2:04 a.m. - 2003-09-02
Family Ties
Yesterday was a good day. The grandbabies arrived and met the kittens for the first time. We have a barrier for the nursery doorway that rises about halfway. Sitting on the bench for the organ, the grandababies could watch the antics in the nursery to their heart's content without any risk to the kittens. Miss Kitty was standing foursquare in the room, just in case, and graciously allowed a couple of her babies to be petted by our babies. All closely supervised of course. There have been two really serious maulings and one death in the past couple of weeks of very young children by "family pets". Even tonight there was a report on the news of two dogs on leashes out walking with their owner attacking a cat, also on a leash, walking with it's owner. Animals are neither toys nor convenient babysitters for adults to turn their responsibilities over to.
Next, the grandbabies hauled out their Dad's old toys. They sat and played with them while they watched Chip and Dale on Disney, followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Dad had already had them out traveling for a few hours so they were ready for calmer activities when they arrived. Dad was glued to our computer since he doesn't have one of his own. I pulled out a couple of books of family photos - know where you come from. T and M were born a couple of years after my Mom died, so this is the only way they will ever have a chance to know her. As we went through the pictures together, the boys - numbers one, four, and six sons - reminisced and told the babies stories from the photos. After that, my youngest son pulled out some puzzles and sat on the floor with the grandbabies working on them together, while I read the beginning of "The Hobbit" to them for the first time. We got to page thirty before they tired of it. Funny thing was my sons were making certain they stayed nearby where they could listen too. Family time and memories are made from small moments of comfort and togetherness, it doesn't have to be flashy.
Not much going on today - even the streets were really quiet. Everyone doing their last minute preparation for the beginning of fall activities - school starts tomorrow. Lots of commentary in the news the past couple of weeks about how severely cuts in education funding, by the provincial government, have been eroding the ability of the education system to teach our children. The funding cuts have been going on since 1993, but until there were 30 - 40 students (high needs and disabled included) to a classroom the media didn't seem to care. In fact, they were as bad as the province for braying about how incompetent teachers were (not), as an excuse for the damage that's been inflicted. For the past decade, no money for basics like text books, phys. ed equipment or even enough room for the students to be housed in and parents paying increasingly huge fees to help make ends meet. A lot of the volunteer parents (including me) who worked hard to mitigate the damage by fundraising and helping in the classrooms, have been pointing the problems since the attack on our public system began. It has been the policy of the Provincial government to destroy Alberta's social contract with its citizens in every aspect, so their buddies could make big profits. It is children, seniors, those who are physically or mentally ill who have suffered as a result. Still big grants available though for the corporate sector on just about any excuse, though. If you can't vote or can't donate to the provincial governments' campaign coffers then the resources belonging to the people of Alberta are withheld. Stewardship is not a word most of our elected officials can understand. End of rant - for now.
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