The Burrow

I thought it was pretty simple:: Take a plastic cup (no, it didn't matter if you took a red on e or a blue one) Use the big Sharpie to write your name on the cup Make sure Grandma Suzi pokes a hole in the bottom of your cup Fill your cup with soil from a yellow bag Come back and I'll give you an onion or 3 seeds I thought it was pretty obvious: The cups were big and bright 20 oz ribbed plastic If your name isn't on the cup, how will you know it is yours? The hole is either there, or not There were two, bright yellow, 50 qt bags in the garden... and it's not that big a space FILL.... not Put a Little Bit You are not done until you have planted something I'll grant that the hole in the bottom of the cup was counter-intuitive when they were supposed to fill it up, but the hole was made by a small, pointed pruner, not a lot of soil would bleed through, and the water would make its way out of the cup so the plant didn't moulder and die from drown...

The Parent Portal was clear - Amphi Schools WILL be open on Thursday, May 3rd. I was thrilled.  I miss the little ones hugging me and asking for shoelace-tying-help and begging for stickers.  I miss making silly Dr. Seuss sounds in the kindergarten classrooms.  I miss wondering why no one wants to eat the jicama at lunchtime. I am worried about the tomato plant whose olla ball must be sadly empty.  I wonder how the kids with working parents are faring at home, not (I hope) alone.  The Spring Carnival has been rescheduled from Friday to next week; I hope the volunteers can join me.  This walk out has been a logistical nightmare all around. Legislators were in session through the night (the photo of my friend, Rep. Daniel Hernandez Jr, nodding out at 2 am has disappeared from my Facebook feed, otherwise I'd include it right here).  when Noah Karvelis, the #RedForEd activist, was refused the opportunity to speak, Dr. Randy Freise, my representative,...

It's not a strike.  The educators are not at odds with their employers, the various Boards of Education who hired them.  Their issues are with the Legislature, and their walk out is designed to garner attention. It seems to be working.  commondreams.org That's 50,000 educators walking 2 miles in triple digit temperatures last Thursday, the first day of the walk out.  They rallied in front of the state capitol.  They held signs.  They spoke to reporters.  They came back on Friday and again on Monday and again on Tuesday.   They sat in on the Democratic Senate Caucus, absorbing the acronyms and the legalese and the Legislative shorthand. They took notes so they could share the information with their colleagues.  They posted on Facebook groups that have arisen like wildflowers after the rain.   No one is happy about this.  No one wants to extend the school year, or lose a teaching certificate, or leave stud...

Comcast brought the paint and the t-shirts. Prince provided the labor. Kids and parents and grandparents worked together with Dads sometimes carrying an extra burden or two. The ground beneath the swings was given Bobcats full of sand. Then there was the need to rake. Little ones and bigger ones painted the climbing gym. Others posed for Grandma. One of the teachers told me that this was the first time her windows had been washed in all the years she'd been teaching at Prince.   The deep cleaning of the tiles required wearing a backpack and pulling the machine. She was totally into it. Grandkids were part of the package, too. There was something for everyone to do. Weeding the walkway, cleaning the desks, staying out of the way. This is their playground  and they were committed to making it beautiful. Next time someone tells you that teachers are over-paid and underworked, ask them if the...

Because what I really need is another cause, I spent the late afternoon at the administrative offices of the Amphi School District. My favorite Community Organizer invited me to join a small group of like minded volunteers, do-gooders of all ages who are committed to providing a quality education for all our children. I hate meetings. I vowed that I would never willingly attend a meeting once I moved to Tucson. I have refused Board positions which required meetings. But in 2011, after avoiding meetings for 5 wonderful years, I had to represent GRIN  at Beyond! planning events for the Stroll and Roll. It was there I met Mama Meeting. She was coordinating the 40 something groups involved in the event. Her meetings were special.  There were just enough of them, scheduled just when they were needed.  We began on time.  We ended on time.  We stuck to the agenda.  Everyone spoke; no one bloviated.  We accomplished what we set out to, and left wit...