Hurricane Satellite Weather Tracking - View Hurricane Weather Track

The View From Nana and Papas

I'm a working mother with a preschooler, worrying about Mom and Dad, who are approaching their eighties. See, I'm part of the growing number of Americans who are caring for aging parents (or wringing their hands in anticipation of it) and raising a child simultaneously.

When we visited last November, we found that Dad had converted my old bedroom into storage space for his fishing equipment. I sang the cowboy song at bedtime as usual, and when I got to the part where it fondly describes New England winters and the wonder of blueberry pie, I paused to pay attention to the droplet of sweat making its way down my back. The house isn't air conditioned, despite the tropical climate. While my child slept, I quietly opened my laptop.

As an anthropology major, I tend to think that child development has more to do with what is learned than what is natural or instinctive (if I recall correctly, human beings don't have many instincts at all--most of what we display on a daily basis is learned behavior). From that viewpoint, exposure to grandparents can be fabulous for children's development, and seems so much healthier and socially connected than having only their photographs, a parent's recollections and an occasional telephone call through which to try to know them.

We (or more accurately, Dad) built this house during twelve weeks in 1971. My sister and I were in first and third grade, respectively, at St. Christopher's Girls School. We were a hit on the playground there, mainly for our skill in jumping Double Dutch.

There's open pasture to the east, and somebody's vegetable garden to the west. As a little kid, I cared only cared about running with our sheep, and riding them like the horses I wished they were, when Dad wasn't looking. And so I was truly surprised when the butcher, a family friend, visited us in his professional capacity. That was thirty-one years ago.

The incredibly blue ocean is still visible from the living room, but the eye can no longer rest without the interruption of clotheslines, galvanized rooftops, satellite dishes, and lately, the construction of condos. What was once quiet is now punctuated by the messy sounds of people going about their lives. St. Christopher's Girls still stands, but when we saw it last year, it looked empty. It was sad that the place where I spent part of my childhood seemed no more than a memory.

Nonetheless, emboldened by the jar of Herbes de Provence I brought along, I promised to do all of the cooking. The gas man was to bring more propane, and the ice-cream truck announced his bi-weekly visits by playing, much too loudly, a tinny-sounding "Home on the Range."

copyright little-turnips.com 2003-2005 - All rights reserved.

Tricia Wellington is the mother of one toddler. little-turnips.com

MORE ARTICLES:

Toshiba Demonstrates Design Prowess with Four Re-Imagined Satellite Laptops: Stunning Satellite Laptops Provide Users with Premium Blend of Modern
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today unveiled its stunning new line of Satellite laptops, which have been completely re-imagined to provide users with a strong blend of design, usability and performance.

Geotoys LLC, Maker of the GeoPuzzle, Joins ASTRA and Plans Full Line of Puzzles for 2006
Geotoys, the maker of the GeoPuzzle, has joined ASTRA (the Association of Specialty Toy Retailers of America). The GeoPuzzle is a new educational toy designed to teach children about geography. The item was very successful in a retail test market, and a full line of puzzles is planned.

Diggin' Dinos Statue Raises Awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder - Sponsor's CEO also runs Autism Center Founded After Son's Diagnosi
St. Croix Solutions and Holland Center recently teamed up to sponsor a "Diggin' Dino" statue to raise Autism Awareness in honor of the Science Museum of Minnesota's 100th anniversary. The Diggin' Dinos summer celebration dinosaur statues began appearing in the streets of Saint Paul and the parks of Minneapolis on May 28, and will remain in place through Labor Day weekend.

Going All Natural is Best This Cold Season, According to Suzy Cohen, R.Ph
Suzy Cohen, R.Ph expert tips to treat your cold naturally.

A Nurse Practitioner's Guide to Smart Health Choices Honored With Two National Book Awards
A Nurse Practitioner's Guide to Smart Health Choices, authored by Carla Mills, ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) and founder of Maverick Health, was recently named the winner in the Health Category of the 2008 National Indie Excellence Book Award and a finalist in the Health/Wellness Category of the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The book provides readers with practical, easy-to understand information that promotes preventive care and personal responsibility, which can reduce costs associated with healthcare, lost productivity, and absenteeism in the workplace.

