Thursday, July 8, 2010

Changes

Today we decided to see a movie. Everyone has been talking about Toy Story 3. I don’t think we’ve ever seen any of the Toy Story movies in the theater, but this was one of a few that Becca and I could agree on. I’ve heard so many people say that they cried during this movie, and couldn’t figure out why. About halfway through, I was thinking to myself, “There’s no way I can cry at this movie.” I was wrong. I won’t give away any part of the movie, but if you’ve seen it, you know where the tears started to sting. I fought them back. And then, at *that* moment, I couldn’t hold them back anymore. I sat there trying to surreptitiously dry my tears so no one would notice, wondering why the heck I got all teary at that part. Harrumph. Maybe there’s a soft spot still in this guarded heart.

After the movie, we had a little bit of extra time before Becca’s swim lesson, so we drove North on Healdsburg Avenue to see what was down there. I found the back way to the dump. I haven’t found the Salvation Army store/compound yet, but think that it’s in that direction.

Before Becca’s lesson, I talked to the instructor and told him that she didn’t meet the criteria for the class he was teaching, and even though other instructors said that she could be in it, I wanted him to know exactly what her level was. She did fine for the class, but he started teaching the breast stroke during the second half, and I recognized that she didn’t have the foundation necessary to build on for this class. I looked at all the other classes in the pool and also recognized that she didn’t really fit into any of them, either. She is in between the levels that are being taught.



Looking at the schedule, I saw that private lessons were an option for a slightly higher fee. I’d already paid for the group lessons, and the difference in price wasn’t much at all after getting that out of the way. I asked after class if it would be possible to shift to private lessons for the remainder of the session, and it is. So starting tomorrow, Becca gets private lessons that will really help her. The lessons start a half hour later, but that actually will be easier for us to get to once I’m back to work next week. I am feeling much better about this, and I think Becca will enjoy the one-on-one attention, rather than having to wait her turn while 2-5 other kids are taking turns getting individual instruction.

We stopped by the grocery store for a couple things, then headed home. At the second and last gate on the property, we saw the vultures again. What actually caught my attention first, though, was the dark grey coyote trotting off and away from the sheep pasture. Then I spotted the vultures sitting on the posts at the gate, intently watching where the coyote had left.



My landlords have lost another sheep. This time, in broad daylight. They are planning now to move the last remaining sheep and the llama with her into the pen with their horses and goats. The fence around Salsa and her bucklings is tall and strong, and the locals say that the coyotes won’t mess with an electric fence, including my PermaNet fencing, so I hope that my goats will be okay once the sheep snacks are moved. Hunters are coming onto the property tomorrow, and may take care of part of the problem. The deer population is down this year, and the predators are simply looking for their food, but it is hard to lose livestock.

The source of the water leak on the property has been narrowed to between my landlords’ house and the tanks, so we hope they’ll be able to figure it out before too long.

Friday might be warm enough to go to the river with a picnic lunch. We will have to see how it goes. Saturday morning will be the farmer’s market, and late that afternoon and Sunday we’ll help Jessica and Cory move to their new house. I can’t believe the week is almost over.

3 comments:

  1. The Salvation Army is north of town at the Lytton Springs exit off 101. You really can't miss it once you realize where you are! And plan to spend a good couple hours there...

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  2. Thanks, Dev! I've heard we should also have hiking shoes, as it's rather large. Looking forward to it!

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  3. We saw TS3 and I am with you. Didn't actually spill tears but came close! Emily's drum teacher warned us.

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