I Just Don't Get It

Recently Michigan passed an amendment to the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act. This Act, originally passed in 1976, prohibits discrimination on the basis of "religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status" in the state of Michigan. While the law was interpreted to include protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, Senate Bill Four codified those protections into law by adding "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression" to the list. 

To me, preventing discrimination of a marginalized group sounds like a good thing. Yet I know people who are adamantly against these additions. In fact the comments of an acquaintance of mine indicated that their church "would not stand" for this change and that "the battle is real."  To me the comments made it sound like the church is preparing for a fight. (And yes I know, I'm only giving you snippets of their words, but I want to protect their anonymity. If I were to share their entire quote, people in my community would know exactly who I was quoting, and I am not trying to badmouth or publicly shame anyone. I hope that if you're reading this you know I wouldn't take their words out of context, or intentionally misrepresent the intent of the comment.) Anyway... it sounded, to me, like this person was suggesting a fight was brewing.

It almost sounds, to me, as if the person I quoted wants people in Michigan to have the right to discriminate against others based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. So not hiring, providing a hotel room to, allowing to use a pool, renting to, etc. to people based on their religion, race, age, gender, height, weight, marital status, or nation of origin is not OK, but if you think they are gay or trans, then it is OK? Whether one approves of people being LGBTQ+ is irreverent; they're human beings who, in my opinion, deserve equal protections under the law. 

I genuinely don't understand how someone can justify the desire to keep discrimination legal.  I've never heard of a group of Jehovah's Witnesses picketing a plasma donation center,  a group of Church of Christ, Scientists trying to shut down a hospital, or a group of Mormons trying to get a coffee shop shut down; despite their religious objections to those institutions.

How does a person, in good conscious, fight against all Michigan citizens having equal rights under the law? I suppose all gains in civil rights have come with a fight. Our country was born out of a fight for rights, women fought for the right to vote and African Americans fought for Civil Rights. Perhaps it's just the Queer community's turn? I would have hoped we would have learned something from all those past fights.

Good Luck

This kid, along with the rest of The Great Lakers (Mackinac's robotics team), is off to Lake Superior State University today for his second competition. The entire team  worked hard on building this robot, so I hope they do well. It's pretty amazing to me that we can field a competitive team considering we only have about 30 students in out entire high school!

Lovely

The flight from St. Ignace over to the Island may be quick, but it always puts a smile on my face. 

Nope

Soylent Blue and Soylent Black might be OK, but there's no way they'll get me to try Soylent Green, even if it is mint flavored. 

I would love to talk to their marketing department to find out just what they were thinking. 

Today's the Day

This afternoon was out first read through of the script. I am so excited to be a part of this. Everyone involved is so incredibly talented; I just hope I am worthy of being included.

Changes

As I was cleaning out a closet the other day, I came across a box full of notes I'd saved from high school. Don't ask why I saved them - I really don't know, other than I tend to be a packrat... 

As I sat on my bedroom floor reminiscing and happily attempting to decipher the handwriting of my high school friends, it struck me; neither of my children have experienced the simple joy of finding a page-long, hand-written note in their locker. Nor have they ever been quickly handed a note in the hallway while they rush to class. Of course they don't write notes any more - kids text. Even in our little school with only 30 high school students, who are always together - they text, or use Snapchat. 

Writing a note took time - it took commitment and you didn't do it for just anyone. A page-long, hand-written note only went to someone who mattered to you; maybe that's why I saved them. It makes me wonder if any of the notes I wrote back in high school are in the back of someone else's closet. 

As silly as it sounds, I'm really glad I didn't grow up with a smart phone in my pocket.

Fun

 

It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it's going to be a blast! I've helped out with costuming several community theater shows recently, but I've not been in one since before my kids were born. And even though I won't actually be on stage, I'm looking forward to doing a little voice acting. And I get to sing!  Though I'm sure my family will be sick of my one song well before show time.

School Closing

We had to send the kids home last Thursday (2/23/23) due to a power outage on the School - Grand end of town. It's the second time in my 30 year career we've had to do that. Without power the fire alarm, door locks, heat, etc. don't function; not to mention the lights and laptops.

Today two different people pulled me aside to tell me how impressed they were with my son. Apparently, rather than hopping on his snowmobile and heading right home with the rest of the high schoolers, he went down to the elementary end of the building. He helped the elementary teachers keep the young kids calm and entertained until their parents could get to school to pick them up. 

He's such a good human around children. He tells me he's planning on teaching kindergarten and I think he's going to be an incredible teacher.

 

Full

This is what a full parking lot at the Mackinac Island Public School looks like: snowmobiles as far as the eye can see. I took this picture during Winter Festival's Sunday Brunch. 

We haven't had a Winter Festival since 2020 (due to Covid.) It was wonderful to celebrate again.

Happy Valentine's Day

There it goes...

My Valentine's Day present...

My husband packed up the kids and headed for the 9:00 am boat and then onto a weekend of fun. Leaving me home alone. All alone until I have to leave for work on Monday morning. I'm looking at two glorious days at home, all by myself. I can't even remember the last time I was home alone. I may do laundry, but I may also binge watch The Crown, or Star Trek. Only time will tell.

Busy

I am often asked what people on Mackinac do to keep busy during the winter. If you went around town and asked 20 different people you might get 20 different answers, but most people would agree on one thing. On Mackinac you have to entertain yourself - or better yet, organize something you'd like to do and invite people to join you.