Cary M. Maguire Fellowship in Applied Ethics Established at The American College Center for Ethics in Financial Services
The American College Center for Ethics in Financial Services announced today the creation of the Cary M. Maguire Fellowship in Applied Ethics. The Maguire Fellowship is an academic research position dedicated to investigating the concept and utility of "meaningful disclosure." The fellowship is being made possible through a generous donation to The College by Cary M. Maguire, Chairman and President of the Maguire Oil Company and Maguire Energy Company. He is also Chairman of the Components Corporation of America and Staco Systems.

Black and White To Satellite The History Of TV
Since the earliest of times people have wanted to be entertained and that is just the way we are. All through the history of mankind, we have always found some time to sit somewhere and watch something that entertains us. Even before TV, when there was radio, the people who listened to the evening programs on it, would sit around the radio and watch it as they listened to it. No one could have dreamed back then, how far things would advance in a handful of decades, to the point that they are now. Satellites that rotate around the earth now beam down the programming that we watch and now when we watch the programming, we get to see alot more than a radio when we look. The first black and white TVs were veiwed as wonders of technology and c...

Jungheinrich Names Top Three Dealer Organizations For 2006 -- Top Award, 'Golden Gabelstapler,' Goes to J.M. Equipment
Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of industrial trucks, recently presented awards of merit to its top three dealers of 2006. Using sales volume as its primary selection criteria, John Sneddon, President of Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corporation, singled out the following three dealers at a presentation ceremony which took place on January 9, 2007 during ProMat 2007 in Chicago, IL.

Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center Featured in Successful Meetings Magazine
Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center, located in Sunset Beach, N.C., was featured in the May issue of Successful Meetings magazine. The article entitled "Bringing Harmony to Business" details how Sea Trail is the perfect destination for any meeting. Successful Meetings magazine is written for meeting planners across all industries to educate and provide resources on how to plan and implement all types of meetings.

Stein Mart, the National Fashion Retailer, and Ted's Montana Grill Choose Bay State Commons for its New England Debut: Relationship Retailing is Key
Lifestyle Malls Like Bay State Commons in Westborough, MA Bring Home Fashion, Style and Fun to Growing Communities. In the past, main street retailers in smaller towns focused on convenience and did not even attempt to compete against regional malls on the fashion front. No more - Bay State Commons epitomizes the forward-looking Lifestyle Mall concept with its village setting, upscale shops and concept restaurants. Harmon Lewis of National Commercial Brokers, Needham, MA is the exclusive broker.

William S. Samuels IV, President of Telesales Services releases "Four Items to Consider Before Outsourcing Your Call Center"
William S. Samuels IV, President of Telesales Services, an acknowledged Telesales and Telemarketing industry leader gives his insight into the four things you need to know before you outsource your call center needs. Bill consults organization of all sizes in all industries - from Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and medical companies, to federal government to two-person startups. Bill works with over 100 call centers to find you the right solution, so you can be confident in his ability to evaluate a call center.

New Issue of MarketingNPV Journal Finds Marketing Measurement Improving, but Progress is Slow
While some great strides have been made in the realm of marketing measurement, many marketers still seem to be floating in a sea of uncertainty when it comes to developing a comprehensive set of credible key metrics. The current issue of MarketingNPV Journal explores this theme by interviewing a half-dozen senior marketers from different industry segments to see how well their marketing measurement and dashboard capabilities have evolved.

Mudbug Media Named One of New Orleans' "Bests"
Mudbug Media, a New Orleans-based web development and graphic design firm was honored by local entertainment magazine Where Y'At in the annual "Best of the Big Easy" issue.

New England Home Staging Releases 2006 NH Home Staging Statistics, Shows How Sellers Can Benefit
Company’s 2006 results show how home staging can make substantial impact on a home’s marketability.