FEBRUARY
February,12 2003 ~ Unnamed ... Chattering ~~ Curiously, I find that I miss taking the laptop on my knees to record some of the happenings and thoughts of each day. Something is always taking place that is not in the usual routine. In fact, my life is anything but routine. Gone is the endless supply of daily schedules once required of me as a classroom teacher. Gone is the constant clock watching as the day progresses in order to be at the exact activity described on the schedules. I took a year off from writing daily in my journal and in retrospect I feel that some tidbits of life, with my grandchildren especially, are forgotten forever. Some may be remembered in the years to come, but most will be forgotten.
"Momma Jeanne, have you heard the news?" My grandson excitedly inquired from the other end.
"No, what news?"
"The Challenger crashed!"
"Were you watching on TV?"
"No, I was listening to my radio and heard it."
Then as all curious people seem to ask about all things, my next question: "What happened?"
"I don't know. I just heard it and called you."
We talked a minute or two about Mom being at work. He was home with brother, sister and a friend of brother, before hanging up the phone.. Only seconds later, the phone rang again.
"Momma Jeanne, turn your TV on Channel 2. They are telling all about the crash and what's happening. Hurry and turn on Channel 2. Bye."
The rest of the day and these days following are being recorded in history for all times to come. Another tragedy has come to the United States, as well as to Israel. Seven persons are no more. They are frozen in time at the high point of their lives. Listening to the reporters as they relate a bit of information about each crew member, I am amazed at the mass of learning and degrees earned. These were all people at the prime of their lives with so very much to offer to the universe. One fact that no doubt will be soon forgotten is all that one of them has experienced in his short life span. A multitalented person, he excelled in sports, earned many assorted and varied degrees, flew jets in the services as well as excelling as a clown in the circus. He was not married. The others were married and among them are thirteen children suddenly left with only one parent.
The worst experience for all the families had to be as they excitedly awaited the Challenger knowing that it was only sixteen minutes from landing, or watching on television as pictures of the failed landing were recorded over and over. Surely, the repeated pictures playing over and over on the television screen etched the death of their loved ones anew each time. We all watched not only the breaking apart of the ship, but the death of seven people.
As this tragedy unfurls among us and the recovery of the bits and pieces of the ship and its contents are searched out across 500 plus square miles of land and water, another tragedy is brought to light. First thoughts of everyone had to be, "Not terrorist again!" Reports are that there is no evidence of tampering or interference by anyone. Plans are being developed for rebuilding on the site when once stood the Twin Towers in New York City. Two plans submitted and being considered are twin towers; however these new ones are even higher than those lost along with all the thousands lives destroyed.
As I learned back in 1975, life does go on. Some days are not easy. Some days are dark and dreary; stretching out the endurance deep inside, making stronger each of the survivors. A softness forms around that vividly etched day with life was torn away from the earth as we know it. Acceptance comes as the memories suddenly seem to guide everyone forward into the midst of life here on earth. But for this moment, there is sorrow and pain."
Playing around with a web site the other night, I was soon absorbed with typing in the names of family and friends to see what the Elfkin names would be according to T.R.R. Tolkien and one of his languages he designed as he worked with writing The Lord of The Rings. Working through the long list of friends and family, it was interesting how the names were assigned. Each surname generally was composed of two words while the given names were mostly one word. I need to take time and find how the names would look if they were written in that language of odd symbol and letter combinations. Hummm ... It's not a bad idea to maybe use those names as reference to each person as they are mentioned in the journal. I'll have to consider that.
NascarKid has made us all proud. He earned Second Place in the County Wrestling Tournament for his weight division. That opened the opportunity for him to take part in the State Competition this past weekend. He had to wrestle five different opponents throughout the day, Saturday. His first match was 9 am and the last was 7 pm. The doctor okayed his arm so he could take part in the day's activities. Being a staph infection, healing will be slow and it was necessary to change the bandaging three times throughout the day. Many people would not have the drive to take part in a contact activity as he did. He not only took part in the tournament, he also brought home the Fourth Place medal for his weight division. Being one of the youngest there since it is his first year in the sport, he showed a lot of fortitude and promise of more to expect in the upcoming years. He came by here on his way back home Sunday morning and immediately put out both arms for me to give him a great big hug of congratulations.
