Monday's Blog; Kids are thankful too

Time has passed quickly since our American Thanksgiving holiday. All of the hullabaloo has settled down, there is now time to reflect. At our family's table this year we touched lightly on the question of gratitude, directing most of our table talk to catching up with each other and assessing the future as they see it at home, in the country and world wide.

During my quiet moments since then, I found myself reflecting on the many years of family celebrations and our children and grandchildren as they grew and developed.  How clearly I remember their responses to the query, what are you thankful on this day?  The answers in their very early years mentioned material goods, family members, the love of family, pets, and friends. certainly descent responses for young toddlers. As they grew up the responses around the table became more mature, farther reaching and confident.  I wondered what current trends around other tables would be in these days of fast-paced schedules, the world at our finger tips and easy access to internet connected devices.  I was not disappointed. The answers indicate growing awareness of children concerning world events, the issues surrounding environmental concerns, leadership and governance world wide. 

With Google under my finger tips, I searched for "what children are thankful for on Thanksgiving?" The result?...About 2,780,000 results (0.67 seconds.)  I found that by dipping into comments of those of younger ages, 2-12  reflected updated changes in their gratitude, wishes and desires. 
Some examples;

  Jack is age 5

"I am thankful to be in this world" -- Alak, age 9

     "I am thankful for the doctor who fixed my heart" 

-- Jillian age 12

And one boy, Amir, --age 10 expressing gratitude that some people were 

taking care of homeless and migrant people suffering world wide. 

Monday's Blog; Back on Their Legs-Issues of Mobility

The need to center on material not related to the angst of the current political climate, I sat down with some of the magazines on the my to read pile.  Near the top of the pile, I picked up Family Motor Coaching, Nov, 2016.  It is one of the magazines that helps us RVers keep up with news shared by wheel ready vagabonds traveling down the road.

As usual with seniors like myself, I am very tuned into the issues of mobility, getting around on two feet or adopting the means to help us move about; At times, I have joined the ranks of those needing canes, walkers, wheelchairs or scooters. (I am a lucky one at this time, regaining my agility and ability to move well, unsupported). Therefore, one article in particular caught my attention as published in Family Motor Coach Magazine, Nov. 2016 and written by John Johnston, Associate Editor of the magazine.  It is entitled, FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH.
The hero of the story is an RVer whose story is of yet another strong willed soul learning to conquer and overcome adverse events in his life.  I paraphrase from this dramatic article hoping this will be helpful both to humans and pets of those animal lovers among us. 

In the 70's at 20 years of age while working in a fertilizer plant, Ronnie heroically stepped between 2 railroad cars setting a brake, thusly preventing a major injury to a foreman. Knocked down by the blow, a wheel ran over one of Ronnie's legs, leaving him in grave peril. He amazingly saved his own life, but not one of his legs. After enduring leg surgery and amputation, he walked out of the hospital with the support of a cane and worked many jobs, eventually teaming up with his dad driving tractor trailers across the country, until a trucking strike changed his life and led him to an amazing career. Sporting a new prosthesis with the support of the state of Florida's vocational rehab program, he tested off the charts showing a tremendous ability in mechanical skills.

On he went from the bottom up in the prosthetics industry. He married after meeting a lovely woman on the dance floor and together they celebrate a long landmark career in prosthetic design. He became an inventor as well, developing a skin like cosmetic product for prostheses and with his wife started a successful business; Prosthetics Research Specialists Inc.  They began their new life style in a tent slowly advancing to a motor home and beyond. 

But that is not all. A friend shared with him a "sad story of her horse who had ruined a knee after stepping in a hole. Euthanizing was out of the realm of acceptable. Could Ronnie make a knee brace for the animal? Again, the inventor, innovator and thorough researcher was successful in making such a brace and now runs another incredible business having helped a large variety (!) of species get back on their feet.  For the sake of my promise for brevity in this blog, I just wanted to share this amazing couples' story and amazing career, (perhaps as a modern day Noah of biblical fame, saving human and wildlife from peril) laced with courage, determination and the skills needed to regain the ability to be independent and active. I hope so much to meet these RVers somewhere down the road. 

Monday's Blog; Forty Days and Forty Nights

This past week in the Jewish world, we read the story of Noah. You know, the miraculous ark that carried a multitude of wildlife, perhaps the most wild, the humans on board--Noah and family. It would not surprise me, if indeed a higher power becoming oppressed and obsessed to the breaking point by the news of the last few years, would issue a new divine decree appointing a modern day Noah to repeat the shipbuilding task to float on the waters of the flooded earth. The story is familiar to many people world round. The text continues to say But G-d chose to shut the door, not leaving the action to Noah. 

Would the story of the destruction of mankind in our age repeat the outcome, as Noah and family and the multitudes of wildlife disembark together after flood?  Only this time, would the divine being shut the door shutting the modern Noah and fam out to be destroyed, leaving the new world in the hands of the wild things that will survive, devoid of humans and the strife we bring on earth.

