September

Th sun is setting earlier each day.

This week school starts- too soon! We change to a new routine for fall. Everyone at our house, except me, has to be up and out before 7 am. This will be an adjustment.

I don't have a routine now. Even less than unusual, as our patient census has been unusually low for several weeks. I frequently get calls in the late afternoon asking me not to come in for the night. This often involves "reallocating" (changing to a poorly staffed shift in the future days or weeks). I am weary of this as it makes planning my sleep schedule difficult. But my part time status, and lack of complications such as childcare, make this easier for me than for most.

Now that the sun sets earlier and we are inside more I am looking at the many household projects to be done. Discard and Prioritize are the words of the week.

This really is Ramblings

Shalom

Carol

Summers End

With multiple schedule changes at work, and young adults coming and going, I really haven't thought too much about the seasons. But now I am starting to realize the summer is almost over. Linda had her first day of teachers meetings for student teaching Tuesday. Steven is in the process of riding to cedar campus to help cook for their labor day weekend bike ride/fund-raiser.

Julie still has to register for school later this week, that means I have to fill out all those forms. We haven't really done anything to get ready for school. and we have to think about schedules, and transportation, , and sleeping at night instead of late into the morning.

We are enjoying the beautiful weather, and mark is appreciating the earlier sunset/ darkness as he is still working long hours. I went to the market this morning and along with all the usual summer fruits vegetables and berries, there was squash, that made me think of fall.

The hammock is on our front porch, and the chairs in front of a neighbors house.

Shalom

Carol

The Boys are Back in Town

Wasn't that a song title way back when?

Well the bus, in the form of Linda and her van, went to get them Wednesday in north central North Dakota. Then they drove though the night, arriving back Thursday afternoon. Jason has to be back for school Monday. Steven was ready to be done. They rode over 1200 miles, and faced a headwind most of the way. Usually there is a tailwind when you are riding west to east.

Jarrad wants to finish what he started. He will continue on, to be joined by Monty and Carrissa. They will take turns driving and riding with him. Currently he is with a guy from Texas who is riding across the US while waiting his Bar exam results. The guys have been riding with him for a while. Haven't heard to many stories yet, guys that age are so communicative you know.

Uptown

After riding the trolley, and then walking around the uptown

area, I am reminded of all it has to offer. Not only the businesses, but also the architecture and other evidence of great diversity.

I want to start taking photos of the area, great for honing my photography skills. Also a way to become even more acquainted with my community, and get some exercise.

Shalom

Education

I ran across this article on a facebook. and found It quite thought provoking. In working in my kids schools when they were younger, I did notice the real disparity between the children who's families value education and those who did not.
These are excerpts from the column.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Biggest Issue - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com David Brooks
Source: www.nytimes.com
America’s stagnation in educational progress threatens the country’s long-term economic and sociological prospects.
Between 1870 and 1950, the average American’s level of education rose by 0.8 years per decade. In 1890, the average adult had completed about 8 years of schooling. By 1900, the average American had 8.8 years. By 1910, it was 9.6 years, and by 1960, it was nearly 14 years.

America’s edge boosted productivity and growth. But the happy era ended around 1970 when America’s educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments stagnated completely. Since then, progress has been modest. America’s lead over its economic rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many nations surging ahead in school attainment.


In “Schools, Skills and Synapses,” Heckman probes the sources of that decline. It’s not falling school quality, he argues. Nor is it primarily a shortage of funding or rising college tuition costs. Instead, Heckman directs attention at family environments, which have deteriorated over the past 40 years.
Heckman points out that big gaps in educational attainment are present at age 5. Some children are bathed in an atmosphere that promotes human capital development and, increasingly, more are not. By 5, it is possible to predict, with depressing accuracy, who will complete high school and college and who won’t.

The wheels on the bike go round and round.

After a discouraging start, 3 flat tires the first day out, the guys are having a great trip through the mountains. They seem to be enjoying themselves, and call frequently.
Back home the wheels of life keep turning. Yesterday I had a relaxing day at the beach with Julie and friends, before coming back to listen to the rain and storm. I'm enjoying the cooler weather today. Julie got her permit this week- so look out world. Linda will be coming back to G.R. soon.
I am looking foreword to watching the Olympics, starting this weekend.

Shalom
Carol

Adventure

Steven, Jason, and Jarrad left this morning for their biking adventure. This evening they plan to dip their back tires in Puget Sound, before starting toward the mountains in the morning.

The picture is prentiss bay, lake huron. Probably a more wild seashore than they will see.

It is a bit scary, as a mom, to see them take off like this. But they have planned, and looked foreword to this adventure. So we send them off in the Lord's Hands. Now we wait to see what they share later about their travels. And of course there are the predictions by the parents about how far they will actually make it in the time before school starts.

Happy Trails