Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

      The scale said 147 lbs this morning, and my waist remained the same.   

     I wrote three blurbs for some of my students' mothers to post on Kona Moms and their Facebook page. I got an email from one of my moms, who added it to my text. It was a little too much information, mainly information unrelated to my work, but I appreciated her effort 

I heard nothing from the other two, which doesn't mean they didn't post them.

        The mom of third-grade J and first-grade Iz called to say that J had met with a licensed child therapist and loved her. She's into surfing as he is. I hope she can help him deal with the circumstances of his life. I asked Mom to ask him if he didn't want to meet. I would be OK with it, but I believe in consulting the people involved and not just assuming. His mom got back to me and said she had, and said he didn't want to. I'm suspicious of people who assume they know what others think, particularly their nearest and dearest. Statists show we are particularly blind to those closest to us. We have our stories, and they are part of it. I like what TS Elliott said, "Always greet your loved ones as strangers every day." Always be prepared to be surprised.  

      Mom said J didn't want three therapists. That's possible. Whether Mom made a unilateral decision or asked him is irrelevant. She had the power to make that decision. She has the legal right to make all the mistakes she wants. I agree with that.  

     I did meet with first-grade Iz to work on her reading. The school called Iz's mom to tell her Iz needed extra help. They told her she should come in before school for extra tutoring, but that didn't work with Mom's schedule, so she asked me to help. 

     With two hours of work, Iz was moved up to the second highest group. In our last session, she described whole words jumping from one line to another. I showed her the spin release. She said it was better, and she read much better today. She read a third-grade passage reasonably well. She needed help reading the two-syllable words. That was my teaching objective for this passage. When I told her she read at a third-grade level, she responded, "I thought it was on a kindergarten level. What I'm reading in class is harder,"  She was reading something about snakes; the passage gave the names of the snakes. Those names would be harder to read. 

   Josh and I reconciled the expenses for the year. In the past, he's owed me money. This year, it was the other way around. Judy told me how the cost of electricity went up this year. I checked. As of January 1, 2023, there was a 24% increase in the rate. Everyone was suffering with the rise. We had an additional problem. Seven of our thirty-five solar panels were down, and it took forever to replace them. This is scary.   

      I finally received Damon's Mother's Day card. He told me it was coming and was obviously excited about it. I thought it would be pictures of something I hadn't seen before. In the past, Damon's presents always consisted of pictures of his family or of Mike and me. Damon is a good photographer; there is always a need for more pictures. He was excited about the poem below written by "ChatGPT with prompts by Damon." As I read it, I thought, 'Hallmark Card.' 

        At the bottom of the first paragraph, I recognized personal references to me. It is not great art. There are moments when it doesn't make sense, but I love it. How sweet. The second to last passage is my favorite. It was about my effort to create a united family. I insisted that his mother be included in family activities. I love an extended family. My relationship with Damon's mom, Jean, took years to take full form. She is now one of my best friends, a real sister.

 Damon's Mother's Day card.

 Dear step-mom/Oma, so loving and kind

With a heart that's gentle and a spirit divine

You bring joy to our lives in so many ways

With your love for Elsa and your 10,000 steps a day

Your walks along the shore in Hawaii's warm embrace

Watching the sunsets so beautiful and feeling so great.

Floating in Kua Bay, when the waves are gentle and mild

Brings such happiness you can't help but smile.

You love Zabar bagels and chocolate chip cookies, too

With every bite,  we know how much we mean to you.

And helping kids learn to read with patience and care

Your kindness and wisdom are a gift so rare.

On this special day, we celebrate you

For being the loving step-mom that you are, so true

With gratitude and love, we honor your soul

For making our family beautiful and whole

May your life be filled with joy, love, and light

With Elsa by your side and Hawaii so bright

May you continue to inspire us every day

And shower our lives with blessings in every way.