Lesson 952: Rally

Hello, Readers.

Spring is in full bloom,

and Eloise has been fully enjoying it.

However,

during the rush of May,

I am no Golden Tempo.

Eloise is a tired old mare.

I have to Rally!

Just like this sun fighting its way through

the thick, gray clouds,

so must I muster up energy

for all of the year-ending fun.

I Rallied one evening this week

to walk at Headwaters Park.

The Middle School Envirothon

was there this week

and I was reminded 

what a cool park it is.

Head east from the lower parking lot

and you'll find a nice boardwalk for birdwatching.

Birds are cool.

Who doesn't like birds?

Cats.

Cats don't like birds.

This is what my girls did for me for Mother's Day--

A cat making class at

Erie Clay Space.

Natalie's 

For all the cats we've loved.

Ellen's

Well dressed Gus.

Mine.  

Skinny Whitford

Our biggest surprise was

a SURPRISE visit from Jack and Mikayla!

It was fantastic to see them.

On Monday I took a trip to Edinboro

for a Networking session.

Finding more ways to help my students

find success.

While I went on a lunchtime walk

I found Mother Goose and her goslings!

I Rallied the troops this morning

for some environmental lessons outside.

The sun felt so good.

It's been interesting working in a high school

under construction.

I love to watch big projects like this.

There was a dump truck in the gym!

I took another group to CLEER 

to learn about water pollution.

This garland was made from trash

collected from local creeks.

This is what we found on our trash pick up.

Busy weeks at school leave Mrs. Eloise tired.

This afternoon we Rallied

and formed a team 

to join the Road Rally

to support the Unified Sports Bocce Team!

We were the clowns!

The Rally took us to local hot spots.

We completed many tasks--

We gave Ellen the origami.

I got tasked with eating the Hot wing

from The Fiddle in.

I got it down in 12 seconds!

Grandma was our true ace in the race

as she read the supplies list

and took it to heart.

She had the magnifying glass to earn us a bonus point.

I, of course,

had the camera!

Grandma also tossed in our copy of this:

I wrote my own Road Rally--

at the height of the Bill Clinton scandal--

so it had a funny political theme.

Maybe I'll make one again someday

when creativity strikes.

I'm not calling it a Rally though--

sounds distastefully political.

It will be called

The Lamp Post Coddiwomple.

Catchy, 

isn't it?

Eloise

Lesson 951: Out

Hello, Readers

and

Bye bye, Behrend.

LaFurias OUT!

Summer vacay begins today.

The Dobbins Dining hall chairs and tables won't be quite as shiny.

Natalie is Out of work for the summer,

which means Sam is moving back IN.

However, he's out to Whitford Park.

You'll find him most of the summer 

in his park booth passing out basketballs

and serving up snacks.

And warming up in the Outfield

for his last season of American Legion baseball.

This guy LOVES his new basketball

from his favorite Auntie.

Just look at that genuine smile.

It's Prom season,

so the teens are getting their turn

for a fun night Out.

I loved the photo on the front page of the Erie Times.

Doesn't she look like Cinderella?

The Gals had a night Out

looking inward.

Yoga on stage at the Warner,

a flow to the music of a cello and a Baby Grand piano

made me cry.

Natalie's Thursday night Out--
BINGO.

Her Bingo luck charms are growing....

Before we went Out,

we brought her plants in.

My goodness--

we still are having some cold,

wet nights!

I had to move the rabbit watchman to the sunflower section.

I shooed Out a chipmunk

who got inside and ate my seeds and baby plants!

The best news is we got the zinnia seeds we saved from last year

to grow!

Natalie loves taking care of her plants!

Our next challenge is trying to get the 

medicinal magical mullein to grow from its seed.

The bearded iris popped Out!

 

And these flowers from Mr. Lamp Post are IN.

Love flowers inside my home.

Onto more serious matters.

Where is the Outrage?

Let's just keep pretending we don't see this,

because free public education for all

is just too much to fight for.

I ran into an adult I know this week

and she told me,

in all honesty,

that people don't even need to learn how to read anymore.

Computers can read to us

and AI writes for us.....

Gus and Whitford do not approve.

Onto the most serious matter for our locals

that has a larger,

much wider scope.

If you were in our local Starbucks last Saturday morning,

I'm wondering if this story reached you somehow.

If it did---

and you took what the big mouthed man said as the truth--

there is another side to the story.

The tall, dark haired, middle aged man

 caused a scene at the counter

because he felt he didn't receive his coffee quickly enough.

He accused the lady managing the girls' soccer team order

of cutting in line.

I was with my A team,

practicing ordering a drink (Natalie)

and being patient in line (Erik),

and when things escalated,

my mind immediately scanned for a weapon

then looked for an exit and for cover.

Sad.

But true.

A shouting match ensued

between the loudmouth guy

and Team Mom--

with her husband eventually joining in.

The baristas were insulted,

the half a dozen teenaged girls were wide-eyed,

and anyone in the lobby 

was extremely uncomfortable.

After the man stormed out,

the team was ushered to the long table to sit

while Team Mom and Dad 

waited for the rest of the orders.

I walked up to retrieve our drinks

and said to Team Mom

You handled that well.

I was there.

I watched the whole thing.

She was not in the wrong.

I put the A Team in their favorite round chairs by the window--

the one with the little coffee table

that Erik keeps trying to put his feet up on.

I stood with my back to the team

while I manned 

the poor mannered foot-putting.

An uncomfortable hush fell over the table

as the girls sat silently.

Team Mom and Team Dad 

conversed in terse, hushed whispers

Terrible......this place is toxic.....

rude.....

who do people think they are....

never coming here again......

To which a teen girl overheard and started to protest--

but the good teams are here....

Her pleas were met with a strong shushing.

Drink up, Girls.

We have to go.

I debated trying to catch Team Moms eye

and offering up some eye contact

Mom-to-Mom,

to let her know I understood.

But, I thought the better of it to avoid further embarrassment.

I watched them walk out the door and get into two cars....

with ONTARIO license plates.

They were Canadian.

They weren't talking about our Starbucks.

They were talking about us.

Does the U.S. even have an us anymore?

I am going to join Gus

and try to dream of better days ahead.

Lamp Post, Out!

Eloise