The last day of Kindergarten ::: ever! (Here is the 1st day of school!)
How to amuse 12 kids while awaiting the Space Shuttle!
There it is!
The Shuttle Explorer
There it goes! On to Space Center Houston, the official visitors' center for the NASA Johnson Space Center.
The last day of Kindergarten ::: ever!
How to amuse 12 kids while awaiting the Space Shuttle!
There it is!
The Shuttle Explorer
There it goes! On the Space Center Houston, the official visitors' center for the NASA Johnson Space Center.
The last day of Kindergarten ::: ever!
How to amuse 12 kids while awaiting the Space Shuttle!
There it is!
The Shuttle Explorer
There it goes! On the Space Center Houston, the official visitors' center for the NASA Johnson Space Center.
I recently read this translation of Anna Karenina, my first reading of this, Tolstoy's self-proclaimed first real novel. I was enraptured by the characters and fell a little in love with Tolstoy, who was so deeply flawed and human and therefore able to capture the fullness of each of his characters. He made it impossible not to identify with or at least understand the motives, thought processes, weaknesses, strengths and vulnerabilities of each person, seen in relief against a background of a particular time and place in history. I can't say enough good things about it. I was deeply moved by Levin's spiritual maturation and his discovery that he's happiest when he is engaged in the work that needs to be done (solving disputes among his farmers, tending to his wife and son, ensuring preparations for the harvest, etc.). When he stops to contemplate the meaning and purpose of his life, he becomes paralyzed and overwhelmed by existential longings and questions. Hmmm. I can relate.
The pursuit of "happiness" being a tantalizing subject for me right now, I turned my attention to The Geography of Bliss, which a friend gave me about 2 years ago (sorry!). But, it's one of those books that requires a certain mindset. In my case, Anna Karenina strongly rooted me in a grand, sweeping view of human nature as essentially changeless, but expressed in a nuanced way depending on the social, political and historical circumstances in which a human lives. The Geography of Bliss is the travel journal of a western worrier and grump who attempts to gain insight about himself by sifting through academic research about happiness and traveling to some of the "happiest" and "unhappiest" places on the planet. His goal? To get a first hand view of happiness in practice from both cultural and personal perspectives. As I was reading, I documented the keys to happiness that he identifies. Here's a smattering directly from my notes:
I'm now turning my attention from the theoretical to the practical. I've resisted reading this book for a while. The genre of "be like me" middleclass self-disclosure memoirs is a bit tiresome. I read two earlier this year (Poser and Project Happily Ever After). I frankly did not like either person as they presented themselves and I found myself full of judgments (I'm suspecting a little projection here...as well as internalized classism). Nevertheless I ended up identifying more than I thought with their feelings and experiences. So, here I am reading, The Happiness Project, another middle class memoir/instruction manual. I thought it would be interesting to see a practical journey toward happiness and this is what was out there. I'm 5/6 of the way through her year-long "project." Frankly, I can't wait to be done. I'm not sure I've gained anything useful for my own experience, but I'm reserving judgment. Actually, I can think of a couple useful things...
(I guess I am getting more out of it than I thought!)
I think I'll turn to the Dalai Lama's The Art of Happiness next. I can't help but be inspired by a person who exudes such positive energy and broad perspective in the face of cruelty to his own people and throughout the planet. I had the privilege of hearing him speak in person once and I will never forget it. If I ever doubted the power of one person's energy to ripple through and influence the energy of multitudes, I didn't doubt it after being in his presence.
Here's to actually being happy.
We went skating once before Christmas. I'm in Houston, remember. They super cool the rink to 22 degrees in upwards of 70 degree weather. It's a little embarrassing to think of the energy that is utilized to enable us subtropical people to experience the joy of an outdoor skating rink. You also put oneself at considerable risk by going out on the ice with a crowd comprised on 98% first time skaters. "Skaters" who make every novice mistake possible such as holding hands four across, skating clockwise when the set up is for counter-clockwise, crossing in front of people to get the the perceived safety of the side rail, and such. I'm thrilled people have the chance, but it makes for quite a unique skating adventure.
I grew up in Wisconsin and places north, so a skating rink for us was a plowed area of the lake or a section of river that is frozen all winter long. We skated outdoors and most frequently at night. I always felt this delicious mix of excitement and fear--you never quite knew where you'd find the boundary of safety. If the hockey puck drifts away from the plowed area is it safe to go get it? If you leave the circle of light, does that mean the ice is thinner or no one will see you/hear you if you fall in? How do they know the river is frozen thickly enough? Was that the sound of cracking ice I just heard? We were of course regaled with horror stories of the one time someone fell through, and don't we all remember the image from "It's a Wonderful Life" in which George saves his brother after falling through the ice?
Nonetheless, I have terrific memories of being hot and cold at the same time, of gently falling snow lightly blanketing the surface of the ice, of holding hands through arctic-thick mittens with my eighth-grade boyfriend when we hoped no one was looking, of wondering if my hand-me-down winter coat was too dorky or the wrong color. . . .
So, it's with these memories in mind that I take my son to the rink at least once or twice each season, so he can experience the excitement and novelty of ice, develop some skills that may serve him later in life, and form his own sensory memories of the cold slush that accumulates on the blades, of teetering on ankles that don't quite know what to do, of slipping and falling, and wanting to practice turning and spinning before skating straight is mastered.
