March 18, 2012

Dark skies presaged rain and then the much talked-about snow scheduled for Monday. I forced myself to create and print the remaining materials for my three classes tomorrow; including the last materials I hope to have to laminate. I got enough time to finally read a long article my friend Stephanie had sent on a trip to Tajikistan made by several scientists that are collecting unusual seeds found only in this part of the world. The photos were gorgeous and I even got to learn a few more historical facts about the country.  She had also sent me critique of the movie “The Iron Lady”, which, of course, I haven’t seen, but I was furious nonetheless so see the Oscar go to Meryl Streep, who already has 5-6 of the statuettes, instead of Viola Davis for her role in “The Help”. African-American actors will never get the respect they deserve as long as the committee handing out the prizes is made up of mostly white people.

I meant to cook some “moros y cristianos” and take it to the gathering the teachers are having tomorrow for the Navruz celebration, but when I mixed the rice and the beans and they started to cook, the bottom burned completely even when the setting was “1”, the lowest possible. I certainly wasn’t taking that dish to people who have never eaten anything similar.

Spoke to my sister on Skype and got up-to-date with the family happenings. She’s getting ready to visit her first grandchild and couldn’t have been more excited. My brother-in-law sent pictures of the recent gathering at his house when my niece Leslie and her new baby came for a visit from New Jersey. I noticed that except for a further thinning of her hair, my mother looks just the same.