Meanwhile his mom has changed positions within the county school system. She spent over six years as guidance counselor in the elementary school level and she had an opportunity to apply for a position working with all the middle schools and high schools in the county. This meant that her office at the school had to be emptied of her supplies to make room for the counselor taking her place. Now she has an office in one of the buildings at the School For The Deaf. County schools have rented one whole floor of one of their buildings. She works with one other person and has the help of a secretary as well. This move would come at a time when the gas prices are skyrocketing at an absorbent rate.
You would thing that the gas prices would not need to rise as they are doing until there is actually a shortage of supplies. Seems to me that someone, or ones, would be making a lot of pocket money for the time being. Two weeks ago I bought gas for my car at $1.25 a gallon. As of yesterday, the going rate of a gallon of gas has risen to $1.56! That is not the top price, I'm sure. Many of us (yes, me included) will not be able to afford going very much or very far. This brings to memory remnants of life back during the II World War. (Ouch! Am I really that old?) I was very young, but I still remember. Gas, sugar, meat and other things were doled out to families according to the number of ration stamps allowed to the families by the government each month. Sometimes stamps were saved up or swapped with other families to allow for special occasions such as a birthday or trip. Boy! Was life different back then compared to the spending and overindulgence of many this day and age!
Grooming day was not the best of days for two small residents of this household. I didn't say that we were going anywhere as I prepared to leave Monday morning. Did that make a difference with Charlie? No! He stood his ground standing in the den when time came to leave. Oreo couldn't wait to get outside to go. When I started back through the kitchen to get Charlie, he sped out his tiny door into the lot and would not come back inside as I called him. He managed to slip back in and laid on the couch as close to the arm as he could get trying to hide. He was successful with blending in with the couch until I turned on the overhead light and walked to the center of the room. There he was stretched out full length on the edge of the pillow with his head and nose as close as they could be to the couch. He remained limp and made no effort to move. I once again had to carry him to the car while Oreo couldn't wait to jump in for a ride.
Charlie sat right against my arm all the way to the groomer's home. He seemed to watch everything as we traveled. Luckily, much of the snow was gone and I had no worries about the road having ice. Once there, the tables did a flip-flop. Oreo had no leash on and I figured he would walk with me to the edge of the porch. I figured wrong. He decided he didn't want to go in and immediately headed out toward the field. The girl that does the washing of all the dogs came out to help me and she retrieved Oreo. Oreo would have come back because he doesn't go out of my sight, but we called out "sit" and he sat and waited for her to go after him at the edge of the field.
The porch leading to the grooming area had an area shoveled off to go in and out, but it was still slick. The porch leading to the office was not cleared off. It is a bit higher than the other porch. As a general rule, I step up in the area between the porches and then step onto the porch to enter the office. That would have been impossible for me. When the call came telling me the pups were ready for pickup, the groomer asked when I wanted the next appointment and told me the amount for Monday. She or her helper would bring the dogs out to me. However, I had BingoKid with me and he took care of getting the dogs. He said when Charlie saw him, he got excited and hardly stood still long enough for the leash to be snapped. He made a leap toward BingoKid and wanted to be picked up by him. There's a special bond between the two of them.
I had barely come back into the house shortly after nine that morning when the phone rang. It was BingoKid asking if I could come and get him. He back hurt so bad he couldn't sit any longer. I beeped Dad before picking him up to see if he wanted me to bring him home. BingoKid was fine when he was dropped off at school that morning. He seemed fine the rest of the day, as long as he didn't sit. For some reason when he sat down, he had pain in his back. He even commented on it while we were in the car with the dogs and headed back to the house. Last I heard, he was asking his dad to take him to a Chiropractor.
Yesterday was one of those two-county treks with another grandson. That meant taking the road over the mountain. On the backside to the sun, there was a lot of snow and the heavily sanded road had evidence of some ice along the edges. Burke County had twelve inches of snow or more compared to our 7 ½ inches, and we still have some snow around as well. Sounds like there may be some more on the way for this coming weekend. It could be mixed: snow turning to rain.
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