Beneath the Wraps

           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...

                I think most fairs offer a free admission before things fully get started.   Roseburg offers a FREE Admission for Seniors Until 3pm I thought today, but it was actually yesterday.   We could all dress up as vegetables and get in free tomorrow between 10:00 and 1:00.  Jenna loves to dress up, too, though I don't know if she's ever considered dressing up as a vegetable - though I know that she would do it for food.  No matter.   It's been so smoky and hot that I don't want to go - although we had planned on it.   We'd take Jenna there in the afternoon but probably wouldn't spend a lot of money.                 Jenna asked if we could go today.   Her friend had called and asked if she could meet her.   I told her to see if she could just get a ride with her friend - i...

        We went to get the car washed yesterday.   Though not an automatic carwash, it brought up memories - though not in chronological order. Memory 1:         When Kimball learned to talk, he'd talk with such excitement that he'd often stumble over his words and came across as stuttering;   he would also put himself in third person.   Kimball LOVED vehicles, dump trucks, cranes, cherry pickers, tractors . . . you name it.   He really did know the names and what they did.   My mom thought he would be fascinated by the car wash as well.   He wasn't.   He was actually very freaked out.         "I'm sorry, Kimball," (once in the automatic car wash has started, the driver needs for it to finish before exiting) "but I really thought you might like the carwash."         "Kimball doesn't li-li-like the carwash. ...

            We have activities each week for the Children's Summer Reading Program.   Today's "Build" activity featured a solar oven and building S'mores. Yum!             JM took the children outside and placed marshmallows in the oven and explained how it would work.             We then came inside and had story time - only it was more of a question, answer and demonstration than straight reading.   We talked about the sun and moon.             When we finished with the book, Rindy was up with her "Pin-a-Moon-to-the-Sun" craft.   Each of the children were given black paper to create a moon.   After all the moons were cut out, each stood in line to paste their moon on the sun while wearing their solar glasses.   It was really fun.        ...