We make cheese the way we did 100 years ago, except now we wear gloves.
-----A Tillamook Billboard

Crombie is in the hole, Fitch is balancing on his hind feet to attack.

I didn't mention, as we were coming home from SF, we saw a decorated up VW, "OMIGAWD" license plate, all jazzed up with greenery and glitters and stuff, with the legend "Burning Man or Bust" on it. It's a pity the media has picked up on Burningman, really.

Well, these two have suddenly settled in. Fitch spent Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights in the bathroom, both behaved Wednesday night, and they've been relating to each other. In fact, they relate so much to each other, the humans and dog just seem to be in the way. Last night, though, Crombie did spend some time coming out to tease Sailor, "can't catch me!" and then racing away and hiding when he chased her. It's a Zoo.

Thursday was my day with Sam. First I went to visit the teacher and learned that the IEP is scheduled for the 23rd. I am reminded of when I had one of these meetings about Bernadette, though I didn't know that's what it was. I had simply photocopied a page of what she was reading at home, and written a letter to the kindergarten teacher asking if she couldn't have some special help, as she was so far ahead of the phonics-alphabet stuff they were doing in class. The principal then tested B., and discovered she was at least at 7th grade level, and called a meeting with reading specialists, the district Rapid Learner teacher, etc. I went into that room with all these folks and thought I had really opened a can of worms. (The upshot was that Bernadette stayed in kindergarten, which she loved, and which was where she was socially, and then returned in the afternoon for a first grade reading group. I had been promoted out of kindergarten and hated the move, threw a gigantic tantrum, and had a hard time relating to any of the kids at school after that. Fortunately, we moved and I started a new school a couple of months later. However, I didn't want Bernadette to have the same experience.)

So, anyway, we will have a similar meeting for Sam, because the child is NOT reading at grade level. The school newsletter points out that they want to prepare children for careers that require a college degree, not to discourage that ambition. Again, I am struck by the class differences in our so-called "classless society." I got that meeting for Bernadette like I thought it was my due, as it was. Getting this one for Sam has been more difficult. Our schools never had to announce they were college prep, because it was assumed the kids would go on to college. Many of these children will be high school dropouts. I just would like to assure Sam is not one of them.

Our activity was going back to the library. The librarian, another Jan, asked about the wedding. She knew Roni back when R. was in grade school, and in fact, Roni was the Royal Reader for that school and got to meet Jean Craighead George with this librarian.

I drove over there with the brake on, it appears, and when I discovered this, I said "dammit" under my breath. Of course Sam heard. "You said a cuss word." "Yes I did, and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

We read "Go Dog Go." There are some signs of dyslexia there, which I would hope the school could test.

There's a busy weekend coming up on the 18th and 19th. It's my church festival, which was my original choice of a place to take Sam. Then I found out the 18th was Carmichael's Founders' Day, a big party in the park. Sounded like fun. But wait, the Zoo is having "Dance in the Wild", with the Sacramento Ballet, and it's kid-oriented, maybe we should do that. THEN I find out that weekend is Sacramento Reads! Well, that's what I'll be doing with Sam. It's possible then Rich and I will go to the zoo that evening, and we have to turn up at the festival eventually. Why does everything happen at once, and then there will be nothing for months?

(It's logo day today!) Rich and I went on the Solemates walk this morning down in Land Park. About 3 miles. I figure about 4 on Tuesday and 4 on Monday. This afternoon I'll be taking Sam down to Old Sacramento and working on another couple of miles.

Vince called, looking for his deposit check, which hasn't come. He announces that his girlfriend was accepted in the Seattle Symphony Chorale. Yay, her!
Meanwhile, Monica is thinking about planning a family reunion in Pittsburgh next year, mostly so she can get to know her cousins and uncles and aunts. Sounds good to us. Currently she and Mark are going to Portugal and Spain, lucky devils.

I ate lunch out yesterday, which I enjoyed. A beef and green bean thing, quite spicy. Wowbagger, rather a one-issue person, managed to turn the conversation to gun control 7 different times, from books, movies, politics (well, of course), gossip, anything. So, in his honor, I will direct you to this article about gun prosecutions in the Clinton years.
Then, of course, while the government kills its own citizens in Waco, Clinton is trying to buy votes for Hillary by pardoning terrorists. Michael Kelly has an opinion. So does Paul Greenburg of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

The Defense Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department, all have warned against Jonathan Pollard's release, and the message it would send to others who might toy with a little espionage that turns out to be anything but little. Just as the Justice Department and the FBI, not to mention the mayors of Chicago and New York, urged Bill Clinton not to release these Puerto Rican terrorists.
But this president has demonstrated that he can easily override the advice of those who put the national security first. Especially when it would be politically helpful. There are a lot of Jewish voters in New York, and many of them have developed a soft spot for Jonathan Pollard in their hearts (and brains).
....
Now, with Hillary Clinton aiming to be the next senator from New York, the pandering--and pardoning--may have only begun.