Yes it was Chopin

Classic Arts - Chopin "Polonaise in A Flat".

I just went back to the comments.

Mollie, the more I see lately, the more I think "bootstraps" and the Horatio Alger story are becoming less possible here. We can still rise out of poverty but, at the highest levels, there is a ceiling, as well as a class system, as pervasive as any in England. The old boys' network is still firmly in place.

Classic Arts - my heroine, Marian Anderson, is now singing something from Handel. She, in her quiet way, broke down a lot of walls. The Jackie Robinson of the classical music world.

California sent a clear message yesterday. We're not fond of unnecessary elections ($50,000,000) and bullies. I was pleasantly surprised by most of the results although I voted for one of the medical props and for one concerning energy. It was worth losing those two. We'll have another shot.

I digress. Without singling out any group, I'm not sure all kids are college material (or want to be) and we should acknowledge that. There should be room in this country for kids with a high school education to find success in other ways. McDonalds and WalMart aren't it. There is nothing wrong with working in the "trades" or manufacturing. Carpenters and plumbers were once highly respected and profitable trades. "Blue collar" was not a dirty word. Along with the push for affordable higher education, we need to be sure these kids don't get trapped in dead end jobs. Junior colleges or trade schools should be choices without the kids feeling "less than". I haven't thought it through but there have to be ways for all our kids to succeed. Corporation and/or union sponsored apprenticeships maybe? Or are they a thing of the past. Am I sounding too Republican? Not my intention at all; just trying to find ways to break the poverty cycle. Employment isn't a bad start with a living wage, opportunity for advancement, and respect from others rather than condescension.

Yesterday never stopped. Doctor's appointments, a meeting with a politician about Arctic drilling, kids, trip to the store. Just one those days. The only truly bright spot (in a left-handed way) was when Rebecca discovered she had left her math homework at school. I shouldn't have but my first thought was Oh, Thank God! Elcie had a "homework" pass because she remembered to have me sign a form and turn it in the next day. Also, she had done all her spelling for the week in one day. Rochelle often does that too. She knows what it's going to be so gets it all done on Monday. They both are straight A spelling students at their levels so as long as the school doesn't protest for "coloring outside the lines", I'm fine with it.

I had cooked some chicken earlier with no idea of what I was going to do with it. Ended up with minestrone wannabe - I cleaned out my vegetable bin into the soup, added some salad macaroni and seasonings, and called it soup. Must have been okay - the girls lapped it up.

Today should be calmer. I have to make one trip with Carol to the cancer center. Her white cell count is down (probably because of the chemo) so they're giving her shots three days in a row and will then run another blood test. She's been fatigued lately and that's probably part of it.

Maybe I'll get caught up on housework. Once again, I can't see my dining room table for the books and papers piled thereon. Some leaves each day with the girls but the rest becomes part of the furniture.

I'm cat sitting, speaking of something becoming part of the furniture. It should be for just a few days but I have a feeling Sid has decided he belongs here. My cat is offended and goes stalking off to stare at him. Of course the girls would be happy with 20 cats running around the place.

Note to BB readers: there are two "L's" out there now. You can probably tell the difference.

It is now 4:50 - obviously I'm up for the day or at least until the girls leave for school. I hope my days and nights aren't turned around for too long.