What with the painting and the laundry and the unpacking, today is the first day where I have gotten my act fully together to do a pre-planned, structured day of home schooling. We are on a little break right now, and just before this we had a little "song time."

Jude surprised me, but only a little, by wanting to sing a song he made up "on the fly." Usually the songs he "makes up" are closely related to songs he already knows.

For example, yesterday he was singing "Oh, Can-a-ba!" and I corrected him, saying, "Sing it properly, please."

He said, "This is a different song, not 'Oh, Canada!'"

"Oh," I said.

What really surprised me was the poignancy and originality of his most recent composition. It was still fairly "free-form", so while I tried to remember it as accurately as possible, please take this as the closest approximation, with the heart intact, not as a verbatim quote.

My Little Dog Is Gone*

By Jude Winters

Oh, my little dog is gone
I wonder where it went?
My little dog is gone,
I miss my little dog.
Why did you have to go?

My little dog went away
When will I see you again?
My little dog is gone
My little dog is gone

*Inspired by actual events.