Arithmetic Fingers can paint rainbows (and throw-up) shunning responsibility
As our community recovers from fire and mudslide, Mother Nature intervened with a ‘hard freeze’.
Definition: In Santa Barbara, ‘hard freeze’ is defined as overnight and outdoor temperatures somewhere in the 30’s.
The ‘freeze coping’ genes that Nazy and I developed during our time in New Hampshire and Switzerland had become dormant as a result of our current residency. Accordingly, I found an actual sweater and lit the fireplace.
Tiger, unused to limited outdoor time, spent a day or so (finger) painting a new picture.
“It’s very pretty,” Nazy noted when Tiger presented the piece.
“Yes,” I concurred. “It is lovely. Does it have a title?”
“A title?” Tiger asked.
“What’s your painting called?” I asked. “Does it have a name?”
“Rainbow throw-up.” Tiger responded. Descriptively.
Later, I was driving home from school with Tiger. We were talking about arithmetic.
“So, Tiger,” I asked. “What if you have two and two. How many is that all together?”
“Four,” He replied from the backseat.
“How about if your have 5 and take away two? How many are left?”
“Three.”
“Right. Now what if you have twelve and take away two.”
“I can’t do thst, Dan.” He countered.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I only have ten fingers.”
“Ah. But you can use your feet.”
“Yeah. That’s great! Ten left.”
“How about if you have three and take away five?”
“That won’t work Dan,” Tiger astutely replied.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I can’t break my fingers.”
“Did you know, Tiger, that some people can do those problems without using any fingers?”
“How?”
“They count in their heads, Tiger,” I replied. “They use a calculator,” I thought.
Readers of last week’s edition may recall that young Arrow was especially annoyed when a little boy took his (Arrow’s) red ball during music class. I couldn’t return the ball because the little thief’s Mom hadn’t seen him take it. I tried to mollify Arrow with a different red ball, but Arrow was having none of it. We returned to class this week — a week later. It turned out that Arrow remembered the little boy…
“Why is Arrow taking that ball from the kid?” Nazy asked.
“That’s the little boy that took his ball last week,” I replied. “Arrow doesn’t remember the color of the ball, but he does remember the look of the offender.” “Nice move, Arrow. But you shouldn’t have let his Mother see you do it,” I thought as I snapped a photo.
On the weekend, Nazy and I drove to Montecito to get a first hand look at the recovery. Recall that the mudslides occurred about six weeks ago. The village is still devastated. Homes that weren’t destroyed were filled with several feet of mud. People have shoveled the mud outside — forming a wall around their property. It turns out that it’s not easy to find a place to dump the debris …
“ … unless you’re FEMA, Nazy.” I explained. “When they arrived, things started moving. FEMA cleared the 101 Freeway. They knew how to get the disposal permits, they knew where to find the companies with the equipment and skill to clean up, they had a budget to house people. But…”
“But, Dan?” Nazy asked.
“But now they are gone.”
Note: My previous opinion of FEMA, formed in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, was not high. I am, accordingly shocked by their superior performance in this case. (They must be holdovers from the previous administration.)
And, while on the subject of disaster, it’s impossible to not mention the absurd (‘presidental&rsquo
response to the High School shooting tragedy in Florida.
“He wants the teachers to have guns!” Nazy exclaimed. “The shooter had an assault rifle. How is a pistol going..”
“You’re right, Nazy.” I replied. “The teachers should be better armed. I suggest grenades.”
This moronic ‘thought’ will not work. Moreover, have we stooped so low that we want to live in country that needs armed teachers in every high school?
I can (somewhat) understand someone taking a principled position on guns based on the 2nd Amendment. But those people with such expansive views that encourage unfettered access to any kind of gun, by any kind of person, must also accept responsibility for the result this approach delivers: they must accept responsibility for things like school shootings. Blatantly asinine claims that: ‘more guns will make people safer’ are inaccurate and despicable attempts to avoid responsibility. The movement started by the students will finally (if belatedly) change the tide.
Since it is too late for the Republicans in Congress to grow backbones, the solution simple: vote them out! Young men and women, galvanized by the events in Florida will do just that.
When Tiger and I walked from the carport to the front door, a dove, flying from a nearby nest, startled us. It turns out that the nest was ..
“… very nearby, Nazy.” I explained. “It’s in one of the flower pots right outside the door.”
“That’s …”
“ …. a pretty stupid place to put a nest,” I interrupted.
“I think that the crows on the other side of the house scared them.” Nazy replied.
Nazy, by the way, has resumed her painting. She hopes to complete her current piece (which is not called ‘rainbow throw’up&rsquo in a couple of days.
