Peopling this week

 

Chirping birds are part of the Spring portion of the year.  The first-grade music program included some poetry, some percussion, and of course singing.  They did pieces for all four seasons.  It was so much fun seeing all the little personalities forming, some so excited they were dancing.  Beads, bows and sparkly and colorful dresses made it a "big deal" for the little girls.  There are six classes of first graders at this school, so they split it into two evenings.  Tuesday night three other classes performed, and Wednesday my foster grand kiddo's class and two others took the stage.

His regular teacher (the one he started out the year with) is on maternity leave, and she brought the new baby.  I'm pretty sure she stopped by the music room where they were prepping before she came and took her seat in the front row.  Some of the kids in the audience (siblings?  former students?) went over to see the new little one, and all the parents in the audience were pleased to see her.  Such a supportive teacher.  For that matter, the whole school is pretty terrific.

DIL behind the camera again, but she took a photo of FGC's fan club, waiting for the program to begin.  Don't you love it when the kids wave at their people in the crowd?  FGC was not one of them, but several others were.  One little girl on the end was signing the song, but since I can't tell if it was true ASL or her own invention.  But she was just so precious!

Fast forward through a normal Thursday and Friday to a chilly Saturday morning.

It was No Kings Day III.  Very well organized, stretched for two miles along the hiker/biker trail on the South side of town (my neck of the woods).  The kids and I missed one another, although we were in messenger contact.

I did not take many photos.  I was very grateful for the large contingent of "Safety Team" folks in bright reflective vests.  One of them helped me step down from the level of the parking lot where I left the car over low-lying shrubbery.  She also helped make sure the traffic (which was crazy) let the people who wanted to cross at the crosswalk could do so.  I pulled my old "wave the arms overhead" trick to make sure the drivers could see me, and did the same on the return trip, as there was a family crossing at the same time, carrying two small children!

DIL shared her own photos, and I'll share the ones that don't show FGC's face.  Here is FGC and the Mythical Son, starting to walk along the trail.

FGC holding up his sign and getting honks from the passing traffic.  That part he liked.  My generation was once again well represented.  Veterans, many flags, creative signs.  One of my favorites was "Too Many Issues for just one sign".  At one point a group behind me started the "Hey hey! Ho Ho!" chant, and I took it up, which of course started those standing beside the path to take it up as well.

I kept moving, clocking about 2.5 miles in total.  I went from one busy intersection, under another, to the next one, then turned around and came back.  Conversations along the way, sort of like the "instant friends" I always made at running events.

The only photo I took was of a dog in a slogan shirt.  Everyone was polite, it was peaceful.  The only crowd estimate I have seen was vague, it only said "hundreds".  That seems a little low to me, but I know you can put six people across on that trail.  That would be three abreast moving in each direction in the places where it got crowded, and many people were just staying in one place at the side of the trail, holding their signs and chatting.  There was still space to move about.  I guess to say "thousands" it would have to be at least 2,000.  If you can't guarantee it's that much, "hundreds" would be accurate.  

We shall wait and see what numbers get claimed nationwide.  All in all, I'm glad I went.

Life is good.  Spark on!