It's different being home as grandparents, as usually: what happens at gramma's.... now that school won't go back on April 6th, sorta applies. That said, it's a different dynamic with grandparents than parents. They are quite co-operative, as different from parents trying to homeschool the kids. I love reading comments from parents, new to 'home schooling' who have a whole new respect for it.
Trying to teach kids at home? @joelwestheimer says forget the worksheets and trying to replicate school, just spend time with them, cooking or in the garden.— OntarioMorning (@CBCOntMorning) March 23, 2020
9:00 a.m.
Off I went for the hostage exchange in CP. There was traffic. In Perth, they are laying in a foundation. Three cement trucks, and a 9+ crew in a hole creating a foundation for a house.
10:57 am
Fire is lit (Izzy and I), menu chosen (3 of us), basement beds were made (they made their own), Jophee and Iz were singing with the Ukulele. It sounded lovely.
Lunch: lentil soup.
Grampa and Iz went to the store to get videos. Some are in French.
Influenza Pandemic of 1918
Being an amateur historian, Grampa gave a lecture on the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, then lapsed into how it related to his family. It was Caitlin's suggestion! I suggested Jophee go for the lecture. She whispered to Isabelle saying, "Let's call him Professor Racine!"Upstairs we went,
"Professor Racine, could you tell us about the 1918 Spanish Flu?"
Prof. Racine – 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Two brothers and a sister married two sisters and a brother in his family tree.
Prof. Racine – 2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Reporters
AFter the lecture Grampa said they should answer these questions. They went down into the basement, and came back shortly, after research on their iPads. They took turns reciting what they had learned.
Why was it named that? Spain was neutral and reported the true numbers, the governments at war didn't want to report it.
It lasted from Jan. 1918 to Dec. 1920
There were 50 million deaths, with 500 million affected (25% of the population).
Four types of influenza virus: ABCD.
A has different categories
H1N1 is the pandemic of 1918.
Symptoms: fever, nausea, aches, diarrhea, pneumonia.
Killed twice as many people as WW I.
Grampa, who didn't have fun in school, gave them another assignment:
Why do we care about this? We look to the past for 3 things:
- Why did it stop?
- What did we learn?
- How can we prevent it?
They spoke to her en francais, which was great! They showed her the cats.
That was part of our goal, to get them to speak some French, as they are in French Immersion. Both of their parents are fluent!
Today's video: watching Frozen 2."Gramma," asked Isabelle, "Could you put another log on the fire?"
"That's your job," reminded Josephine.
"I know," replied Iz, "but I'm feeling lazy!"
Both were tucked into cozy chairs. Of course, I fixed the fire!
We had a nice dinner. We scrambled for meat when the shelves were cleared. Grampa scored both chicken legs (Izzy fave) and thighs (for Jos). Rounded off with frozen niblets and peas, we did well. The bumbleberry pie I'd bought for dessert was frozen and needed to be cooked. I didn't process that in my head. We had cookies, instead.
Jos was drawing on a box!
Grampa comment, after I'd tucked them in at night, "If things don't change, they could be with us for months. I would consider this a gift."
It's so true. Our schools were to go back April 6th, after a week of March Break, and two weeks of self-isolation for the following two weeks. Our Premier says it'll take longer than that.
"CBSA says 959,600 Canadians and 43,890 permanent residents returned to Canada between March 14 and 20." Some people won't self-isolate nor do physical distancing. They've had to close parks across the country.
We're managing, all things considered. I get the heebee jeebies shopping, but we've a scheduled pick up Saturday. JB's cold is easing up. I have a cough and sore throat. No fever, so we are good. It's just a head cold.
How about instructing people to stay home in their permanent residence, NOT travel to second residences in cottage country? We can't handle the influx & pressure on our limited medical, food & human resources at this time! https://t.co/1ji8tYztba— margaret #StayTheFHome #cutshurtkids #teamtrudeau (@forevercanada9) March 23, 2020
12 comments:
My recent surprise discovery about the Spanish Flu was that it began in the USA. From an army base -- in Kansas if I remember, but I may have the place wrong.
We're still isolating. The only shop I have popped into was Beckwith Kitchen. But it was brief. I called in an order. They had it ready. I paid with a touchless tap and left without touching anything but the bag. And the door handle, I guess, but I was wearing gloves.
...it looks like gramma is running a tight ship.
Hari OM
Lovely lecture - and great schooling exercise! Our BBC has pulled itself together to help with all our schools being shut (except for 'key workers kids') and is running educational programs such as I would even be familiar with. I haven't checked, but I am guessing Australias 'school of the air' will be expanding is coverage for a while... YAM xx
They aren't sure it was the US. In the US, at that time, cities were much smaller, but overseas population density was such that it spread, then the troops brought it home.
Oh ~ you are having a delightful time ~ glad all is well and the Professor was excellent ~
USA did have the flu epedemic in 1919 ~ it was terrible and out of control ~ killed many.
Hopefully, we will survive this one and it ends soon ~
Keep Calm, Be Well,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The kids will keep you two busy and occupied for the next long while. I hope this doesn't end up being months though.
I so love the way you look at this as " A Gift", down here total lockdown from midnight tonight, apart from essential services, and some travel for those when the ferries and planes have been overloaded travelling from South to North Island and the other way. This travel ends at midnight Friday.Lots of students from Universities going home for the next 4 weeks at least, maybe longer. We are advised to not go out, keep in our " Own Bubble" ,no visitors, friends are doing shopping, I can see a lot of Mums doing home schooling for weeks, and juggling work from home will be frazzled. Stay safe up North. Hugs to you all.XXXX
Hey Jenn, sounds like gramma camp is going well. Interesting...Alex's grandma and her twin sister married twin brothers!
My late father rarely got sick. The only illness I remember him having was Scarlet Fever, when it blew through our entire family in 1957. That said, we would all get whatever flu was floating around over the years and my dear old dad would soldier on working, fit as a fiddle. He always used to say he had such a strong immunity because his mother was pregnant with him through 1918 and gave him antibodies. None of his family was ill. They worked outdoors and on the steam boats, ran a hotel for loggers and other transients!
Most interesting lesson from Grandpa! Such intelligent girls too, it must indeed be a pleasure to have them! I did catch part of a good documentary on the American History channel on the 1918 flu, must try to watch the whole thing.
Jenn - it can be hard to find silver linings at times like this, but I certainly think time with grandkids would be one of them. I think we will leave this experience with a much greater appreciation for the day-to-day activities that we had come to take for granted! Stay healthy!
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