Definition: In Santa Barbara, ‘hard freeze’ is defined as overnight and outdoor temperatures somewhere in the 30’s.
The ‘freeze coping’ genes that Nazy and I developed during our time in New Hampshire and Switzerland had become dormant as a result of our current residency. Accordingly, I found an actual sweater and lit the fireplace.
Tiger, unused to limited outdoor time, spent a day or so (finger) painting a new picture.
“It’s very pretty,” Nazy noted when Tiger presented the piece.
“Yes,” I concurred. “It is lovely. Does it have a title?”
“A title?” Tiger asked.
“What’s your painting called?” I asked. “Does it have a name?”
“Rainbow throw-up.” Tiger responded. Descriptively.
Later, I was driving home from school with Tiger. We were talking about arithmetic.
“So, Tiger,” I asked. “What if you have two and two. How many is that all together?”
“Four,” He replied from the backseat.
“How about if your have 5 and take away two? How many are left?”
“Three.”
“Right. Now what if you have twelve and take away two.”
“I can’t do thst, Dan.” He countered.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I only have ten fingers.”
“Ah. But you can use your feet.”
“Yeah. That’s great! Ten left.”
“How about if you have three and take away five?”
“That won’t work Dan,” Tiger astutely replied.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I can’t break my fingers.”
“Did you know, Tiger, that some people can do those problems without using any fingers?”
“How?”
“They count in their heads, Tiger,” I replied. “They use a calculator,” I thought.
Readers of last week’s edition may recall that young Arrow was especially annoyed when a little boy took his (Arrow’s) red ball during music class. I couldn’t return the ball because the little thief’s Mom hadn’t seen him take it. I tried to mollify Arrow with a different red ball, but Arrow was having none of it. We returned to class this week — a week later. It turned out that Arrow remembered the little boy…
“Why is Arrow taking that ball from the kid?” Nazy asked.
“That’s the little boy that took his ball last week,” I replied. “Arrow doesn’t remember the color of the ball, but he does remember the look of the offender.” “Nice move, Arrow. But you shouldn’t have let his Mother see you do it,” I thought as I snapped a photo.
On the weekend, Nazy and I drove to Montecito to get a first hand look at the recovery. Recall that the mudslides occurred about six weeks ago. The village is still devastated. Homes that weren’t destroyed were filled with several feet of mud. People have shoveled the mud outside — forming a wall around their property. It turns out that it’s not easy to find a place to dump the debris …
“ … unless you’re FEMA, Nazy.” I explained. “When they arrived, things started moving. FEMA cleared the 101 Freeway. They knew how to get the disposal permits, they knew where to find the companies with the equipment and skill to clean up, they had a budget to house people. But…”
“But, Dan?” Nazy asked.
“But now they are gone.”
Note: My previous opinion of FEMA, formed in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, was not high. I am, accordingly shocked by their superior performance in this case. (They must be holdovers from the previous administration.)
And, while on the subject of disaster, it’s impossible to not mention the absurd (‘presidental&rsquo
response to the High School shooting tragedy in Florida. “He wants the teachers to have guns!” Nazy exclaimed. “The shooter had an assault rifle. How is a pistol going..”
“You’re right, Nazy.” I replied. “The teachers should be better armed. I suggest grenades.”
This moronic ‘thought’ will not work. Moreover, have we stooped so low that we want to live in country that needs armed teachers in every high school?
I can (somewhat) understand someone taking a principled position on guns based on the 2nd Amendment. But those people with such expansive views that encourage unfettered access to any kind of gun, by any kind of person, must also accept responsibility for the result this approach delivers: they must accept responsibility for things like school shootings. Blatantly asinine claims that: ‘more guns will make people safer’ are inaccurate and despicable attempts to avoid responsibility. The movement started by the students will finally (if belatedly) change the tide.
Since it is too late for the Republicans in Congress to grow backbones, the solution simple: vote them out! Young men and women, galvanized by the events in Florida will do just that.
When Tiger and I walked from the carport to the front door, a dove, flying from a nearby nest, startled us. It turns out that the nest was ..
“… very nearby, Nazy.” I explained. “It’s in one of the flower pots right outside the door.”
“That’s …”
“ …. a pretty stupid place to put a nest,” I interrupted.
“I think that the crows on the other side of the house scared them.” Nazy replied.
Nazy, by the way, has resumed her painting. She hopes to complete her current piece (which is not called ‘rainbow throw’up&rsquo
in a couple of days.For last week's letter, please click here.
Nazy and Arrow at Music Class
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