Weekend

Maygen's exhibit opened at the Pratt Museum. It was followed by dinner and drinks at Lands End. Wait! Why was I not in this picture and Beezer behind the camera? It was a very exciting opening and very successful. I'll add more photography later in the weekend.

Some Semblance of Normalcy

It has been a fantastic false spring here in the North.  The sun has shined every day.  Even on the days that have seen snowfall, the afternoons have been reminiscent of Taos; the sun has come out and the warmth has melted the snow and given the ducks plenty of mud to muck around in.

This weather has been a gift to my psyche.  It has allowed me to not feel forced to focus on the endless Homer grey and instead to continue work on finding creative solutions to the problems which persist. 

Problems?  In the Greear Family?  I know.  It just doesn't seem possible and yet...  For instance, the least of our troubles, housework.  Not one person in the house is attached to keeping it up.  We have talked about the problem at length.  We have all agreed that we must all take responsibility for not living in squaller.  Last night I created job charts and we talked about the incentive program.  A week ago we agreed that the incentive was $2.50 a week.  Last night, when in a teacher's voice, trying to be reflective of conversations past, I asked what their incentive was,  Falcom said, "$2.00!"  Marina said, "$10.00" and Willie said, "You know, whatever." 

Vince was shaking his head in frustration.  I laughed and said, "Another perfect example of the Greear Family dynamic."  He began laughing and agreed.

Problems at school have begun to reappear.  I am mildly anxious about it.  OK!  Maybe more than a bit anxious.  One good thing though is that I have actually been hearing from the school that Falcom has been in negative interactions and that things are being done about it.  This is a positive step.  Meanwhile I continue investigating all avenues of future possibilities. 

This includes the trip to California we will be making in July for him to attend a week long vocal intensive program at the Oakland School of Performing Arts.  He has applied for a scholarship which he will interview for next week.  I hope this week of singing with other people who can sing broadens his horizons and builds self esteem.  I will keep all of you posted.

Meanwhile, the Brownie troop has been very busy.  Last week we took a field trip to the McNeil Canyon fire hall where we were given a full tour and access to the facility.  This is a picture of Marina in the very ambulance that I visited during my truck accident two years ago!  What delight I felt when she stuck her head out and relived the entire event for all the children and adults who were standing around.  Thank you darling for displaying your amazing talent at recall and outstanding verbal skills!  Oh, yes, then to relive the electrical fire that the ambulance had while I was strapped down to a board and laying in there alone, watching, as it filled with smoke.  Thank you Marina.

That Saturday we were off to the Women of Science Girl Scout event in Kenai.  The girls saw presentations by women scientists.  Below is a photo of Marina creating a rocket with the Challenger Learning Center staff.

 Afterwords, we drove to the Nikiski Pool where the girls spent their cookie money on fun filled four hours of non stop sliding, splashing, and swimming.  Thanks troop for being such a great bunch of super fun girls.

 Whose birthday was going on while I was tromping our troop all over the Peninsula?  That would be Vince.  Another year rolls by, and once again his adoring wife comes up with no special horn blowing celebration.   Fortunately, Maygen made him a fantastic maple cheesecake and Nikki, Jason, and Valda were able to join us for a smashing Sunday dinner.

My birthday celebration problems are not due to my lack of caring or disinterest in birthdays.  Oh no!  I spent the day brainstorming what to do for the guy.  During our Girl Scout field trip my Boat Captain friend, Beezer, suggested we stop at every bar on the way back to Homer and pick Vince up a drink chip.  I thought this would be a funny gift, letting him know that I was indeed thinking of him, but Mrs. Middleton felt that this would be very unbecoming behavior for a car full of Girl Scouts.  I am so fortunate to have her as a moral compass!

We did have a great celebration and enjoyed the company of long time friends, new friends and cute babies.

Another hour has floated by.  I must stand up from the computer and get out to walk in the sunshine.  This is Homer!  And, like all things, I must enjoy it while I have it...

Marina in the Gallery

First Friday art exhibit! Featuring Marina at the Pratt Museum!

Troubling Times

Falcom and Vince preparing for his show last November

This month I have been forced to unleash the more dominate force of my personality to try to take care of an extremely bad bullying problem that Falcom has been facing at school.

