Month: May 2022

TBall throws me all off schedule.  

You will notice the date on this blog is last week.

TBall was snowed out on the 10th  and rescheduled for friday the 13th.  Then there was a catch-up game tuesday the 17th and another make-up game monday the 23rd.  Seems I’ve lost track of another game somewhere.  Oh well …

I’m usually slow the day following a game.

It’s fun to watch TBall but I need back support so I will be taking a folding chair with me now that school is nearly out and TBall is probably over.  I will be prepared for next season.  Better late than never, right?

We shall see.  

Now, with the end of school, it’s time for swim team to start.

Maybe I will get back to a schedule for the blog … sometime.

I ask readers to be patient as I play catch-up.

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I received my second Covid booster on monday the 23rd followed by my elder luncheon with friends, and a trip to the library.  I decided to skip the planned shopping stop at Grocery Outlet. The day ended with a 4th TBall game this season  in McCloud.   

Further report sometime in the next week.

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I know of only four of us left from my high school graduating class.  I am in email connection with only one of them.  As you can imagine, he is very precious to me.

He recently sent me copies of pictures from our graduating year Tahquitz, the school year book.  We were all soooooo young. 

Those pictures reminded me of things I hadn’t thought about in years.  I was class Vice President (and was supposed to go to the Senior Prom with the Class President but he came down with mumps so a cousin of mine came up from the city to take me to the Prom). 

I was a member of the editorial staff of the Tahquitz in both my Junior and Senior years.  I was a member of CSF (the California Scholastic Federation).  I graduated with a 3.9.  The valedictorian and Salutatorian both had 4.0s.  I was on the girls’ hockey team (we wore shorts which looked like pleated short skirts).  I was a member of the Spanish Club (not too much of that class stuck). And acted in school plays (the one one I really remember was the one in which I was the house maid and in the second act the elastic in my halfslip  broke and it slipped down around my ankles so I stepped out it, pushed it aside under a table, and continued without a break in my dialogue (yes we wore dresses and skirts with blouses) to school with appropriate underthings in those days).

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This is turning into a bit of a personal opinion rant, so skip the next part of the blog if you aren’t interested.  You have been warned …

In addition to the high school memories, some memories were dredged up triggered by news reports, dealing with the shortage of baby formulas.

It would seem the shortage would have been a lot less tragic had women (and men) not been brainwashed over the past several decades to think of breast feeding babies during the first months of their lives, thereby gaining more nutrition and receiving immunities transferred from mother to infant through breast milk, as not normal and in some cases disgusting.

I acknowledge there are cases where breastfeeding is dangerous or not possible, but they are not widespread.   There are other options available such as banks of mothers’ milk maintained for replacement (I donated while nursing), arrangements to pump at home and leave it refrigerated or with caregivers for use when the mother is at work, arrangements with employers for a “nursing” area, the acceptance of nursing time as part of the time allowed for work breaks, and others of which I am unaware.  What would  help immeasurably is education about the medical advantages to both mother and baby of at least even a few months of breastfeeding following birth.

I spoke with some new mothers who are breastfeeding and asked how it was going …

Granted it was a small sample (I live in an area with a small population).  However, each woman with whom I talked mentioned the labeling, at work as well as sometimes even within social circles and family, of breastfeeding as abnormal and the lack of information and support in the first the first few days of “latching on”.

If prenatal as well as postnatal caregivers (doctors, nurses, midwives (when available) would advocate for breastfeeding and be available to help with support for problems … but you know where I’m going with this rant.

Thanks for reading.

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“The megarich are getting richer. A new billionaire was minted nearly every day during the pandemic. At the same time, data shows growing levels of inequality and rising food prices could push as many as 263 million people into extreme poverty this year.

   … Copied from CNN the 23rd of May 2022.”

