haunted

Hi Maggie...

That was our second successful dog reunion of the week. When my youngest and I were driving to meeting, we saw a large animal in the road. I almost wondered if it was a deer, but it was stocky.  We got up to the stop sign and saw a huge dog run in front of a car. The car stopped and the dog wanted to get in.  Then we noticed he was trailing a leash.

My daughter looked at me and asked if we should get him.  I said, "Of course."  As soon as she began to open the door, he was flying toward our car.  He leaped in and sat on me for a minute, then climbed in the back and licked the kid in the car seat.

It never dawned on me to wonder if he was safe until much later...

We took a ride, looking for someone looking for a dog.  Luckily, my daughter knows a dog rescuer.  She called for advice...and within hours the boy was home.  He was an American bull dog.  I had no idea they were so big!

Building some good dog karma I hope!!

That house was haunted, or something. I used to have to go to bed at night...either by walking up the front stairs, which I never did.  Or by coming up the back stairs and walking through everyone's rooms.  I used to stand in the room where the ceiling collapsed...I know you were in there for a while...in the doorway, facing the hall, and prepare myself to  race to my room. There was something cold and terrifying in that corner at the top of the front stairs.

I used to read myself to sleep every night. Sometimes I would read all night. Partly reading was an escape, partly it was so I wouldn't have to turn off the lights.

In my dream, no one else seems to notice the door except me.  And there are things like address books and newspaper clippings oozing out.  I don't think the man ran away. I think I got distracted and lost track of him!

I showed SuperSize Me to a group of eighth graders when I was subbing.  I was fascinated with the school in Wisconsin, I think, where behavior changed simply because foods changed.

So after we watched the movie, we discussed it.  They picked up all kinds of details, and gave savvy answers to discussion questions. They talked about the importance of lunch, of eating well.

Then I had lunch duty, and I went down to monitor the cafeteria.  They all bought shit and tossed a lot of it.  They knew the answers, but did not relate what they learned to their lives.  And that is the state of public education!!  It is not experiential.  And the kids are taught to mimic the right answer for rewards.

That impacted me so strongly!

Sunny day...let's see if I can get anything done outside!

Love and hugs from Clare