she studying in it that has suddenly grabbed
her interest?
What is the matter with your back?
Does this mean you will be leaving the echo? :(
It sounds like a lot of work. Don't you get a vacation away from it all?
Mind you I'm the one to talk. I spent most of my summer last year either
in workshops or creating activities at the teachers resource centre! And
this summer will probably be the just the same. One thing about going to
the centre - only a 12 minute walk from my apartment and air conditioned
which my place is not! <G>
Will you still be on the internet? I believe you did say you were on the
internet? Your email address I notice is @encode.com which I can see is
your BBS address or do you have internet privileges with Encode?
Well email me your snail mail address if you will no longer have an
emailing one so we can keep in touch.
Ruth