Saturday, May 23, 2009

Simple Saturday

Remember when we looked at Saturday almost like Christmas. This magical day when we could sleep in pass the alarm. A day we knew there would be no classes, no homework and we could stay up so late… way pass the late news.

090523 Simple Saturday

It was also the day for clean sheets on the beds and the fresh smell of Pine-sol on the floors.

Sounds of a pinging bell from the Texaco Station across the street would float through the open window along with the intoxicating fumes of freshly pumped gasoline. There would several young boys with their rides (cars) parked near the work bays with the hoods up, standing look deep within the innards of the auto. Mack, the “auto guy”, would help these boys with changing spark plugs or tightening belts. Sometimes, we would see one of the younger boys run to a pump to help pump the gas for Mack, while he worked his magic under the hood so the boys could “cruise” later that evening along the “drag.”

Oh yes, these were the Simple Saturdays! Yes there are times I really long for those Simple days again.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Blessings

Lily of the Valley Crocus

Signs that the long Sleep of Winter is over.

Life returns to a slumbering earth.

Bridial Wreath Those in love begin to think of wedding bells

Poppy buds

The first signs that the warmth of Summer is just around the bend.

Poppies in bloom

From the first glimpse of Poppy buds, my heart seems to pump just a little faster. I know that soon the Rice Paper like petals will soon blaze their Orange glow across the edge of our lawn.

For weeks I have not allowed anyone near the tender shoots with weed choppers or mowers for fear of losing the beauty about to be born here and having to wait another 365 days.

Oddly there are no imperfect blooms. Just the glowing orange red with the deep purple eyes greeting the warm Sun of Spring. Large PoppySadly it seems I am not the only one who waits for this Heavenly display each Spring. As I try to daily chronicle the progress of each bud to bloom, with hopes that they will form seed pods to insure next year field of splendor, I notice large holes where entire plant has either been ripped or dug from their home.

To whom ever is in such dire need of this Gift from God, they have a surprise as these flowers can not be transplanted and  grow only from the sowing of their seeds. I doubt that they , whom ever they are, will even read this much less any thing to learn about Poppies.

So I will try yet again, as God will allow, to wait until next Spring to count His blessings in my field of Orange.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Two Wrongs Do Not Make One Right

Do not hide your wrong doings behind our children. Imagine where they could be today had you not done away with these programs in the first place.

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For as long as I can remember my home town, Michigan City, Indiana, offered career courses at our high school.

I grew up with Isaac C. Elston High School and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic High School as the only available institutions of higher learning before either college or entrance into the work-world.

At Elston (City) there were “Shop” courses offered in Automotive as well as Machines. While not wanted to stoop to the “Back in my day…”, but in the late 1950s and early 1960s a young man or woman could graduate high school and be equipped to enter a job in a factory, office or even begin a family having taken Home Economics, typing, shorthand and bookkeeping, as well as be ready to head to college.

The A.K. Smith Center, was home to a complete auto shop where students as well as residents could take their cars to be worked on, from oil changes to complete transmissions replaced.

It was in the early 1990s that teachers as school administrators decided that these types of courses were not pertinent for our young people as to preparing them for life after school. Not everyone is potential college material. Not everyone wants to be college material. But in not preparing our young to take a place in society unless they go to college, we have built generations of seemingly hopeless and helpless citizens. We have equated their value to a piece of paper that in many cases is not even worth the ink it is printed with. 

Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) has a history, recent history, of not really providing a well rounded education for the children of the school district. More worried about appearance then content.

Now, unable to admit they, (Administrators and teachers) rushed to eliminate programs that helped equip young people to enter into a work-world, they added to the fry many students that are presented a diploma that may not have the skills needed to read said diploma or even understand what that parcel of paper signifies beyond “party time.”

Shame on all of you who now hide behind the banner of wanting to help the “children”, when you have been far more involved with – class size, number of “teacher days” or what ever has preoccupied your thoughts while children have sat in classes un-taught and learning that no one really cares.

You also want the Taxpayers in the MCAS to give you the go-ahead to spend nearly $40 million dollars to rectify your screw-ups.

We all love these children and know that are not just our future, they are our NOW! But two wrongs will not make this or anything else right.

Vote NO on Tuesday, May 19!