19 April …
A few more tears, a bit more rain, and then snow at the end of last week …
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Our nephew, Eric, was here for a visit. He arrived last monday and left wednesday morning. He was on his way to the 50 year reunion of his college class down in Claremont.
It is always great to have him visit.
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The trip to the retinologist had been delayed from the 11th to two days ago due to road conditions. And we had to be in Yreka early yesterday for pre-exam blood draws. That’s why this post is late.
Between trips to the retinologist and to the cardiologist and the semi-annual VA appointment, the next month is full of trips. Aging really isn’t for sissies.
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Math has never been one of my “genius” subjects. I can do simple math, but the “modern” math with its extra steps and diagrams and flow charts is way beyond me. But I recently came across an article about an elementary school math teacher who listened to the students who did a rap in order to learn basic division. No complex diagrams … just simple moves (both physical and vocal). A student at the “black”board, while dancing in time with the rap, wrote the problem on the board. Then, while the class rapped, that student pointed out the moves and wrote down the answers.
The rap goes … First you divide, then you multiply, then you subtract and bring it on down.
Written down it seems a bit simple and abstract … but it works. Turn on your visual imagination and give it a try, or watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3F0SItM-os
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There was a report on NPR last week about the impact of ritual on community. Social psychologists report that if you participate in ritual with someone, you are more apt to trust them in other situations.
Religions are great at creating ritual, and at using the resulting trust. But families can do the same.
In the Far East, this is the time of tomb cleaning/clearing when families care for their own. When I lived in the midwest I learned there were in those days (60+ years ago) a sunday in spring when families take a picnic to the cemetery and spend the day together scrubbing markers and mowing grass. I have no idea if or how many midwest families still do that, but in the light of the recent report, it seems like a good idea for cementing family trust and values. Can’t work for us however since we live too far away from the previous generations, and the current generations are opting for cremation.
Oh well …
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I thought this was funny …
I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped onto their belt or purse. I can’t afford one. So I’m wearing my garage door opener.
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On our way home from a shopping trip in Weed last week, I saw an eagle nest in a pine tree very close to the side of the road. It surprised me since it was low enough for me to see and so close to traffic (although traffic in this area wouldn’t qualify as traffic most places). I’ve seen golden eagles around here rather often, and once saw a bald eagle. I don’t know what kind of eagle made this nest even though I am sure it is an eagle nest. Their nests are rather easy to identify since they are mostly sticks.
I don’t often go past the place where I saw it. We were going that way because of the effect of snow on the local dirt roads. I may make it a point to go that way more often for a few weeks or so in order to keep track of events there. I’ll try to get a picture next time.
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There are returning geese and ducks on the reservoir … 
which is fuller than I’ve seen it in a long time.
And as this week ends …
As dark as our lives may seem, lost though the world may have become, we must still believe in the power of light.
So … ’til next week …