The Daffodil Principle

The Daffodil Principle
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

I used this story - and the poem "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" by William Wordsworth (someday I will learn how to do links) - in my Visiting Teaching Seminar address last week.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story - it's a true one. High in the San Bernardino mountains, five acres of daffodils burst into glorious bloom every spring - and they are all planted by one woman, one bulb at a time, over 35 years.

The message is simple - start now to change the world - your world - one step at a time.

It's a great principle - and I think it answers the query posed when I said sometimes our best is not good enough, we have to do what is required. (If I was a true blogger extraordinare, I'd have a link here too!)

I think what is required is that we do good continually - one step or one bulb at a time - no need to run faster than we are able - just one at a time - I can do that!

And keep the "big picture" in mind all the time - so the little steps don't seem too small to be significant.

And of course, that's how to be an excellent visiting teacher - one sister, one action, one call, one visit, one note in the mail, one plate of cookies, one prayer, one thought at a time!

Jury Duty!!

Jury Duty!!
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

I got a summons for jury duty a few weeks ago. I contemplated postponing it until summer - but they only let you postpone for 3 months - and I didn't want to do Christmas vacation - although I suspect that when you call in each night they probably say they don't need you the next day - I mean, who schedules trials at Christmas?

So I bit the bullet and called in to register and get my number!! Day one was October 31st, Halloween Day - a scary thought! Since we left on the Thursday before to go to SLC, I not only had to make sub plans for Friday, but for Monday too, in case when I called Sunday night, they told me I had to report.

Called Sunday night - do not report. Called Monday night - after leaving sub plans at school, because you can't call until after 7 p.m. - and they said, do not report. Ditto for Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday afternoon, I figure I'd better leave sub plans for Monday too, in case I'm called in on Friday. The instructions say that if you are called on Thursday or Friday, you need to plan on possibly having to serve the following week. "Plan your schedule accordingly" they say!

Then Thursday night I call - everyone at work said, No one will tell you to report on Friday!!

Wrong! I get the word to report at 8:30 a.m. SHARP!! Fortunately it was to El Monte - not a long drive.

So I reported - and since I worry about finding unfamiliar places, I got there 30 minutes early!! Fortunately I had a good book to read. And I did read - for over an hour until they did the "new juror orientation."

Then we waited some more - and some more - and then the judge came in and thanked us for being willing to serve - but he was sorry they didn't need us! And it was only 10:15 a.m. So I went over and visited Grandma Terrill and Susanne.

2 1/2 years ago I had a jury summons too - and went and waited - and didn't have a good book with me. Fortunately it was in Pasadena - so when they gave us a 2 hour lunch, I went to the Paseo. Window shopping is a good way to pass the time. After lunch, we waited some more and at 2 p.m. they came in and dismissed us.

Maybe one of these times I will serve on an interesting jury - Harry enjoyed his jury duty experience on an attempted murder charge. I'm just happy to have my certificate that lets me off for the next 18 months!

And I have enough sub plans on file to go on a nice trip somewhere!!

The Family Photo 2005

The Family Photo 2005
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

We had a very brief, but fun, visit to SLC. Drove to St. George, up early and drove to SLC. Went to the wedding, the dinner, (with some shopping in between) then back to Eliza's. The Saturday A.M. brunch was fun - even if the invited guests didn't come - those of us who did had a nice visit. Left that afternoon for St. George - the only plus was the fact that we got to set our clocks back 2 hours since we were headed for California! And got to Monrovia at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday!! In time for the fireside - more on that later - and even got unpacked, and called and found out I didn't have to report for jury duty - yet! (I have to call nightly for a week!!)

I will confess to a little melancholy that the visit was so brief. Sometimes you don't realize what you are missing - until you have a taste of it and then you miss it all the more. We are looking forward to Christmas!!