Learning Hoops

And finally…. Returning to tonights starting lineup for the first time in 30 years.  A Wisconsinite hailing from Racine.  World Traveler.  Dada.  Blogger.  Overall awesome guy.  Number 19 in your programs, but number 1 in our hearts!   Please welcome…. A!!!!!!!

There is a group of teachers and staff, plus a few parents of kids, that play rec league futbol (soccer to my Stateside peeps)  and they started a basketball group as well.  Since I’ve not played futbol/soccer since I was about 9, I thought it best to avoid that.  Plus, running back and forth on the field might just kill me.  Especially in the heat.

It was fun.  I couldn’t buy a bucket, but I dropped two shots during the run.  And a few of the guys who are more regular ballers commented that I had a good looking shot, but 30 years of rust is a lot to knock off and I just gotta keep playing and they’ll start to fall.  So, that was nice to hear.  Especially since one of them is a coach for Basketball and finishing his masters in it.  Lots of positives.

Now the bad news.  

I don’t know if I can walk today.  HAHA

My abs hurt.  My back.  Both arms.  Both legs.  I slid at one point and tweaked my ankle on the left side, so that’s a little sore today as well.  My feet both hurt on the soles from jumping and landing.

It was 30ish years ago last I played hoops.  It was in the driveway at the Pennington house.  I put my right foot on sideways.  Spent most of the year on crutches.  I remember it was fall when I broke my ankle.  It was summer vaca and I had a normal leg and a twig leg.  I went with Grub and Frank to see Jurassic Park in the theater.  So, September of 1992 I broke the ankle.  June of 1993 I got the cast off.  And I never really played ball again.  It was good to get back and get positive feedback.

Plus, I got to get a mini tour of BASIS.  WOW!!!!!  Kiddo is gonna get an education that I am jealous of.  The grounds.  The layout.  The size.  The thoughtfulness of this place.  I’ve been on college campuses that aren’t are nice or well kept and organized.  It is beautiful.  It is a place and palace of learning and creativity and exploration.  Kiddo is gonna get into a classroom and then just shoot up like someone put Mentos in Coke.

I got home last night and showered and then went to spend 15ish min with Kiddo before her bedtime and she just was a chatter monkey of BASIS fun.  She woke me this morning, “Dada, do you wanna hear more about BASIS?”  She loved it and is super excited to go.  “I get to learn reading.  And writing.  And things like planting seeds.  And worms are in my class with dirt and apples.  Oh yeah.  And friends.  I’m even getting to learn swimming there too!”

We just get to sit back and watch this little flower bloom and grow.  Plus, since Mumma is gonna be transitioning to Kinder next year, she will have Mumma home all summer to help guide and prep her as well.  Since J will be doing prep and might want to work with Kiddo on some topics or learning ideas, not only to prep Kiddo, but also as a test run for the methods and how they need to be tweaked.  Not that Kiddo is the ultimate student, but J can see how it works with Kiddo and know… Oh, I need to modify this way for Thai learners.  Oh, I need to wiggle this concept back a little for these level learners.  Cool, but I could add another concept that will build on these other things that I am doing.  So, I think it will be good for both, as it will push them both to better understanding and learning and prep for the best overall experience.  Plus, once Kiddo starts reading…. She’s already using Epic (reading and library app) using Read To Me books that are at a suggested 6th grade reading level…. But, it’s read to me.  So, is she REALLY getting it or is it just words?  Well, she can get 14/15 on the post book quiz.  And the book took her two reads to finish, since it was bedtime and she needed to stop half way.  She’s 5!  Picking up on themes, characters, relationships, concepts, and vocab that is at a 6th grade level, over two days, and still getting 14/15 right on a quiz.  Once she learns to read, she might just pick up Tolstoy for fun.  HAHA

Tonight is a Friday Big Girl night and we’re just gonna bunker down and watch a movie at home.  Monsters University if I’m told right.  J has Monday off and is gonna take Kiddo to the Aquarium with Mel and her baby from upstairs.  Poley is very excited to go back to see his aquarium friends.  Kiddo is thrilled as well.  So, much fun upcoming and I’m sure some of it will make it’s way into the blog.

Thanks for reading and make sure you see the IMPORTANT post on comments and other strangeness.  Until later… Be well.