I’m still digesting the events of OEA-RA. From all reports, it was one of the most dramatic RAs in OEA’s history. But what still has me intrigued and thoughtful is the process by which 600+ delegates engaged, cussed, discussed, and negotiated their way around some rather huge internal issues in the organization. I will say this–despite the frustrated and disenfranchised feelings of some folks on the losing end of votes, it was one of the most representative processes I’ve participated in–and that’s comparing it to similar processes in other volunteer organizations as well as the Democratic Party internal processes. Especially after the exercise of moving to a committee of the whole and the manner in which challenges to a chair’s ruling were held.
But RA wasn’t the only thing that happened.
The original plan for Sunday was to do our traditional breakfast out, shopping, then do stuff around the house before going to the ballet. That got short-circuited when we came home to discover that the son was in significant gastrointestinal pain and hadn’t been able to keep any food down for twenty-four hours. So he and I loaded up backpacks with electronics and off we went to Kaiser emergency.
We didn’t even get a chance to sit down before we were taken back–not sure if that was due to the type of situation or the fact that it was a bright, sunny spring morning and we’d beaten the onslaught of weekend warriors that would be swarming in with injuries later. In any case, he got seen quickly. It took three people and four sticks to find a workable vein for blood draws and a saline infusion.
Diagnosis: gastritis.
We got home in enough time for me to scramble around and get ready for the ballet, if I’d chosen to do so. But by then I was wiped. I ate a late lunch, then ended up napping.
The day wasn’t a total loss, though. I weeded the sugar snap peas, now up about two inches, and planted the impatiens bed. Spring is in full swing now, and both the Gravenstein and Grimes Golden apple trees are in full bloom. Many blooms (the photo at the top is the Gravenstein) with bumblebees and honeybees working the blossoms. For once the bloom timing seems to be right, as there’s not a forecast for frost this week.
Let’s hope it holds.
Meanwhile, a couple more pix.
The impatiens bed
The apple trees.
