Here are some good things for a Sunday evening.
1. We had no hurricane damage at all, though we wish we had some rain. We are concerned for friends in Houston with no power, and friends in the midwest who have had to deal with some terrible winds and rains as Ike moves through.
2. This happened to Beccano, so no wonder he's smiling in the picture: his English teacher asked a few kids, including him, to write their reactions to an Amy Tan reading on overheads. He said he would, as long as his name wasn't on it, fearing a lot of criticism. The teacher then put his up, and said, "Well, I was going to point our how all these essays could be improved, but I really can't think of any way to improve this one. It's great the way it is." This, my friends, is the first positive encouragement I can remember him receiving in an academic class. He really IS a good writer, and I am glad he is showing it.
3. We have been having some lovely cloud patterns. Last Tuesday as we came out of guitar lessons, Lee, Bec and I were transfixed by an arrangements of all kinds of clouds, with the sun partially obscured by a misty one. All the sky looked like shades of silver. And then on Friday night, the kids came back from a fast food run, and both of them ran in and said, "Some outside and see the sky!" It was all pink, everywhere, then turned purple. You really can't have done a bad job raising boys if they come in and tell you the sky is pretty.
4. I have figured out something with singing, and suddenly have a lot more power. I have opened up somewhere. Yay me.
5. I saw a roadrunner today on the way to Austin's house for a rehearsal. You don't see many of them around here now that so many houses and development has cropped up.
6. Beccano has been interested in paisley patterns lately, with an idea of painting a guitar with them. We got one of those Dover Press books of paisleys, and he drew me a really lovely flowered paisley border based on some of the ones in the book. What a fun gift!
See, there are many little good things around. I am needing to work on boundaries, though, because I am really affected by some deaths in the families of friends, local and online. And I really have been worried about stories of storm damage. I just worry about people.
3 comments:
thank heavens for clouds, and pretty colors. they are an excellent reminder of all that is right with being here on earth.
Glad B's teacher was kind- how awful that he's been burned in that way before.
Suna, it's wonderful to hear you with so much good news. Glad Kathy's New Yorker comment got me over here : )
Marilyn
Your comment on B's English teacher made me think of something I find interesting in my son's curricullum. This year (6th grade) they are concentrating on the student's "voice" in their writing. There are a couple parents that are critical of this, thinking the kids need to concentrate more on grammar. (which is also covered) Personally, I think voice is important. How many people get so disenheartened by the red marks for grammar and spelling that they stop sharing their wonderful ideas? I love seeing encouraging teachers.
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