Recycling

I am amazed I haven't written about the recoop sale before, especially since I love it.

I was first introduced to the concept when we were living in Ithaca many years ago.  At the end of the spring semester a group of environmentally-minded students collected useful items that others were going to throw out (clothing, hangers, binders, lamps, dishes, pens, half-full detergent bottles, puzzles).  It was stored over the summer and sold to people arriving for the fall semester.  The money raised was used to pay for the storage of the items and now that they have a permanent storage facility they donate the proceeds to local charities.  It is a fantastic way to keep useful items out of landfills.

A similar program was started here a few years ago.  Sales are timed to the arrival of the first-year students and a second sale a week later when everyone else moves to campus.  I went to both sales and could tell the difference.

Here is today's loot.

Glow bracelets - just for fun

Yelp, DARPA, and Innovative EdTech playing cards
for my mom, if she wants them

Two cool flashlights - one hand crank and one that has many different settings

Some school supplies

Random Nalgene bottles, Nepalese purse, and post-it notes
Not shown are a small set of sockets and some pens.

So much fun for so little money!

International Company

Warning - all text and no photos.

As part of the Claremont Friends of International Students we are asked to host students who arrive before the dorms open (undergrads) or before they find housing.  The maximum stay is five nights so it is a small commitment.

This year the student arrived before D. went on an orientation trip and before the kids started school, which was good timing.  We were matched with a Peruvian student who grew up in Colombia (maybe better to say a Colombian student whose family moved to Peru a few years ago).

Knowing that we might have a student in the same boat next year made us look at the situation with different eyes, but we were excited to meet our student after exchanging emails.  We also got to meet her mom, who came to Claremont for the first time.

What a fabulous experience!  We checked out the Mt. Baldy visitor center (including a live snake, which did not thrill the mom) and hiked to a waterfall that still had water!  We hosted some Colombian friends for dinner and got to use a bit of Spanish.  We took a walk around the area and our student got to experience her first lemonade stand ("Just like the movies!").

International Place had an orientation that included opening a bank account, a trip to buy things for the students' rooms, and shopping for a cell phone.  Before helping our student move on campus we joined the other host families for a picnic and met people from Germany, Pakistan, China, and beyond.

We have not done a great job of keeping in touch with the other students we have hosted but I think this time may be different.  Maybe it is because we have a student about the same age?  Or just a lucky match?  I don't need to know, but I am glad we made the connection.

Note:  Our student just called because she wants to pick up the computer she had shipped to our house (A. was hoping she would forget it).

Intermediate School

Here we have elementary school, which has classes for kindergarten through sixth grade.  There is a high school for grades nine through twelve.

The other school is a bit odd.  It starts in seventh grade like junior high but ends in eighth grade like middle school.  Most parents call it one or another, but officially it is intermediate school, which I don't hear anyone call it.

R. missed seventh grade and had an acceptable year there for eighth grade.  A. will now be the second person in our family (after D.) to go to seventh grade at ERIS (El Roble Intermediate School).

Last week we joined 80% of the other people who decided to attend registration in the morning.

I had volunteered in the school office the week before and had been told come in the afternoon, that it was so crowded in the morning because the kids were so anxious to get it done.  Of course A. wanted to go in the morning and over two hours later he finally had a schedule, phys. ed. locker, and textbooks.  He said it was worth it to wait in line since he got a good locker and that is something he'll use all year.  We both saw a lot of friends, which was also a good thing.  However, when I volunteered in the afternoon I saw people, too, and they were all done in less than thirty minutes!

There are still questions (will his friends have the same lunch period?  binder versus notebook?), but  many will be answered with the start of classes on Wednesday.

Mini Adventure

It was a lot of time driving and not so easy to wake up at 3:45, but it was worth it.  For D.'s birthday I gave him the gift of signing up for a ride that rode around the San Diego Bay, including the Coronado Bridge, which is usually closed to cycling traffic.

our route

our elevation profile

from the event's facebook page

We got some good loot.  I especially like the Klean Kanteen cups.

And long sleeve shirts!

So cute!

Travelling Solo

Southwest allows twelve-year-olds to travel without an adult and without being labeled an unaccompanied minor.

• Children ages 12 through 17 traveling without an accompanying Passenger age 18 or older are considered Young Travelers (YT) on Southwest Airlines.

• YT must be of sufficient maturity and capability to travel alone—this includes, but is not limited to, checking in, passing through the security checkpoint, boarding, deplaning, and claiming luggage.

• Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring a YT arrives for checkin and boarding in accordance with each airport’s suggested arrival time.

• Southwest does not monitor YTs during travel. Accordingly, each YT must have sufficient maturity and capability to request assistance from a Southwest Employee if needed and the means to contact a parent/guardian if there is a travel disruption.

• Southwest Airlines reserves the right not to allow travel on flights that may be delayed, diverted, or cancelled due to weather or other operational disruptions.

A. is of sufficient maturity and capability and wanted to visit my parents on his own.  We didn't even walk him to his gate!  He arrived safely at the other end having changed planes and dealt with airsickness.  Way to go, A.!

view from my parents' front door

It all seemed like a good idea until he started telling me about playing games with my mom, swimming in the neighbors' pool (the same pool where I used to swim), and going to a baseball game with a new friend (they didn't stay all 16 innings).

Cleveland beat the Yankees in 16 innings 

I was jealous!  My parents also took him to the botanic garden, out for dinner, to theater, the library, and the Cumberland Pool.  They even bought him vacation food!  And I missed the block party!

A. got to ride the rocketship car, formerly at Euclid Beach!

Our Claremont neighbors, who had also been visiting family, were on A.'s first flight, but he was on his own for the second flight.  It was a joyful reunion and I hope after my parents recover they will invite A. for a return visit.  Maybe I'll go, too.

Birthday celebration

It seems like ages ago now, but A. had a birthday and chose to have a party for the first time in many years.  He looked into laser tag and bowling and those were too expensive.  Swimming at a public pool carried the risk of meeting up with kids who weren't invited, and movie and a pizza were deemed boring.

I take credit for suggesting hiring 15-year-old twin boys who had run the computer programming and math camps A. attended.  Jackpot!  They set up a slack line, played capture the flag, and kept the boys moving.

To make it even easier A. decided he wanted to have donuts instead of a cake.  First he shared some with the neighbors and still had enough for the party.  They were a hit!

This party favor met A.'s approval and we added a sweet treat.

Setting things up at the park a block from our house was easy, the weather was ideal, and most of A.'s friends were in town.  We couldn't ask for more.

Final vacation post

Since we were in the area and it is known for a strong tech program, R. took a tour of Cal Poly.

It had a lot going for it, including no required essay to apply!

While they were touring A. was exploring the new skate park.

Next we headed south for an evening in Ventura.

Despite our location we did not eat seafood for dinner.

In the morning the guys boarded a ferry for the Channel Islands.

Going in and out of caves was the highlight of the kayak tour.

Snorkeling and hiking were included, too.

What would a vacation be without a visit to a library?  

R. and I enjoyed downtown Ventura before having some time at the beach,

meeting the returning ferry, and heading home.

Success!  There was some give and some take and we agreed we would be willing to vacation with each other again!