Dinosaur Tracks

We went on a very quick family vacation this weekend. We drove to an area of our state that is suppose to have dinosaur tracks. We got there and asked a couple of people for directions. The second person really made me feel very welcome. Phrases like the ranchers want to blast the prints to get rid of the tourists; ranchers don't like the tourists coming. Made me wonder if we were going to end up in a situation out of "Deliverance".

Once we made it to the creek bed we wandered around not finding any tracks. We gave the girls lessons in geology and wilderness safety. They really enjoyed tramping through the dried up creek bed. I was disappointed that the prints weren't in view. So we packed the kids up and went on to the next state where they have dinosaur prints and use them as a tourist draw.

While we drove we got the girls singing songs. After one song DQ asked her father, "Is there another virgin of that song?" Well I wasn't very good at keeping the giggles at bay. I laughed for several miles.

Yesterday we ended our trip with a drive through Palo Duro canyon. It was beautiful. Passionfruit and I tried to go there once before ten years ago but there was such a sand storm going on that we aborted that trip and went on to New Mexico.

It was a great time. I really enjoyed our little excursion.

Work on a Saturday at the college

I'm sitting at the reference desk today. It's our special orientation day for new students. Half the librarians are over in the main building grabbing students to issue them their print cards. Students and parents are wandering all over the campus trying to get their bearings.

What I find so interesting is the wide range of individuals walking past my desk. I only started this blog after watching a young woman walk past who so obviously was working hard to walk like a tough nut. To smile for her would have meant to break her face.

Next, it's really interesting the diverse parents who play a role in this day. There are the mothers who lead their young adult around like a mother duck with her ducklings. Then there are the mothers who attempt to not be involved. They come to the library and sit reading a book waiting for their child to return from the various activities. Then there are the mother daughter teams. You can tell they have a good relationship. The child and parent are interested in the things being offered but the mom is pretty cool about not smothering the child. Of course not to be forgotten is the lone mother coming because she can't get her child to come.

I've just come back from the main building. It's very quiet. Nothing like last year. Maybe the weather is keeping people away. I don't know. While I was over there I took the role of the carnie hawker. You know, "GETTCHAYAR HOTDOG!" Only my call was, "GETTCHAYAR PRINT CARD!" Wonder how many cards they'll give out now that I'm gone. I'll wonder over later to see what's going on.

Back to school and all its frustrations

The first day of school was yesterday. DQ started 2nd grade and ST started 1st grade. The girls were terribly excited to be returning to school. I think ST will have a better year. The school is now a familiar place. She has friends there from last year. DQ is thrilled to be in a class room that was a originally the teachers' lounge. I as the mother am not thrilled because the room was not design as a class room.

When we went to meet the teacher night last Friday, the room that DQ is in was very difficult to get into. A long narrow passage leads into the room. Parents and kids were backed up in this confined space. Now as I write this I worry about a fire. Will that class be able to remain calm enough to traverse this space and get out? Okay, I better stop worrying about that.

This morning I was treated to a wonderful struggle of wills with MI. We had breakfast at the school this morning. MI did not want to leave. She wanted to stay. I tried to make it sound good for her to go to preschool but she didn't think it was grand at all to be the oldest in preschool. She didn't like the idea of having to be the role model for the younger kids. She wanted to be in Kindergarten. From now on I'm dropping my little munchkins off at the door.

To top it all off when I finally got MI into the car and buckled up we got behind an individual who felt she was above the traffic sign informing her that only a right turn during this morning rush is allowed. Oh how I wish the cops would sit there and hand out tickets. But we live in a suburb and the school is located in the city. The school belongs to the county but resides in the city so I fear the city doesn't feel all that compelled to patrol the area. In fact one never sees the city police in the area. Those houses in the area are frequently burgalerized. I hear the mothers talking about how they were robbed last night. Another says, "Yes, we were robbed last night, too." If it were me living in that area I would certainly be complaining. I mean the way they talk about it is so casual, so matter of factly. They are resigned to being victims.

My friend QueenBee has a blog entry about the commonness of our culture. Isn't the above another example of people accepting bad behavior? What a soapbox I've become. Someday I'll have something funny to write but not today. Today I'm just too frustrated.