Long Time--No See

I guess one main reason I haven't been bloggging is that my right hand is still very sore, and it hurts to type. My palm wound is irritated by the edge of the keyboard. Also, I've just had so little free time that I didn't use it blogging--I read the paper or slept. So here are some random thoughts:

We put up chicken wire fences (or cercas de gallinero) along the rows of peas in the garden yesterday. This morning I went out to look how things were doing, and, just as planned, the pea tendrils were curling around the wire for support as they grow up higher and higher. What struck me was: how do the faceless, eyeless pea plants know there is a fence there for them to curl their stringy tendrils around for support? Do they have nerve endings? Do they have some sort of primitive nervous system that senses the proximity of the fencing? Does this mean that they scream (silently of course, since they also don't have mouths) when you pick the pea pods? Maybe I'll just stick to tomatoes and beets in the future.

"La mano derecha me deule, la mano izquierda no me duele. " See what I've learned in my Reality Spanish class? I can tell you that the hand on the right hurts me, but the hand on the left does not hurt me. It was a thrill for my ELL students to hear me discuss my health with them en Espanol. This class ends on Tuesday and it will be a relief, because I've had an obligation every M-T-W since January because of this class (other things are sucking off my M & W) so I'll be glad to be finished with it. I have learned an amazing amount of things, however, and I'm really glad I took it. I must work on it regularly so I can retain what's there.

The weather here has become fantastic. Everyday it is just the right amount of warm--80 degrees. It cools off pleasantly at night. The pool water is warming daily. The sky is clear, and sunset and sunrise are simply exotic with the deep indigo sky illuminated around the edge with gold, hightlighting the black silhouettes of the palm trees and jagged mountains in relief on all sides. Wow. Spring in the desert.

We had a delightful visit from two of the grandchildren for a few days. We played in sand, splashed in the "little pool", and repotted plants. We went for a walk in the desert and looked at ants and spiders with the magnifying glass. We just lived the routine of a 2 and 4 year old for five days. I realize now why humans should be young when we reproduce---it is only then that we enough energy to keep up with tiny people.

I am booked for a trip to SLC in two weeks. While there for a day, I will attend a bridal shower, a baby shower, and a folk dance program in which our other grandchild is participating. Fun Times!!