Beneath the Wraps

        Jenna had asked if her friend Kylee could spend the night.   They had planned for Monday night, but workday sleepovers did not work out well when she and Annette we better friends.   I told her it would be up to Roland.   He said yes and   Jenna created a list for the following day.               Jenna's agenda for Monday, August 21:   1) [Kylee]   2) pool 3) eclipse 4) doughnuts 5) library 6) rays/goin’ postal 7) little shop 8 games . . . 9) something scary 10) bed.   Allow me to explain:   First thing, we went to Kylee’s house to pick her up at 8:30 a.m..   Check off 1.   Next we went to the pool.   When we arrived, there was a note on the door: A birthday bash is held at the pool each year on the Friday closest to the 21st.   We have missed all three years however. We were in Roseburg this year as I...

         I had not noticed what the temperature was when I left the house this morning, but it was cold. I grabbed a jacket and slipped on some long pants before I went. It's felt so hot for so long the drop in temperature makes it seem cold.   I didn't want our swim instructor to be there by herself.   Two other students showed.   The water was colder than the air was.   After fifteen minutes of movement, I still wasn't warm.   I got out of the pool just after 9:30.   It was warmer outside than in the pool.   It is still overcast, but no rain yet.         There was a misty fog hanging over the hills this morning.   I love that sight, but think I enjoyed it more this morning believing it has helped clear some of the smoke - though yesterday was not as bad as Tuesday.   Skies were hazy with smoke since the solar eclipse had passed.   That isn't healthy to breathe.   ...

                Serena asked if I would write a news article about the library. She sent over some ideas of what was wanted and asked if I could do it in 100sh words.   That's not a lot of words.   I could easily do more than 1000.   I did over 400 and just barely scratched the service.   I have not heard back from her.                 I enjoyed the first economy class that I took several times more than the current class I'm taking.   To give my readers an idea of how foreign this subject is to me, let me share with you the discussion and assignment topics:     Explain why you think the Federal Reserve Bank tracks M1 and M2.   OR   List and explain each of the three traditional tools the central bank has for controlling the money supply. Which is the most popular? Why?; Now with thes...

           With all the hype involved, I thought we would be seeing the cornoa.   Jenna and I were both disappointed that we didn't.   We were more impressed by the blood-red sun painted that way due to all the smoke.   Mornings are usually clear.   Not this morning.   Smoke makes fires appear closer than they are.   There are so many of them.   I like the feel of the pool in the morning - especially when we have had it to ourselves - though I do miss some of the other members of the class.   School starts next week and so it's understandable why we haven't seen those who are school teachers.             I have Jenna's agenda for yesterday stored on a file - but not ready to post.   I have to create a discussion post for my economic class (which I am NOT enjoying) and 100 word report on the summer reading program.   My blog posts will have to re...

Jenna's been in a slump I wish I knew how to fix the situation surely as my mom wished she could when I was the age that Jenna is now   I don't believe mom had gone through this slump when she was thirteen. Her parents were newly divorced and she was a latch key kid trying to support her mom and help look after her brothers She didn't have time to get bored Jenna gets bored I got bored. How unfortunate. I think my mom had it harder than I do. Jenna still allows herself to be disappointed whenever plans don't work out or promises get broken. When I was thirteen, I had already fixed my mind into believing that I didn't care It was a lot easier to not care than be hurt all the time Lonely.   We both needed good friends. And actually I was in a better position as far as contact goes.   There were fewer working mothers and houses close together.   I could walk up or down the street and spend some time with either Julie or Janeen. J...

                When I showed up to the library on Monday, Rindy and JM handed me a book on Faeries and told me look through the book and pick something to share.   They said they had looked for a story but weren't able to find one.   The "information" book was the only they could find.   Faeries are micheiveous creatures - not to say that fairies aren't - but I think the spelling somehow changes the definition.   Faeries, on a whole, sound impish and somewhat scary . . . at least from the descriptions in the book.                 I did like the "faerie" definition to mean "doesn't necessarily have wings, no specific size (as some can be as big as giants)   . . . but are all bound by magic" and there were different classes of faeries, which I did not go into.   The book had some detailed illustrations on some pages and rather dull one...

          Roland ended up taking Jenna to the fair on Friday.   I thought it said to dress as a vegetable to get in free, but a friend pointed out that it said to dress a vegetable.   Thus Roland and Jenna decorated a couple of carrots before leaving the house.           After they arrived, they were told there was a seven dollar fee to park.   Roland asked where the free parking was located.   He was told if he parked at the high school, there was a "shuttle" that would bring him back to the fair.   So in order to save money, they went and parked at the high school and returned on a school bus that Roland assures me was designed for small people.   I smiled as I considered the greyhound I had taken from Portland to Salt Lake City in this post.             They returned home just as I had finished up ...

        I watched the 2016 version of Ben-Hur for the first time last night.   I don't recall ever having made it through the 1959 version without crying, so why should 2016 be any different?   Jenna looked at me after the Chariot Race scene and asked if I was crying.   I cry for a number of reasons each time.   She had excused herself before the crucifixion.   That was heart-wrenching.           I had recently met some of my water buddies at the local coffee shop.   One asked what makes one a Jew.   Is it a race? a religion?   It doesn't matter - we're all part of the human race.   He was just wondering.   I'll admit I've wondered about that myself.   I sent him a link to this site .         I am one who could never be in the Klu Klux Klan or put labels on people - usually I don't know.   I don't know if that would be consider...