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Hello, Friends:
It was very nice to get together and see one another again this week. We got to hear about our Friends' vacation and staycation holiday activities. We found out that we had some down time to pursue interests, relax and see family either via the web or in person.
Through the Spring
If you are continuing with us into the Spring semester, you do not need to register again.
We are always open for new and old Friends to join us! If you would like to meet, Register to get the Zoom links. You don't have to be local to hang out with us on line!
Activities for Children
It's time to start looking for fun and activities for our children. Registration for summer camps, 4H and preschools are open and opening.
- Cornerstone Lutheran Preschool Registration is open. Click on the link for the specifics for the dates.
- 4-H is a club activity for children in third through twelfth grades. Children complete projects in and can compete for ribbons. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn and to present work. Hamilton County 4-H Information has complete information how to get involved. Contact me if you would like help or more information as a parent of children who participated in 4-H.
The Great Dine Out in Hamilton County January 4-31, 2021: enjoy carry out deals and discounts 35 restaurants.
Another Holiday to Celebrate
January 6 was Three Kings Day, the Twelfth Day, or Epiphany. While this isn't necessarily a significant day in American culture many people wait until after this day to take down their decorations. Three Kings Day commemorates introduction of Jesus to the non-Jewish people or Gentiles as documented in Matthew 2: 1-12. Many of our Friends have great traditions of eating and gift giving and celebrations on that day.
- In New Orleans, Louisiana a special "king cake" made with cinnamon and glazed with purple and yellow icing and sugar is bought or baked. Who ever gets the "baby Jesus" baked in their slice is the host of the next year's celebration. Here is a recipe with a great video to follow.
- In England, the Twelfth Night is celebrated with a feast including a fruitcake. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed in 1601).
- Spain and Mexico also celebrates this day with presents for children and a "king" cake with a baby baked in the cake. Here is a recipe for the Rosca de Reyes. In Mexico person who gets the baby in their piece of cake hosts the tamale party on February 2 or Candlemas Day (yay! another celebration!).
- Our friend Jerry's birthday is on January 6. If you want to celebrate with his favorite cake you could have a Japanese-style Strawberry Shortcake or an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery.
COVID-19
- Hamilton County is COVID-19 red and will remain red until numbers of COVID cases remain in the orange category for two consecutive weeks (the implication is that this status will remain for at least three weeks). Additional COVID restrictions including limiting gatherings to 25, limiting attendance at sporting events to athletes and immediate family, suspending activities at senior centers to name some of the changes.
- The informative Current article, A Pediatrician Talks About COVID in Children. In this article, the doctor talks about symptoms (generally mild in children like a cold: runny nose, cough, sore throat). COVID and to wait five days for testing for contact tracing before getting tested to avoid a false negative test (you still should finish the quarantine).
- Testing in wastewater in Carmel from the Current has some interesting information about how Carmel is using wastewater testing to prepare for COVID.
Stories and More: Mondays, 10:30-11:30
We were supposed to have the day off, but I was too excited to see everyone! We met to share stories and chat. We covered many fun topics
One of our Friends has her first loose tooth! This is very exciting. In the United States the tradition is to put your tooth under your pillow at night and the Tooth Fairy takes your tooth and leaves money (usually loose change). The amount left by the fairy is different in every house and situation. Sometimes the Tooth Fairy will leave a small gift along with the money.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a popular Christmas book and story.
- Here is the link to the 1988 cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Here is the link to the read along for the book of How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Join us as we share our experiences over the break with American Sign Language January 11. If you are new to this way to communicate, don't worry! We are all beginners!
We discussed Luke 5:12-16. The headline: Jesus heals a man from leprosy.
12: A man with leprosy asks if Jesus is willing to make him clean. Leprosy also known as Hansen's Disease is a bacterial disease that is curable with antibiotics. From the discovery of the source in 1873 to treatment in WHO hoped to eradicate the disease this has not happened in poor and remote parts of the world.
13: Jesus tells the man he is willing, touches him and the leprosy immediately leaves him.
14: Jesus orders him not to tell anyone, but to go to the authorities and follow the laws to assure he is able to move freely in the society.
15: More crowds of people come to Jesus hear his message and for healing.
16: Luke tells us but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Jesus did not seek notoriety but solitude.
We had a lovely discussion about faith and fear. "We need to have faith and my religion is for this time. I can't be scared. It's a contradiction." We talked about whether we are testing God when we risk or if we are trusting God.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00
After a nice time catching up with one another, we took a minute to talk about what to do next week:
January 12: We will meet in our kitchens to make fresh cheese. You will need whole milk, vinegar (or lemon or lime juice), and cheese cloth (or coffee filters, paper towels) and a colander or strainer.
February 2: Who will teach us to make tamales?
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00
Free ranging conversation is always a great opportunity to hone skills. This week we talked about what was important to us, celebrations and birthdays and holidays.
January 13: Come and practice your vocabulary and English language in an organic conversation.
English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-12:00
We had a great time catching up and sharing what we did over the break. We worked on pronunciation (mobile phone for one) and had some conversation where we picked out specific common vocabulary words and pronunciation and practiced them. We talked about how to discover our preferred method of learning. We talked about strategies for expanding our methods of learning to get outside of our comfort zone to expand how we learn. Exploring and using other methods can speed our learning and retention. This article of Eight Learning Styles helps identify some preferred methods. By our choice of adjectives and verbs, we can easily identify what is our (or others') preferred learning methods or styles:
- How did you hear about it? Learning or getting information by listening or being told. Classes and lectures, audio books, etc.
- Where did you see it? Visual learner: Learning or getting information visually. Reading, diagrams, graphs, movies, internet, etc.
- How did you find out about it? Kinestitic: Actively moving or engaging with the information, take breaks, study while moving around. How many breaks do you take?
- Reading/writing: takes notes, reads and rereads.
* grab you: catch your attention
*drift toward: move
Try this inventory to assess your favorite style: Learning Style Questionnaire
Knowing or identifying learning styles can also help you communicate easily with others. You can choose a method (tell a story, show a diagram, write directions, use hand gestures, etc.) to better get your point across.
End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00
Conversations to wrap up the week continued with theoretical discussions about brains and how we learn. These concepts can be important to reflect on when we are learning and growing. Be careful not to think so much about how and what and forget to "do".
twelfth: not an easy pronunciation in any language!
epiphany: this word means
commemorates: recognizes and celebrates
as documented: a fact that is recorded
supposed to: what was expected to happen
have the day off: not meet or not work
loose change: coins that are in your purse or pocket or car or furniture
eradicate: erase or end
notoriety: fame
lovely: pleasant, enjoyable
colander and strainer:
took a minute: spent a short amount of time
free ranging: wide ranging; not limited to a particular subject or locale
hone: sharpen
organic: naturally growing or moving
get outside our comfort level: try something that is not a typical course or direction
inventory: assessment
get your point across: communicate
reflect on: think about
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