Times Have Changed

            The earth spins around as it faces the sun and away from the sun.  It takes 24 hours to complete each spin.  We call the spin cycle of 24 hours a day.  While the earth spins, it also circles around the sun.  It takes 365 ¼ days to circle the earth.  Thus a full year is 365 days except every four years when we have a February 29 added to the calendar.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/02/26/leap-day-february-29-calendar/80618064/

            The earth has a northern hemisphere and a southern hemisphere – each experiencing seasons opposite of one another.  For example, someone from Minnesota may comment about how cold it is and how much snow they’ve had to shovel while someone in Indonesia may express how hot and muggy it is.  Both of these examples were posted the very same day – though maybe roughly twelve hours apart as one was experiencing night while the other was experiencing day.  But who knows?  The one in Indonesia may have gotten up during the night because he was too hot and sweaty to enjoy a comfortable sleep.

https://www.slideshare.net/geeta1967/motions-of-the-earth-presentation-1

            I had learned about the earth orbiting and rotation when I was in elementary school – I thought we had started learning it in fourth grade, but it could have been sixth.  Either way it had been in elementary school.  In this county the sixth graders start middle school. 

I also remember being more focused on geography in elementary school.  I specifically remember learning the names of the countries in Africa.  We would often have guest speakers from the different countries.  I remember labeling and coloring several maps.  I remember researching states and making posters about our findings. 

from my collection of scanned school work

I also remember learning to type in seventh grade.  I had taken typing as an elective and typed on an actual typewriter and not just a keyboard.  I understand the students are required to learn how to type now.  That is good – but I think it’s something they should learn BEFORE they get to middle school as the keyboard is now a part of their lives (computers were not a staple when I was in school).

Why not?

Another Facebook quiz - just for the sake of posting - I guess

40 things about me

1. Do you put ketchup on a hot dog? Sometimes.  Mostly just mustard and relish, but ketchup (catsup?) is good too

2. Choice of soda? Code Red Mountain Dew

3. Do you own a gun? No, Not even a squirt gun

4. Can you swim? Yes – perhaps it’s a lame version of swimming.  I can hold myself up and move quicker on my back than on my stomach.

5. Hot dogs or cheeseburger?  Cheeseburger usually

6. Favorite type of food? Italian

7. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes

8. What do you drink in the morning? Water, juice, or milk (usually in that order)

9. Can you do 100 pushups? No

10. Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall? Autumn

11. Favorite hobby? Compiling Memories

12. Tattoos? No

13. Do you wear glasses? Yes

14. Do you have a phobia? Accounting (numbers)

15. Do you have a nickname? Husband calls me “Sweet Pea” – but there’s no one that many people use

16. Three favorite drinks? Water, code red, cherry coke

17. Biggest downfall? Sweets (lack of will power)

18. Rain or Snow? Rain

19. Can you change a tire? I do know how.  Do I have the strength to remove the bolts?  Not hardly

 
20. Favorite flower? Marigold

21. Can you drive a stick? I suppose I could if I needed to but I prefer automatic

22. Ever gone skydiving? No.  There was a time I would have jumped at the opportunity, but I don’t see myself doing it now.

23. Kids? Yes

24. Favorite colors? Green and Purple

25. Employed? Yes, part-time right now.

26. Can you whistle? That’s up for debate

27. Where were you born? Utah

28. Siblings? 3

29. Surgeries? 3? – I was conciense for only one – my ingrown toenail.  The others were the removal of female parts

30. Shower or bath? Shower though I’d love the opportunity to soak in enough water to cover all of me

31. Last song you listened to? Roaring 20’s normally sung by Panic! at the Disco but the version I heard this morning was Jenna’s singing

32. Age? 57 soon to be 58

33. Broken bones? No, I have had sprains and torn ligaments though

34. How many TVs are in your house? 2 – which is 2 too many

35. Worst pain? Ectopic pregnancy – (see here) 

36. Do you like to sing? I do.  I’m not good at it, but I do enjoy it

37. Favorite sport? Watching Figure skating without the commentaries, participation in bowling

38. Do you like camping? I did at one time, but have outgrown that desire.  Give me a hotel

39. What do you enjoy binge watching? Did you notice my answer on 34?

40. Pecan or Pumpkin pie? I agree with my brother’s answer: They are both good. Maybe pecan by a nose.

Rain and Snow

We have had wild weather all the way around. 
Mostly rain. 
But it snowed on I5 between Canyonville and Azaelea. 
I got pictures on the way down to Medford. 

When we returned, the snow was gone.

Love For Music

           I’m guessing that before Jenna was born

she had learned the words and notes to music

of many authors and artists and carried it

with her when she came to earth.

When she was inside of me I would

put headphones over my belly and play

songs for her, mostly classical or

primary songs. She seemed to enjoy them.

And after she was born, I would sing to her. 

I would sing songs about whatever toy she was holding

or whatever picture we were looking at. 

For example, I would sing “You’re a Grand Old Flag”

whenever I caught her looking at the flag on my tee shirt. 

Or I would point to the animals on her teething ring and

sing songs about each animal if I could think of one.

I don’t know why it surprises me whenever

Jenna sings along with a song that is decades

older than she is. 

I caught her singing along with Sam Cooke

last night and asked, “How do you know this?” 

She hadn’t been aware that she had

even been singing along.  She shrugged.

I think Jenna has an entire stash of

music genre within her and she can’t

help it whenever it comes out. 

She is just a happy positive upbeat personality

and music is just one way she lets it shine through. 

I love listening to Jenna sing.

Smile Faces in the Hymn Book

          I know a post exists somewhere about how much Jenna loved the hymn book when she was younger.  Before she could speak she would treat books with respect and turn the pages.  But she never studied them quite like she would the hymn book.  Somehow the written music fascinated her.

          On Tuesday I went to the band room (which isn’t normally a part of the aide’s agenda) and the instructor drew some notes on the board and added a tie.  I smiled at the memory of Jenna, when after she was talking, asked me why there were so many smiley faces in the hymn book. 

          In Myrtle Creek, the music teacher teaches three courses at the high school and ends his day teaching three courses at the middle school.  I would assume he gets to eat lunch sometime between. 

What Are They Doing To My Street?

            I have noticed orange diamond shaped signs indicating construction.  At first I noticed them posted near unpaved streets figuring that perhaps they were being paved – although it seems to be an unrealistic thing at this time of the year now that I think about it.  But that is what I had thought initially.

            This morning I heard what sounded like power drill noises.  What the heck?  I didn’t even check my window.  90% of the time I look for a source to match a sound, I don’t see anything.

            I had a dentist appointment at 10:00.  It wasn’t until I left the house that I noticed the orange signs were on our street.  Why?  What are they doing?  Why are they making so much noise?

 

that's our house btw

taken from our driveway

It doesn’t appear that I got a member of the crew who dressed in a uniform much bulkier than what's shown in this illustration:

Morning Song

“Fairy tales can come true
It can happen to you

            if you're young at heart”

Each morning, for the last three days, that song has been playing in my head.  I don’t know why. 

I don’t know if it was part of the bizarre dream that I posted on Monday or if I came up with it after I got out of bed.  It wouldn’t be so bad if I knew the words to the entire song instead of the same 15 words over and over . . . though sometimes

“And if you should survive to a hundred and five”

again, just one line.  I copied all the lyrics for the song that Frank Sinatra had sung.  But I haven’t committed any of it to memory except for what I have shared in this post.