So last week we were visited by Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley is the character in a children's book written by Jeff Brown. He is 'flattened' when a bulletin board falls on him. He uses his flattened state to explore the country in an envelope and see the world. Bit read the series when she was younger and loved it. A friend of ours (her adopted cousin) in Houston had read Flat Stanley for her third grade class and they participated in the 'Flat Stanley Project'. So Flat Stanley came to visit. I thought I'd document his visit here, as it was presented to Bit's cousin when he returned to her.
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a PM to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
Ok, we do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday:
BadKitties
Tuesday:
bigjacbigjacbigjac
Wednesday:
Caedy
Thursday:
weck
Friday:
FloridaSNMOM
Saturday:
broths
Sunday:
loggersbrat
Bit helped Stanley type out the letter to be read to the class, because his fingers are too small and light to work the keys properly.
Day 1.
When I first arrived I thought that maybe the post office had sent me to the wrong place. I was supposed to be visiting Florida, but the ground was covered in white. It looked like snow. I took a closer look, and saw that it was actually flower pedals, falling down from the Dogwood tree over my head. That was interesting, because I was here to visit a family and their very special dog.
Her name is Morgan. She is pitch black with very long hair, but none of that is what makes her special. She is being trained for a very special job, and I am going to help! Morgan is going to be a service dog. She will help a person in a wheel chair, by making his life easier.
When she is grown she will pull his chair, like a sled dog, and she will open and close doors. She will even go into stores and restaurants and things when she is old enough, but first we have train her. We'll take her for walks almost every day, all around the neighborhood. She has to get used to cars, and people, and working without distraction. I'll include pictures, so you can see me working with her.
Day 2.
Today was fun, but very wet and hairy! I helped give Morgan a bath and then I got to brush out her long hair, and go for a ride on the resulting “tribble”. The slight puff of breeze sent it flying across the floor! Afterward I even got to go out and sun bathe with one of the other service dogs. There are three working with this one family!
Day 3.
I was curious, why this family lived so close to a cemetery, why the cemetery seemed so important to the entire town. As an answer to my question, Bit brought out her pictures. There were pictures of people in Civil War Uniforms, and even a picture of President Lincoln! Lake City is the site of something called a Civil War Reenactment. Every year a bunch of grown ups dress in period costumes, and play war! I wasn't here in time to see this myself, but Bit and her family let me study their pictures.
Bit even spends time at the cemetery for fun. She takes paper and crayons, and uses them to make rubbings of the various grave markers. She has three now, but is making a whole collection over time.
I'll be returning home soon, but I will never forget my friends in Florida, and all of the interesting things I learned.
And that was our visit by an important literary figure! Stanley was sent on his way back to our friend's daughter, so she has time to look over everything and prepare her presentation, due after spring break. Bit thought maybe you'd like to come along on our little literary trip and suggested I write this diary. I thought using her own words would be a better idea :).
Have you ever done a school project like this, or helped out a kid with a school project?