Friday, April 23

Up at 6:30 again, for the last day of the photography residency at a local school.



We left home around 7:30, so we could drop by a donut shop before going to the school. Mother and I had coupons for free donuts and milk, given to us by the Caring Hands Hospice coordinator, and I wanted to pick them up today. We thought we'd be given regular glazed donuts, but we were told we could have our choice of any of the pastries. So Hubbie chose a bear claw and I chose a cinnamon roll. Both are very large, and Hubbie will eat both, since they are not on Mother's and my diet. He'll also drink the cartons of two-percent milk.



We arrived at school around 8 a.m., and I went immediately to the darkroom to make positive prints from the oatmeal box pinhole negatives. I completed that project, and was able to clean up the darkroom before classes started. Then Hubbie loaded everything into the van.



Today, the students in all the classes went outdoors to use the oatmeal box viewfinders. These never cease to fascinate students. With all the advanced technology they are used to, it amazes me that they love such low-tech devices.



After they used the viewfinders, we went back to the classroom and discussed how pinhole cameras, viewfinders, sophisticated cameras, and human eyes "see" things. This was new information to these third and fifth-graders, so they soaked it up.



Then the students mounted their sunprints on poster board, and decorated their pictures. Finally, we looked at the photos they had taken with the 35mm one-time-use cameras, and discussed the good shots, as well as what they could do to improve their photography.



There were lots of good photos, but one girl is especially talented. She carefully sought out different angles and compositions, unlike many of the students, who used the monkey-see-monkey-do approach. I told her that she should do a lot more photography. She has a good eye.



Toward the end of the last class, which were third-graders, one of the students went to their regular classroom and came back squealing excitedly. It seemed that the hamster in their room had just had a litter. Needless to say, there was a mad rush to the classroom. Even teachers from other classrooms rushed in to see the new babies. Hubbie and I were no exception. We were curious about the new arrivals, too.



We had a successful week, despite a few interesting things that happened, like the water hose escapade in the darkroom yesterday, the girl that upchucked Monday, and the spider that crawled out of one of the oatmeal box pinhole cameras Tuesday, causing the girls at that table to squeal and jump away, while one of the brave boys smashed the critter with his hand.



Nice things that happened included little girls presenting us with tiny bouquets of dandelions and other small flowers, tied with bright plastic ribbons (strands of the tails of kites they'd flown last week), and lots of hugs. You know you are accepted when you get hugs and wildflower bouquets.



We got back home around 3:30. Shortly afterward, Mother and I went to a little shop that sells Jelly Belly jelly beans to use a 20% off coupon from Caring Hands Hospice to buy two half pound bags of the candy. Mother bought an assortment, and I bought the black licorice.



Funny: in the shop, the lady at the counter asked Mother what she wanted. We waited for her to answer. She didn't. She seemed dumbfounded.



"What do you want?" I coaxed.



"For God's sake, help me," she said.



"She wants a half-pound assortment of Jelly Belly's," I said, "and I want a half-pound of licorice."



In the car, I said, "I hope that's what you wanted."



"Yes," she said.



"Why didn't you tell the lady, then?"



"I couldn't think of it, and I didn't know what to say," she laughed.



Back home, we put together a supper of Ziplock bag omelets, potato pancakes, and toast. While we were preparing the meal, predicted thunderstorms cropped up. It got very dark outside, and there came a downpour that flooded the front porch and yard. Fortunately, there was no power outage, and we were able to get the meal on the table.



Mother stayed at our house for a while after supper, because it continued to rain hard. After a while, it eased, and I walked her to her house. Then Hubbie and I watched a TV debate among three political candidates vying for senatorial seats. We finished the evening with a couple of one-hour shows.