We spent part of this past Saturday at the rink. We arrived just a couple of hours after the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the Marathon, which were held in Hosuton for the first time. We were among the few odd balls who weren't in running gear and sweats, carrying gym duffles and swag bags from the nearby running convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center. We were on the ice with our sweaters and mittens to protect our hands from falls.
This was our second trip this year. The first trip was amazing. It was a cold day and we stayed on the ice from 4 p.m. until after dark. The city's holiday lights were all around us and they were getting ready to show "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", I think, on the big screen in the park. The ice wasn't crowded, it was cold enough that it stayed smooth, people were in good cheer and we met a friend of Silas's by happenstance. He happily let me do lap after lap forward and backward, while he experimented in the kiddie zone on single-bladed skates for the first time. He joined me every so often to test his skills on the large rink. I felt great, hot and cold at the same time and full of all those sensory memories from my childhood. My legs were strong, I was steady on my feet, and I didn't fall. I remember wishing I had my current "boyfriend" with me so we could hold hands....
This time was a little different. We arrived near mid-day. We were in a bit of hurry because we had somewhere to be at a certain time. Silas only wanted to practice spinning in the kiddie zone. The novices were out in force, turning my relaxed and glorious lap after lap into a series of spontaneous and ever-changing obstacle courses which required constant vigilance to protect myself and others. The sun was out, turning the surface of the ice into a choppy mess and increasing the hazards between Zamboni runs. I fell not once, but THREE times.
The final fall occurred as I was exiting the rink for the final time. I lost my attention for a moment and, smash-ola, I landed squarely on my behind. I hobbled up, did a little body check to be certain emergency treatment was not needed, gathered our stuff and hobbled to the car for the 30-minute drive home. I have been nursing what appears to be a sprained bottom every since. I can't help giggling as I say it. Sprained bottom. Bruised coccyx, strained ligaments, gluteal pain-o maximus. At 49 grand years of age, I wondered, "Should I have skated?" "What if...it doesn't heal...I broke my hip...I'll never be able to do this again...I'm getting too old????"
Mostly I am grateful that I am strong and flexible. I know how to crash. I know how to use yoga to maintain my body when it is well and help heal it when it's hurt. I have strong bones. I have excellent health insurance if I need it. I don't depend on my body to earn a living. I have experience recovering from illness and injury and I have faith in my ability to do both. I have people at home who can be considerate of my temporary disability. And, I have the hope of skating again--maybe even in the snowy north someday. Skiing is also on our winter-spring agenda this year.
In the meantime, I get to appreciate and admire our bravery--Silas's in getting out there to do things he's never done before, and mine for not giving up on things that are exhilarating and fun despite some risk.
We will be multiplying the number of friends with children gathered for our Winter Solstice Tamale Fiesta this year, and many thanks are due and offered to the community of families who have embraced us since we've moved to our new home in Clear Lake. Friends new and old will gather for an evening of crafting, creativity sharing, Solstice observing, feasting, and celebration. Plans are well underway...invites set, menu set, shopping lists created, and lots of elving....We have children from age one to teen attending, so a wide array of hands, hearts and minds will be seeking crafty fun.
Here are some previews...
I am so deeply grateful for the friendship and community offered by my MOMS Club school-age play group. We collectively decided to offer our 12 children a home-based Halloween party---an alternative to the various candy and foam sticker parties all over town last weekend. We added on a potluck dinner so the dads could socialize with us and join in the Halloween fun.
I tell you, this crowd can cook. Two kinds of chili with all the toppings one could want, spider web 7-layer dip, mummy dogs, pumpkin monster muffins, rice, two kinds of corn bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, a fruit tray, multi-cheese spread, and baked potatoes. Hot cider, Italian soda, and libations rounded out the offerings.
As for the activities? Galavanting on the land behind our home. A communally-created whacky pumpkin patch. Pin the spider on the web. Bobbing for apples. Lots of free play. And, an outdoor flashlight goody-bag hunt. The costume parade for the holdouts was a capper to the evening. It was great to see the children so happy and engaged without a piece of candy in sight.
Thanks to everyone who came. It's lovely when everyone is willing to participate and contribute. We all benefit, and the children can add one more seedling in the garden that is their relationships with each other and their community..
Happy Halloween!!!
Dewberry Farm is a semi local institution about an hour and a half from where we live. Somewhere at Dewberry Farm there is a "working farm", but you wouldn't know it by the attractions set up for the little ones. Yes, there's is a Christmas tree farm with eight years' worth of staged growth. Yes, there is a corn field cut into a maze to get lost in. Yes, there is a flower field and sunflowers. But, the rest is pure outdoor fun. If you aren't shy about splinters, falling repeatedly from moderate heights, and getting dirty, this is the place for you and your kid.
We had a blast and stayed up until the last minute. Of course, Silas focused on the things he didn't get to do: milk the cow, do a water pump duck race, and ride the cow train. Here is a sampling of things he actually did (minus all the samples of farm animals 'cause it depresses me just a little).
Halloween is coming ("Arrrgh") (Jabot instructions found on-line, the rest from Burda 2452) :::
So is Christmas (the Stocking Project 2 -- this time as gifts) :::
And, a giant, deep linen tote for projects on the go (made from a pair of thrifted linen pants and parts of a thrifted skirt) :::
