Teaching tools…

I had a thought,

on the way home from the rock field,

that the things we don’t know about a person are the things that make them human…

And it made me sad to think that,

but sad in that reassuring way that some sadness has…

A sadness that says welcome home in twelve different languages…

— in A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

Today is a soup kind of day,

so I’m making one,

with a ham hock from J, N & Z Deli on Commercial Drive…

Last week I rode my bike up to Little Gem’s school,

for the purposes of accompanying her class,

to the community swimming pool,

for group lessons…

But as per usual I was ahead of schedule…

At least this time I was only early by a week…

It is quite a major hike between home and school,

but the bonus is that the route goes right past the Purdy’s Chocolate Factory…

So on the way home I stopped for a few of my favorite things…

Like an ice-cream bar dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in roasted almonds,

a few pieces of chocolate covered candied ginger,

caramels sprinkled with Himalayan salt,

and a hand full of mint melties…

When I learned that I was a week early for swim class volunteering,

I rode down to sit on a bench at the Fraserview Golf Course…

It was a spectacular day…

Trees in blossom…

Fresh breeze…

I sat there knitting…

This kind of activity never fails to bring peanuts out of the gallery…

It wasn’t minutes before a scruffy looking middle aged man,

made some comments,

as he practiced on the putting green,

That looks like a nice place to relax…

I had to set him straight,

I’m not relaxing,

I’m doing research…

On the first tee???

On everything…

I’m studying the ritual…

The code of conduct…

The social graces…

The hits and the misses…

You can tell a lot about spinal integrity by how someone shows up,

and sets up…

You sound like you’re a golfer…

I intend to be a pro…

This item that I’m working on is part of the plan…

The outfit is very important,

it can affect your game…

He looked down at himself,

and waving his hand like a scanner from head to toe asked,

How am I doing???

I said,

You definitely could use some polish…

The opportunity to golf should never be taken for granted…

It is rare,

and it is an occasion…

You need to rise to it…

Teacher always talks about how what we wear to class makes a difference in how we dance…

She notices and appreciates that I take the time to make an effort,

and that I don’t treat her like an aerobics instructor,

because she isn’t…

She is a flamenco goddess who puts a lot out,

and she wants something back…

There are not many places to dance in life,

where one is accompanied by live musicians,

and singers,

when you’re a beginner,

so I make the most of it…

I can’t make sense of what happened in game three,

of the series,

between the Vancouver Canucks and the L.A. Kings,

and I know I’m not alone…

All I know is that one of the twelve languages of loss is Luongo…

Little Gem saw right through to his sorrow…

and she said,

Mama, he needs one of your poems…

Do you have just the right one for him???

And it just so happens that I do…

So I sent it to him,

on the spot,

with special delivery…