I just searched the thesaurus re: the word BITS, and it gave me the neat word, MODICUMS. “The smallest amount or part imaginable.” And this post is going to be cobbled together bits of news and musings.
Speaking of cobbled together, I started reading a book yesterday. THE GIANT FOREST, by Bill Belew and his daughter Mia, is billed as a “Chapter Book for Parents and Grandparents of Preteens Who Love to Read.” I think they should have run it by an editor, too, as there are a few words missing and some misspellings.
The plot: Half a dozen children from one school go to Mount Hermon summer camp (in California.) Several of these children have parental and/or friendship issues which are detailed at the beginning. The first evening, five of them wander off into the forest, get lost, and have frightening experiences. In one case a girl is captured by giants who plan to eat her. Another trips over the edge of a cliff into a waterfall.
This is a fantasy of sorts; you see shades of C S Lewis in the way intelligent animals and insects rescue the human children. But the scenes flip back and forth between one child and another in their experiences, so the book becomes a cobbling together of small scenes. To add to the melee, the story of an original pioneer couple (not too bright, it seems) is mixed in, also in bits. Since I haven’t finished it yet, I can’t give you an overall impression, except that I’d prefer a more linear story. I feel like I’m on a merry-go-round reading this one.
Today is officially the LONGEST day of the year. How did that happen? We only just finished May, enjoying the spring, and now June is passing in a whirl. Life has become a merry-go-round time-wise, too, with Sundays coming around every few days.
I did more painting last week, including several “pour art” pictures. I have much to learn in regard to this type of painting! Adding a few drops of silicon oil to the paint before you pour it gives “cells”, but I haven’t tried that yet. One day I watched a demonstration where a woman used her hair dryer to blow the paint all over her canvas. That will be my next effort. 🙂
Yesterday was Father’s Day, but was a wipe-out at this house. I had my second COVID vaccination Saturday afternoon and the predicted sore arm by evening. Yesterday I felt so weary and light-headed, so I had several long naps and read some. Bob did about the same, so nothing memorable or exciting to celebrate Father’s Day. We missed the Youth singing at the Villa in the evening, as I was feeling too light-headed to go anywhere. Thankfully that “floaty” feeling has passed and I can resume normal life this morning.
Saturday morning I read an interesting article on the Battle of the Alamo (in Texas), which debunked a lot of the myths that have arisen over time. It wasn’t the “decisive battle” Texas history has made it out to be, and could have been avoided.
Have you noticed how history is full of battles that didn’t need to be fought, if only someone at the time had used some common sense? In Canada we had the Riel Rebellion, which could have been solved so easily without bloodshed if the federal government had only listened to the Metis and native people. They were being driven off their land and some were starving. Their complaints were legitimate, but the federal govt was way off in Ottawa and had no clue about conditions here on the prairies. So send an army; put down the rebellion.
I see where the city of Saskatoon is considering renaming John A MacDonald Road (he was Prime Minister at the time of the Rebellion) Reconciliation Road.
Usually someone at the time has a good handle on, and keeps a record of, what’s really happening. However, the rhetoric and fervor of the hour make so much noise they drown out wisdom. A century or two goes by and historians, no longer caught up in the dynamic, look at all angles of these past events. Just as our great-grands, if time continues, will look at the movements and battles of our day and analyze what all factored in and how it finally played out.
As they say, “Hindsight is always 20/20.“
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I do love the word modicum and can say for sure and certain it’s not been used in a while – shall have to bring it back!
That tale does sound a tad confusing.
I was lucky and didn’t have more than the sore arm.. The fatigue might have been that or the fact that two days in a row, I got very little sleep 🙂
I think it is important that John. A. MacDonald’s part in the treatment of the Indigenous peoples be brought out and taught.
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My rely to you appears as a new comment below. Sigh…
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Glad you like MODICUM. And shall I remind people of Olla Podrida and Salmagundi, too?
I finished the tale and it is interesting if you can get used to the back and forth between six different scenes. It makes sense this was written in California; every chapter does some phycho-analysis of the behaviour and feelings of the characters and their interactions with others.
Interwoven with the story of the original settlers of this place — which has no bearing on the camp kids’ story. It’s partly repeated at the end, but this just muddied the waters even more for me as the narrator of this chapter is someone different.
As for John A, I agree that the truth should be told. The commander of the NWMP repeatedly wrote to Ottawa about the worsening situation and the need to do something for the natives — and was ignored. On the other hand, John A was not only about first nations relations. He was Canada’s first PM and I don’t think we should blot him out for that one aspect of his leadership.
Mind you, I’m inclined to cut past leaders some slack. They lived in a different era with a completely different mindset, and bigotry wasn’t the sin it’s considered to be today. If we must apologize for the attitudes of authorities throughout history, there’d be no end. Should the French peasants apologize to the aristocracy for guillotining their ancestors, for example — a blatant violation of human rights.
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You’ll have to remind ME too!
Some authors can get away with the back and forth because it’s well done. Why they insert stuff that has nothing to do with the main story, is beyond me.
I think there is a way to show history with all its good, bad and ugly and yes, one must take into consideration the mindsets – not that they are right but there must be a way to integrate those with the reality and explain without whitewashing
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Modicum, a nice little word that deserves to be used more often.
I can’t say I’m tempted to read that book
I had no reaction whatsoever to my jabs which made me wonder if they’d been carried out correctly!
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but foresight is better!
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Maybe we could have an international “Almost Forgotten Words Day”? 🙂
The book’s a collaboration between a dad and his ten-year-old daughter, so plenty of imagination. They’ve gone on to do a whole series, but I find it hard to believe preteens would be that keen on the analysis of self and others.
Good for you to have escaped serious side effects. 🙂 Different ones say the second dose of vaccine produced more side effects, and we can say that’s true. However, I’ve heard so many stories about these vaccines, including “People who get these shots have their DNA messed up, or die.” Bob has checked out some wild rumours, but all he’s concluded is that we live in crazy times and some people will believe anything!
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Twice now, my theme for the A-Z Challenge has been obscure and obsolete words and it’s amazing how many great examples have fallen by the wayside.
The vaccine seems to have produced different effects in different people and I guess I’ve been one of the lucky ones. I’ve had friends that really struggled. Better that than become infected though!
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