Menopause and the Occasional Urge to Retire to a Padded Cell for Peace and Quiet

This is an attempt at constructing a 3D map of Arkansas.

Below is the artist in training. I traced, he sculpted and shaped, drew squiggles where there was a need, Sculpted Mt. Magazine ( it looks like a big pimple or a deformed boob), and gave me hives from the struggles to get him to sit still long enough to work on this school project. I had to sit beside him every second to assure that the hot glue gun wasn't used as some kind of lethal weapon aimed at the furniture or anything that breathed. Did I mention my whole house has the lingering aroma of baked clay?

There's still some work to be done as he must still label the major rivers and lakes,,,we're thinking toothpick flags here,,,and construct the information on a poster about one of Arkansas's parks, a town with a population below 20,000, a place with a name that comes from another language, and also his poem about the Strawberry River. He tried to hand print all of that but it was so unreadable that I've sat him down to peck the info out on the keyboard. He only likes one more little thing and he'll be good to go after 1 more round with the hot glue gun, Lord help us!

I sure hope his teacher appreciates his efforts. She gave him a C- on last week's project, Stuart Little's bedroom, because he forgot to include an invention and an explanation on how it would help Stuart. I was unaware of these instructions or I'd have made sure he did it, but getting him to bring stuff home is like pulling teeth!

I feel like I need a gold star for all the corralling and instruction I give him at home,,,or at least a paycheck!