I just happened to be at school kissing Marina when I witnessed Falcom fleeing the lunchroom to sob in the bathroom.

Let's just say that my response was less than demure; but, as my friend Charlotte told me once, "you are not a loose cannon. You are a very powerful, well aimed firearm."

No, the troopers were not called. I wish they had been so that I could have made the paper. I would really like for every person in our school district to be aware that homophobic bullying is sexual harassment and that to participate in calling someone names like "fag" or "faggot" will result in a three day suspension. You see, the school district can not tell the kids this policy because it may be construed as "sex education" or "promoting a deviant lifestyle" or whatever. And honestly, who reads the student handbook at the beginning of each school year so that the kids will know?

The truth is that statistics show that because of bullying, 1 out of 3 gay or questioning youth attempt suicide and of that 30 percent 80 percent of those try more than once. I won't begin to try to tell you about long term depression statistics, high risk behavior, or drug and alcohol abuse statistics for this population. I think you can imagine.

This is not just about gender nonconforming children.  There was a school shooting somewhere just this week!  Studies show that children are not turning sympathy into the ability to feel empathy as they mature.  Is it because of video games, Internet, or lack of health curriculum?  I am not sure.  I do know that the only way to raise brave children who will stand up to bullys is by teaching them how to feel empathy and how to be courageous. 

Is there a bullying situation that is happening at your child's school or in your child's life?  Please, don't just stand by and watch;  reach out and get help. The statistics are too alarming to ignore.

Things seem to be improving now for Falcom. This does not mean that I am able to relax and retract back into my happy hippy girl state. Oh...no...I'm still locked and loaded.

Marina's First Foray into Fruit Art

We are now enjoying fruit salad!

This Week

Yesterday Willie was working on his homework.  He had to write an current event piece for his science class.  I said, "I just read one for my science class check it out!"  He read the article about a car sized asteroid hurling though space and passing right next to Earth.  I then asked him why this would be important enough to earn an article on Fox News.  He stared at me blankly.  "It was an asteroid similar to the one that caused the dinosaurs to become extinct."  I said.  The following round of input ensued.

Willie:  "So, if that asteroid would have hit the Earth dinosaurs would have gone extinct again?"
Marina:  "NO!  She is telling us that if the asteroid had hit the Earth WE would be extinct!"
Falcom:  "I don't want to be extinct!"

Willie's Robot....Gift to Mema's Garden

I started laughing.  I didn't pee myself, but it was close.  All three of them displaying the true nature of their character in one interaction.  I still laugh thinking of it today.

Valda turned 72 on Saturday.  She doesn't like to make a thing out of it so she never tells anyone.  Vince always finds out by accident and we scramble to do something fun.  Three years ago he called me on his way home from town and said, "It's Valda's birthday and I'm stopping by Fritz Creek for cakes, find some candles."  The only candles I had were a 6 and a 9.  We put them on the cupcakes and pecan bars and pie and Valda came in and said, "How did you know I was 69?"  When she turned 70 she was in Africa having brunch near a group of hippos. 

This year he found out a day early and Vince decided that we should surprise her for breakfast.  We took all the components for breakfast over to her house before she woke up.  We put the biscuits in the oven and waited for her to come out.  We heard her moving around back there.  We sat on the couch and we waited.  We waited.  And we waited.  Finally Vince took Willie's cell phone and called Valda's house.  Valda came out and walked straight to the phone, past the oven which was on, past the eggs and vegetables waiting to be cooked.  "Hello. Hello."  She said.  I was laughing so hard, we all were laughing so hard.  It didn't register to her that anything was wrong.  Then she looked over at us and we were all laughing and saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" 

She started laughing!  We had a great time all day laughing and telling how we surprised Valda.  Marge said, "What would you have done if she had come out naked?"  Vince said, "Closed our eyes tight and when she walked back into her room gotten the heck out of here!"

We love you Valda!

Another Fantastic Anthem!

Today Falcom was asked to sing the National Anthem for the Homer Mites hockey game. Great Job! I can't upload the entire movie through touch, but I think you get the point.