Principal For A Day

The rain has stopped, the sky is clearing, and the temperature is supposed to reach almost 70 today.

Our Malamute is howling…he must know that I just took a quick run….I am planning to race in the Tri for the Cure again this year, so it is high time that I start training.

The boys were picked up this morning to go out to breakfast with their Principal and share in her work today.  I took pictures of them getting into her car, of course, they were grinning from ear to ear.  I’ll go to school a bit later to take advantage of another “Photo opp”.  Both boys were planning to wear T-shirts to school today, but I had to nix that idea and coerce them into wearing short sleeve, button down shirts that almost look like I iron…. I only iron for Grandmas(yes…plural)birthdays.

I got the bathrooms cleaned yesterday and the sheets and bedding washed on all of the beds. After a short battle with the comforter, I finally won out getting it stuffed into the duvet cover corner to corner. Anyone with a duvet cover can feel my pain and a little frustration…especially when one is determined to get the darn thing in straight. My plan was to get the clutter around the house picked up yesterday, but I ran out of energy…so…I’ll have to work on that today, as well as exercise the mutts, uncover the veggies, and chase the never ending supply of dog hair down.

Grandma is coming over to eat dinner with us tonight. Hurray!! We are all excited to visit with her and I hope the boys want to share the experiences of their day with us tonight.  I think I’ll make chicken enchiladas, rice and salad….of course, we better have balloons and a cake for our “Principal For A Day” celebration.

I spoke with my mom on the phone yesterday and she told me of some of the random acts of kindness that my grandmother displayed…..My mom’s family is from Oklahoma, and she grew up during the dust bowl and the end of the depression.  From what she told me my grandmother got a call from my grandmother’s sister, who lived over 100 miles away, and was told that they could no longer afford to feed or clothe their daughter. After hearing this my grandmother got in her car and drove over 100 miles on unpaved roads…dust swirling….to pick up my mom’s cousin. Grandma brought Lenora home to live with my mom and her six brothers and sisters.  My grandma even baked a birthday cake for Lenora and that was a real treat since it was the 1930’s and my grandparents were not well to do by any means. My mom is just learning of these acts of kindness….I guess grandma never mentioned any of this to anyone…it was just part of life.  My mom is just as giving and has done so much for so many…

I remember when I was growing up that she was always doing something for people in need. We had a “Mother-in-Law” house attached to ours that my grandma lived in until I was 12…my grandma came out to California from Oklahoma to help take care of me when I was 5 and stayed until I was 12. I walked home from school, had lunch and watched her “Stories” with her every day. Of course that was once I was old enough to walk the 2 1/2 blocks to and  from school, all by myself. After my grandma went home to Oklahoma one of my mom’s students was in need of some help. This student’s family …parents, brother and maybe a sister or two( I can’t remember how many were in the family) had fled Vietnam. They had to leave everything behind…most of their worldly possessions when they fled their Country. My mom moved this family into our “Mother-in-Law” house until the family could get on their feet…boy did my dad hate the smell of Vietnamese food. The scent would waft it’s way through the double doors right into my parent’s room. I don’t remember the smell being horrible, but it was really different. Anyway, I know that my mom unconditionally helped many people…this is just one example…she says she learned  what she lived growing up.  I’ll write more later….hubby is home and needs breakfast…

God Bless…

LLF