Our country is demoralized, friendships lost over political upheavals, people fearing for the future. Our image is globally diminishing as fear of the evolution of financial, social, environmental, security and safety issues overwhelm us as we witness the growth of the worldly degradation of humanity. Distrust rears its ugly head around the world.  It has cost us all as people from around the globe endlessly question and ridicule our national sanity, in the face of great campaign costs, financially and emotionally, but more costly is the tarnished glory of democracy and the destruction of the ability to progress in governing and working toward improving our lives. 


When the door of the modern ark opens once again, will the creatures disembark upon a world of peace and sanity, devoid of human life or will the Garden of Eden's serpent rear it's powerful head once again? 

Monday's Blog; A Little Levity for a minute

Most people, when making restaurant reservations may request a table by the window or on the deck, perhaps in a quieter location or concerning building accessibility or inquire about options for special diet needs. I have added another query asking about the availability of cushioned chairs. More than half of the restaurants in my experience have hard wood or other solid surface chairs and no loose cushions available for ease of bottom or back comfort. 

Do I have company out there?  Many folks that I have questioned in a very informal pole, have reported difficulty with hard seats because of back pain, leg pain, and sore sit bones after an hour or two of dining. Luckily, I have encountered a positive response when asking if soft or cushioned seats can be substituted for the hard and tortuous chairs. Those who don't have any usually say, "that is a good idea, we should do that." But do they?

Maybe this stack would work!

It is not a surprise that designing a restaurant is indeed a well thought out "science;" about lighting, table placement and spacing and so many other details.  Perhaps hard surface seating is desirable to make sure each table top is well and fully utilized when crowds are expected. 
When I remember, I carry a cushion or sit on a jacket or sweater otherwise carried to fend off the cold air conditioning that is so intense in public spaces. Hmmm, a subject for another day. Hopefully, this is a short intermission from this insane period in our political lives, a bit of levity. Feedback welcome. Happy dining. 

Monday's Blog; The Wax Witch

Monday's Blog; Dancing Stripes

(A day late but life is full.) I can't shake from my mind the memories in the aftermath of our visit to S. Africa, not that I want to shake them away. The wildlife is, of course as spectacular as the people. This is not a revelation. Last week, I wrote a bit about the people.  In conversation, the questions of favorites always arises and I usually side step the question because picking one of anything is daunting, So I ramble on and attempt to sum up what may be favorites. 

Truly, my lifetime of delving into photography, art, design and the visual world influences my every thought. The strong patterning, my lean toward the contrasting tones and my love for black and white and the beauty and grace of the Zebra (pronounced Zehbra in the areas we visited) is powerful to me. Supporting the intent of my blog to be brief but with a message to share, I will simply share some of my photos of the zebra as seen in South Africa. I learned that as with every species in nature, there are many sub species and variations. It is so with the zebra, sometimes displaying brown tones in the stripes and in other physical characteristics. However, they remain distinctly "Zebra-like" and easily identifiable unlike the antelope family for instance featuring subtle nuances of difference and variation; eye candy for sure.

Face to face with the residents of Zimbabwe

More about my travels to South Africa, this blog centered in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). After a total fill of the wildlife as I have written before, we enjoyed many hours of "face time" interacting with the people, to get to know them, learn first hand about their lives and to visit and observe life in the towns and villages.

OAT, (Overseas Adventure Travel) is noted, among other activities for offering a Day in the Life, a chance to visit people in their spaces.  At the school we were greeted by the total student body singing and dancing for our entertainment and admiration. We met with the principal and several teachers to hear about their full curriculum, full classrooms and how they meet the challenges before them.

We then visited various classroom where each of us met small groups of students for discussion and dialogue.  How very ambitious the children are, most hoping to attend university and enjoy a career that a few years ago would not be within their reach, especially for women. most often in the sciences, medicine or social services. 

 A drum circle in another community

The whole school sang and danced upon our arrival

More song

children sing for us

It is common for village children to attend schools that are distant, demanding long and grueling walks to and from school for children of all ages. We see them walking as we drive by carrying heavy backpacks in all kinds of weather.  After school, they must return home and attend to their chores in the village. 

Briefings were offered about life in a village describing the typical physical layout of the buildings and farmland, the political structure including the chief, his assistant and the roles of the men, the women and the children as they carry out their daily routines.  They all face the hardships, the terrible effects of the severe drought throughout much of the South. 

In Hwange village, we joined the villagers in the community common area--the BOMA, a round peaked roofed building where meetings, rituals and community events are held. Each villager starting with the chief, the assistant to the chief and then the woman and children spoke to us of their lives and wants and needs. We in turn shared our lives with them. Most of the men were out tending to their chores, the boys left to play soccer or tend to the goats.

The boma

Inside the Boma

demo grinding the polenta. We were next

Want to give him a hug

Some of the boys

He stayed at my side, clinging to me

Finally we walked around the village to see the animals, the chicken coop, the homes (children's, parents and grandparents) and the silo. Sadly the silo was empty, sad as this is harvest time. They are plagued by drought, killing the plants they depend upon. Our group had raised enough funds to purchase and deliver staples to the community, including the precious polenta, flour, sugar, laundry
detergent, personal care items and more. It felt good to be able to help in this real and hands on manner. 

our gifts to the community

As photos tell more, I share images of the school children and the villagers we met in the boma. I can't help but wondering what, especially the children, make of our visit, our gestures and our show of warmth toward them all.