My random thoughts on a hodge podge of things that went on this weekend...
Kara is really getting more comfortable driving the Tacoma! Almost every time she drives it, someone in a car pulls up and said, "Wow, are you learning to drive a stick? Good for you!". The last guy said, in closing, "You'll be able to survive the apocalypse!"
She comfortably making her way through the neighborhood next to the Buena High School parking lots.
She's smart and is picking it up quickly. Will it stick? Will she keep the truck as hers? Or will I have to sell it and get something else? Time will tell...
I also did a short Hall Canyon hike with Walt, Jen, Sheila, Kari, and Barb Zerbe. We went up about 2 miles and then hiked back. It got a bit hot for Walt, but I really enjoy the hike here. We saw a lady who used to work at Ventura High who I've talked to before in the stands at a football game. She volunteers there, and was showing me an app called "Merlin" that will listen to sounds in nature and tell you what type of bird/animal is making the sound.
It's pretty awesome. I'll be testing that out soon, along with the one my mom uses called "Seek'.
Next up was the Cinco de Mayo + Mother's Day celebration at Encanto Living - the residential care facility that cares for my dad. All of the mother's had a plaque filled with pictures and a little biography of each.
We had a catered lunch, and Miriam planned a game that uses cards as prompts to create group discussion.
Spike, one of the residents, went on a rant about how he doesn't "understand the women of America", because he's been divorced 4 times and he just can't understand why or how that has happened to him. :)
Ah well, he's got dementia and is in pretty bad shape. It was hilarious because Miriam had to distract him and move on to the next person. Everybody was laughing.
The was also a really good Mariachi singer. She was great and really did a good job and holding everyone's attention for an hour.
Couple final things...
During Jen's admin leave from VHS, she "re-did" our entire stairway banister. She found a YouTube video that taught her how to remove the finish coat, do minimal sanding, and stain the top of the banister, and then pain the vertical poles white. It looks great! She finished that this weekend just in the nick of time for going back to school.
And finally... Walt has been at it again, destroying the "drip system" sprinkler spickets AGAIN! I had to go to Green Thumb and buy some chicken wire plant root protectors to put OVER the little spickets (after fixing them). Now he can't easily destroy them. He could if he really tried, but I don't think he knows that yet. :)