Sunday, January 30, 2021
Hmmm… Still cold outside. There is a Star Wars marathon is on TBS. I need to finish some stuff. . .But the dog is settled. . . The cat has climbed on my lap. . . And even the turtles are tuned in . . .
OK, this is good.
Sounds like as good a plan as any. . .
Quiet days are the best.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
With the child moving on, one of the things we inherited was turtles.
She and her husband will be moving around a lot in the next few years, and she just wasn’t comfortable taking them with her. She offered and even tried to find them other homes, but in the end, it was me and her dad who weren’t willing to part with them.
Sammie is 20 years old and came to live with us 10 years ago when his owner was looking to re-home him. He and the girl are the same age.
Pancake came during us during the high school years, from a classmate who had taken him on and then wasn’t as into turtles as she thought she would be… He was the size of a silver dollar pancake… hence his name.
Ironically, we are still getting to know each other. Until now, my daughter was their primary caregiver and they have lived their entire lives in our home in her room. Now they are in the living room, so that they still have daily interaction with people and so we don’t forget to feed them. . .
So far, here’s what we know. . .While they both agree that celery is a nice little snack, Sammie loves strawberries and thinks Pancake is an idiot for not liking them. . . Pancake likes to climb on top of the aquarium top (which is still safely inside his enclosure, I promise) and hurl himself into the water below. . . to which Sammie maintains his opinion of his young roommate: He’s an idiot. And also. . . I doubted her when she told me, but my daughter knows her turtles. . . They really DO love to watch Disney cartoons… So far Nemo, Finding Dory and the Atlantis movies are strong favorites.
Friday, January 28, 2022
On this snowy day, please take a moment to enjoy the innovative work of art of our amazing Artist in Residence, Rudy Bagah:
“Winter Wonderland”, January 2022
and it’s companion work
“Aftermath”, January 2022
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
About four times a year, I host a literacy class for infants and toddlers at a local establishment.
Yes, you read that correctly. Literacy (yup, reading) for children birth to three years old. No, the babies don’t do the reading, nor do we try to teach them to.
The entire focus of the class is to create a love of books at a REALLY early age. We do that by combining books (with their parents sitting with or holding them) with activities (that parents help them complete) that relate back to what we just read and talk about the book and the activity and do our best to grow these little people’s vocabularies.
Honestly, though, it’s the overall experience that matters to me. If they are able to enjoy the experience and meet new friends and associate all those good feelings with sitting down for a book, then hopefully, they will develop a fondness for books and reading and learning in general.
My winter class starts next week. It is virtual this time around and even I will admit. . .
Virtual is NOT fun.
Attendance, which was never huge, has dwindled. The class is free, and it frustrates me beyond belief that more people don’t come. It’s 45 minutes to spend with your child fostering a love of reading. . . and you get a free book! I don’t understand why it is sooooo hard to spread this message, but that is another rant. I just keep powering through because as long as someone shows up, it’s a chance to foster literacy and language skills.
Hopefully we will be back in person and feel safe to bring the little ones out again soon. Hopefully parents will come. After years spent isolating in our homes, I feel like the class will have even more importance for developing social skills. . . When we get there. Maybe in the spring.
But for now, I confess. . .The procrastination is strong in this one. . .Wish me luck!
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents”
Emilie Buchwald
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
“Home is the nicest word there is.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
This week, this momma is tired. I don’t seem to bounce back as soon as my ego tells me I will. . . And while COVID appears to be behind us, at least for now (and for all of our loved ones, as well, we think), I’m still coughing. I’m still run down. But this week is a lighter workload, so there’s that and I’m trying to stay away from people, just because. When I have to go out, I mask up, stifle my cough and try not to talk.
Sinusitis likes to think it’s my best friend, so there is always that to tease out of this pandemic mess. . .
But my husband made me this fancy coffee and the dog is just as worn out as me and our cats are their version of happy that we are home… So it’s all good.