Just thought you might be interested in knowing where you are in which group.

~~~

And as an end to this posting …

The biggest waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who doesn’t care about truth or reality, but only the victory of their beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on discussions that make no sense. There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, do not have the ability to understand. Others who are blinded by ego, hatred and/or resentment, and the only thing that they want is to be right even if they aren’t.

When IGNORANCE SCREAMS, intelligence moves on.

…  Author Unknown 

So,‘til next week … 

Weather has been a rollercoaster …  one day clear skies and temperatures in the 70s and the very next day overcast skies and temps in the 50s.

And for days most needed rain with snow was welcomed.

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Last saturday the weekly opera on NPR was Turandot.  It is rather an understatement to say it is not my favorite opera although some of the music is lovely.  

Somehow I have trouble getting past the shallowness of the “hero”  when he chooses the money and prestige of marriage with the vain and shallow Princess over the devotion and loyalty of the servant/slave who has been devotedly caring for his father.

Much like the cultural callousness of Lt. Pinkerton.

Maybe Puccini had a thing for hapless, mistreated females and callous, stupid males?

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All the news concerning Putin’s aggressive destruction in Ukraine reminds me of an event organized in my school by a teacher named Chase Dane who once told us he planned on naming his firstborn Mun.

But I’ve wandered a bit away from the point I started to make … that the wanton destruction Putin is inflicting on Mariupol and other cities in Ukraine is a tearful reminder of the complete destruction of Lidice in Bohemia in the then county of Czechoslovakia.  

I guess I remember it so clearly because my essay titled “Lidice – Never Again” won the writing assignment  and got me an A.  

So much for trusting in the essential goodness of people, even in people who support dictators.

Never heard of Lidice?  Probably because it happened 80 years ago and hasn’t been taught as part of the history of Hitler’s atrocities.  Look it up.  

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 I remember hearing once that in a room containing more than about 15 or 20 people, at least two will have the same birthday.  I was born on my mother’s cousin’s 22nd birthday anniversary, the woman I knew as Aunt Roberta.

I also share it with the wonderful teacher who cared for my youngest in the third and fourth grades, Ginger Mattos.  She recognized his troublemaking was the result of  boredom since he nearly always completed any class assignment before the rest of the class.and was left with nothing further to do.  She  moved him to a desk near her and when he got restless, she would hand him another challenge.

I had a similar teacher/Vice Principal, named Faris Edgar, who when I was in high school once called me into the office.  I anticipated at least a talking to if not a reprimand for something.  Instead he gave me an assignment.

Every day, during study hall time I was to report to his office and he would give me a problem to solve and report the solution back to him.  

It was often a quote from a book/author, a line from a book, poem or song, and one which I remember to this day over 70 years later was a weird drawing which I had to identify and report what it was and what its use was.

I still remember many of the problems/solutions.  Among them are …

“Divinely tall and most divinely fair”

A spring poem about rain written by a French king (which Mr. Edgar said “You will enjoy this once you translate it.”)
“She walks in beauty like the night”

He didn’t actually teach me names, dates. etc.  What he taught me was how to learn.  

I later used his techniques with my sons.  When they would come to me with a question my first response would be “Where do you think you will find the answer.?”

They wouldn’t always be happy with my question, but they all learned to be thinkers.

My high school class held several class reunions.  I think  our 25th was the final reunion I attended.  I found I didn’t need to spend time with all those old people and later wrote a poem about it.

But back to my story …

However at one of those reunions a booklet was created with pictures, names (including married names), and addresses.  Among those addresses was one for my teacher.  Needless to say, I felt a need to make contact and wrote to him to thank him for the attention and lessons.  As a result, we corresponded until his death.  

Now back to Mrs. Mattos.  She is mostly lost to Alzheimer’s but it will be her 89th birthday, which will be my 92nd, and her daughter is giving her a meet-and-greet.  Those of us who remember her will be there and chat memories.  Maybe one or two memories will trigger a memory for her too.

The one which I will remember, which I hope will trigger a memory, is of the year my youngest didn’t have the money to buy a birthday gift for each of us, so he bought a pair of ear studs (flying birds) and gave one to me and the other to his teacher.  

I know where mine is and plan to wear it to the party.

~~~

But enough about the past. On to reminders …

Not all wounds are visible … Walk softly.

… Ray Bradbury

There is a final song.  A song of endings.  It is a song of giving thanks.  It’s not sad.  It simply is.  It is simply seeing beyond … bidding farewell to the past and welcoming the path ahead. 

… B.B.Griffith

So,‘til next week …

It’s May, the lusty month of May, that lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray …

It’s mad, it’s gay, a libelous display

Those dreary vows that everyone takes

Everyone breaks

Everyone makes divine mistakes

The lusty month of May.

So go Lerner’s lyrics sung by Genevere (Julie Andrews) in the stage production of Camelot.

Are you ready for May?

~~~

Had a strange event last week.  I had been reading a book by Ruth Ware.  It is a standalone novel, as was her first book.  I had not been that impressed by that first foray, but thought I’d give her a second chance.

Well … she must have taken a writing class or gotten a good editor or ??? because this second book (the  Woman in Cabin 10) was a different story. It is a psychological thriller and by Chapter 3  I was caught.

However, the real grabber was Chapter 23.

No spoiler here, but I had a dream (nightmare) after reading that chapter.  I was scared silly because I was IN the cabin with the main character.

I was aware enough to know it was a dream but wasn’t immediately able to wake up.

When I did wake up, I was confused and sort of shaky.

As you know I am a rather constant reader, but I’ve never experienced anything like that while reading a book.

So if it sounds like something you might want to try …

You have been warned.

~~~

On another experience, I went to a church service last sunday at Mark’s church.  I  usually watch just the homily on YouTube a couple of days later.  But the district Bishop was the speaker and I wanted to say “Hello”.

Her  lesson was interesting.  It centered around Saul/Peter and the number three … denials and affirmations was her focus.

And, as Father Larry does, she offered Blessings in tune with the message of Jesus to welcome everyone.

 If you are interested, the Service is available on St Barnabas’ YouTube site.

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Now to the weather …  the week started with clear skies and chill.  The front porch had frost for several days until just a couple of days ago

Saturday we had wind and scattered dark clouds coming from the north and temps in the high 50s.

Today is predicted to be in the 70s.  It is currently 1003 and the temperature is 61º.

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Still no repeat visits from the bear.  I guess s/he gave up when the only things in the bin were trash and magazines.

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We are dealing with a name change post-Baptism … 

The Grandson previously known as “Paul” has chosen to release his birth names in favor of his chosen baptismal name so will henceforth be known as Francis.  

When we were talking about the change, it was obvious he had given it some thought.  He told me his choice was based on St Francis’ care for animals and all other living things.

Sounded like a good choice.  The only problem is my difficulty remembering names.  Faces aren’t a problem.  Names are. But I’m making progress in remermbering.

I also changed my name.  Although I did it when I entered kindergarten.  

Sometimes I wish I’d stuck with Juanita.

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Were you aware that today is Star Wars day?

May the force be with you.

~~~

And a follow-up thought …

You can’t choose the music life plays, but you can choose how you dance to it.

If the trees can dance, so can you.

So,‘til next week … I hope you enjoy May.