The state of things.

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Yesterday I took a few lovely books over to my neighbor for her to share with her grandson.  Upon receiving them he began hugging me.

Grandma:  “He’s a hugger.”

I just stood there like a post…

Grandson:  “I was born real close to Valentines day and that’s why I love everyone so much.”  (paraphrased because I honestly can’t remember exactly what he said.)

It took me an embarrassingly long time to respond to his loving and normal display of gratitude on receiving my gift.

So what was that all about? 

Well you see, when I taught in California there were so many lawsuits going on involving teachers and inappropriate touch (more than one is too many!!!) that we were instructed NOT TO TOUCH OUR STUDENTS.  Those who did only touched the top of their little head, or their hands for proper instruction and help with holding a pencil.

This is all wrong.  Little kids need hugs and an appropriate show of affection from caregivers.  (And whether you know it or not your child’s teacher is a caregiver/stand in mother, protector, parapsychologist, as well as educator for your little darling)  😉  We do try to do it all and more each day and all without touching them for fear of being accused of inappropriate behavior.

It saddens me to realize how programmed I had become, and that the programming has persisted even into my retirement.

It makes me wonder is it just me?

OR…

Do all teachers feel/react like this nowadays?

Do parents worry about this kind of thing?

Do the students?

How has it come to this?

It makes me sad for the children.

Photo Friday: once upon a time in the west

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I have always had a thing for clouds up in the sky.  I used to love to lay in the grass and watch them morph and change, all the while imagining, bird, elephant, ice cream cone, ships.

When I taught young children in California ( ages 6 to 8 ) I tried to sneak in a bit of time for imagination, things to get their creative writing flowing…

They had never been taught about the secrets hidden in clouds, so I made it my job to teach them… even when the principal disapproved of the practice…  Then we had to do it on the sly or at recess times.  After a time, we went in to capture them on white paper.

“Teacher, this paper is white and so are the clouds!  How can we make them on white paper?”

I got out the blue chalk, “Watch.” I said.  And using the blue chalk I proceeded to outline a cloud on the white field.  Then I lay the chalk on its side and carefully filled in the sky all around my cloud, during which I heard such things as…

“ooooh!”

“Oh cool!”

“WoW!”

“I WANNA TRY IT!”

“Draw the shapes you saw in the clouds today.” I said.

And when they were done I handed them lined paper.

“Now write about what you saw!”  I encouraged.  (At these times, I never heard a complaint from even one about having to write.)

I was such a rebel.

Today I want to share with you a time in your youth when you lay on your back with friends and imagined… the clouds are still there, beckoning to you.  When was the last time you stopped a moment and just looked into the clouds?

One

~*~

Two

~*~

Three

~*~

Tell me, what do you see?

~*~

(All photos are clickable to allow a better view!)

 

It’s an anniversary celebration!

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On this day three years ago we pulled up into the drive of our new home here in the country.  We never imagined we would be here, and yet… here we are!

As stated in yesterday’s post we have had a rough time of it this year.  That said, we wouldn’t change where we are for all the world.

It is a good place to be and we love that we celebrate our move on, if you will, the “4th of July Eve.”  We celebrate our freedom from city life, and the freedom of our country with equal enthusiasm.

Happy 3rd of July!

Three and one half days of driving, all the boxes were unloaded, the dogs were exploring their new back yard, and I was exhausted, but happy!

Tough from the start

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This has been the year for us and we are tired.  We have suffered through frightening storms, personal injuries, and several animal losses.  I hate to whine, but dang I am sure enough tired of it.

However, today was the saddest loss of all.  Our little cockatiel  Bonjour is gone.  We’ve had him for over 20 years and it will be a little hole in our happiness for a while.

We got Bonjour from the preschool I taught at many years ago.  Bob and I went in one three-day weekend to work on the computers and found him covered up, with only shells in his food cup, and orange water!  We talked to the director and she agreed to let us have him, cage and all, in lieu of cash payment for services rendered.

To say Bonjour had an attitude about fingers near or in his cage was an understatement!  I mean, I ask you, wouldn’t you if you had over 70 children poking at you with tinker toys, straws, and their fingers every minute of every day?  Why once, one little darling even tried to pull him out of the bars by his tail feathers!!!  He was tailless for many weeks while it grew back in.  The insult!  However, in some evil way on my part, I silently cheered him on when he got the little culprit back by biting him on the finger and not letting go…

Sorry, I hope you don’t think less of me for telling you that, but if you knew the kid, then you would know he had it coming to him in spades.

So, we brought him home.  He moved three times with us, and traveled all the way from California to Alabama, a three and a half day journey, keeping Bob company on the front seat of the car.  He never became tame enough for finger perching, Oh-no-no-no!  But bless his little birdie heart he could sing to you and was ever happy to see you when you were around.

He would cape his wings, tilt his head and just sing, like it was his only joy in life to sing you into utter happiness.

I will miss him, but Bob has lost a very dear little friend today.

Bonjour