Confessions of a Grandma

It has been a busy week for me. The poetry group I belong to met on Monday. Tuesday morning I participated in a two hour origami  session. We were folding orange cranes that will be sent to an artist who is going to do an art installation using 37, 000 orange cranes as part of a gun safety awareness effort. Later I hosted the neighborhood book club. We actually did discuss the book ( Zorro  by Isabel Allende) and a whole lot of other things as well. On Wednesday I went to Chalice Circle, a small discussion group sponsored by my church of choice. That evening I went to meditation and afterwards to a small gathering of neighbors that lasted well into the night as we sat outside and watched the super moon rising. Thursday I went to the large Farmers' Market in Englewood and picked up some gorgeous strawberries among other things. Then it was my annual wellness visit to my doctor. I am well. She told me I was boring, but that's a good thing. I was dragging a bit for line dan...

I had the opportunity to attend the Venice Theater production of the musical 42nd Street  this past Sunday afternoon. Based on a film musical from the 1930's, it opened as a play on Broadway in 1980 and went on to run for nearly 3500 performances, It received two Tony Awards -- Best Musical and Best Choreography. A Broadway revival in 2001 ran for almost 1500 performances. For me, the recognizable songs were: "We're in the Money," "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," and "Lullaby On Broadway." My favorite, though, was "About a Quarter to Nine." I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The drop down sets were spectacular and the dancing was amazing. I think everyone left the theater with a smile and tapping feet. What more can one ask for on a rainy Sunday afternoon? google image

What? A new scandal not directly related to politics? Are we meant to find that refreshing? I am thinking that the students and families that are suing will not get very far.   I was qualified but my parents are poor so I didn't get the college of my choice -- well, maybe or maybe not.  I have no legal expertise at all but it does seem the suits should come from the colleges -- Huge bribes were being paid to coaches and proctors and Rick Singer when we could have been getting huge donations to build Felicity Huffman Science Center. In other news: Bomb cyclone. The weather gods must be angry indeed. What else are we supposed to make of things like that? President picks on newly announced candidate for having crazy hand motions. Pot-kettle?? And the treat: heavy California rains have resulted in a "super bloom" of wild flowers that is attracting painted lady butterflies.

I see a lot of these or similar signs and I find it incredibly distasteful.  If you don't have such a sign on your lawn is it okay for your neighbors to let the dogs go on your lawn? I don't think so! What is wrong with people who have to be told it is not okay to let their dogs defecate on someone else's property?

I have a number of activities that keep me busy during the week, enough so that I sometimes let daily housework tasks undone. That was the case last week and I found myself on Friday morning planning to catch up. I gave the kitchen counters a good wipe down and then dragged out the vacuum and the mop. The phone rang. It was my neighbor. She was planning to go to the rodeo in Arcadia and they found out there were extra tickets. Would I be able to go? A day out with friends or a day spent cleaning? Hmm . . . it didn't take too long to make that decision. (I wonder why I cannot get pictures to load? And I wonder why my new i-phone won't communicate with my mac? My old android did without a problem.  Or is this yet another new blogger glitch? I am really going off blogging lately.)

A friend (fellow retired teacher) sent this to me some time ago. I never did watch Survivor although I remember it being popular with colleagues at the time.  Next Season on Survivor Have you heard about the next planned "Survivor" show? Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in an public school classroom for 1 school year.  Each business person will be provided with a copy of his/her school district's curriculum, and a class of 20-25 students. Each class will have a minimum of five learning-disabled children, three with A.D.H.D., one gifted child, and two who speak limited English. Three students will be labeled with severe behavior problems. Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organize, or create their materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document ...