Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Day 69- May 20, 2020

Day 69- May 20, 2020

Today was a relatively lazy day.  I received an email notifying me that we got a $2000 grant one of my colleagues and I put together to install a walkway and garden near the front of our school, which was exciting, and I helped put together information for the upcoming student council election.

E. fought me every step of the way on doing her homework.  I feel terrible, because she's just over it.  She doesn't want to do another of the same type of assignment that she's done multiple times. I understand, from an educators perspective, why students need repetition to learn skills.  At the same time, I sympathize from my own background as a student that having to do something over and over, when you already know how to do it, becomes tedious and boring.

I remember one of my favorite classes I took in college was a math one.  It wasn't because of the subject matter, it was because the teacher would go over the concept the first day of class (on Tuesday) and at the Friday class, would essentially keep going over the concept with more practice in class.  Attendance wasn't mandatory for the second class, so if we "got it", we didn't have to show up.  I always did (math was a strong suit for me), and so I essentially had Friday off.  Had I had a more active college social life, this might have meant more, but I still appreciated it.

In E.'s case, today was an assessment, and while I know (since I've been checking all her work) that
she understands how to read a nonfiction book, take the information, organize it, and write about it, her teacher needed this final thing handed in, so I had to be looking over her shoulder all morning to make sure she did it. Eventually, she did finish her write up on hermit crabs, so there's a victory.

She and R. also did some quality filming this morning where they pretended E. had a twin, Bella, and cut together a video so it looked like E. was talking to herself (E. was talking to a video version of herself in the short film, like she's on a zoom call, and I have to say, it was pretty convincing).  I'm impressed with their ingenuity.  R. also filmed E. doing her "trick shot" for soccer.  This involved some step overs, a spin move, and finally, a shot on goal.  Not too shabby for an eight-year-old.

Mom and Bryan came over to pick up a few tomato plants, and it was good to see them in person.  We all wore our masks (mine helps a bit with my allergies, which is a bonus).  And we saw our tenant  Brian getting a haircut outside the apartment (he and his fiance Tracy live in the apartment is above our garage).  Their wedding was supposed to be on May 23, and they are planning to still tie the knot, but in her mom's backyard with just their parents present.  I'm hoping for sunny weather for Saturday- they are the nicest people, and the deserve a special day.

I realized when I looked at the calendar that today is 25 years since my Sweet 16 Party.  It's not nearly as special as a wedding, but I remember that at 15, it was the most important thing in the world.  My parents didn't want to rent out a big hall or something (I remember a lot of people I knew celebrating at country clubs or restaurants).  Instead, we rented a giant white tent, and connected it to our three-car-garage.  The interior was then covered with black paper with silver stars that my mom found in some prom catalogue (side note- we kept getting that catalogue for at least 15 more years- we joked about it when we were planning my wedding).  This hid the yard supplies, rakes, and rusted out camping equiptment beautifully, and we swept the floor clean.  We hung white twinkle lights around the garage and the pool area, and they hired a DJ to play all the greatest mid-90's hits.

It was as perfect a birthday as I could have ever hoped for.  I was surrounded by my best friends, boys asked me to dance (this NEVER normally happened) and the night flew by.  Weddings are much the same (only you usually only have one boy you're focused on, not multiple- assuming it's a good marriage!). I'm hoping they have a wonderful one, fully of magic and surrounded by love.

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