We are lucky enough to have a very active Recreation Department, who are always organizing activities for both adults and kids. Pre-Covid I signed up for a stained glass making class. Unfortunately, the class was shut down when Covid hit, and my project has been languishing on a shelf for the past three years. Last week I decided enough was enough - I dug out the glass making supplies and set out to finish my piece. I'm shooting to have it done by March first. Wish me luck!

Playground Duty

Kids on Mackinac are tough. So when we head outdoors for recess on a day where, after factoring in the windchill, it felt like it was five degrees (- 15 C), it's no big deal. The kids had a blast and I was toasty warm inside my Lands' End parka.

Meals on Snowmobiles

Did you know that Mackinac Island has a Meals on Snowmobiles program? 

Our YAC (Youth Advisory Council) kids volunteer and deliver the meals after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's a wonderful way for the kids to give back to a community that gives them so much support. Tonight's delivery included:

baked ziti, a garlic herb roll, veggies, Caesar salad, and cake a la mode.  My mom gets meals when she is here and really appreciates them. 

Teen Night

Mackinac Island teenagers don't have a lot of options when it comes to "hanging out." To give the seventh through twelfth graders a hangout space, the Island community created "Teen Night." Each Saturday night during the winter, St. Anne's Catholic Church opens their meeting space for the kids to come together. The church basement has a pool table and an air hockey table, in addition to lots of room to just chill. The kids bring the music, the Mackinac Island Community Foundation provides the pizzas and pop, and parents organize baked goods and activities. It takes a village, right?

Recently I got the kids to participate in an epic Superfight battle. If you are not familiar with the game of Superfight, it's a hoot! Players draw cards to create a character who will battle another player's character. For example The Mario Brothers with the ability to turn all they touch to humus while carrying a magical protective blanket, might battle the Pope with a mustache that can stretch at will armed with holy hand grenades. (One student actually dew those cards!)

To battle the players argue about who would win and why. They argue like their lives depend on it, because the lives of their characters actually do. Once the yelling, I mean debate, dies down, the other players vote to determine the winner. The champion of that fight goes on to battle the next player, and so on, until the ultimate champion is crowned. The funniest moment of the evening was when our high school math teacher hit Darth Vader over the head with a very heavy Algebra II book. Sadly, she was not match for the Force...

Just Another Day

What happens when a student's

zipper no longer works? 

Mrs. Burt fixes it during recess of course.

Just one of the many benefits of keeping

a sewing machine at school.

Handmade Holidays

Now that it's Christmas I can safely share the ornaments my students made this year. Each of them hand sewed 20 yoyos, which they then stitched together to create a wreath. I try to have the kids hand sew something every year to then give to an adult they care about. I hope the parents appreciate them - my students worked hard!

I actually have seven fifth and sixth graders this year, but two of them were absent the day we took this picture.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and yours  a peaceful (and warm)

Christmas from Mackinac Island.

The Great Storm

The "Great Storm" of 2022 hit Mackinac just like it hit the rest of the Midwest - with a vengeance. The bridge closed to high profile traffic, the ferry cancelled trips,  the Island lost a few trees and, of course, we got quite a bit of snow. But somehow, on Mackinac, even a blizzard is beautiful...

Camilla's Antics

The kids have really enjoyed coming in to

school each morning to see what Camilla has been up to.

She brought them a kindness challenge

to work on for the month,

a joke book and a few great "dad" jokes,

she even asked me to read Rosie's Walk

out loud to them. 

After overhearing the kids wonder if she could bring each of them a million bucks, she brought them one million "clucks" instead.

And on our last day of school before vacation,

the day they knew would be her last day with us,

they asked if they could take a picture with her.

How could I say no?

Deliciousness

Due to a few scheduling constraints, my family and I weren't able to get together for our annual Christmas Cookie Baking Extravaganza. Which, to be honest, was a huge letdown. So much of the fun of that weekend is spending time with a few lovely people I rarely see, and, of course, there are cookies...

Since I couldn't get together with them, I was determined to make cookies myself - so I started early. Of course, I made the family favorites: zimtstern (cinnamon stars), zitronenherzen (lemon hearts), Nurnberger (roll out sugar cookies) spritzgeback (cookies made with a press, Mandlebarge (almond mountains) Scottish shortbread, and springerle (this year with orange essence and dipped in chocolate.)

I also made a few others including Linzer (jam sandwiches), ginger cookies (because we love them), glazed chocolate shortbread cookies (to try out some new cookie stamps), Earl Grey Cookies (because they sounded amazing),  and pretzel turtles (made with Rolo candies.)

Some changes I plan on making for next year:

1. I reduced the amount of cocoa in the chocolate cookies (as per the recipe's instructions) but I will decrease it even more next year. Instead of adding in flour to offset the decrease in cocoa, I will try using powdered sugar instead - at least for half of the flour. I will probably also add in a small amount of baker's ammonia to see how that changes the texture. They also need to bake for a bit more time than given in the recipe..
2.  I will add even more tea to the Earl Grey cookies. (I also glazed them with a glaze made from strong tea and powdered sugar.) Next year we are also going to try making a batch with Constant Comment tea.

In case you are wondering why the names of some of the cookies are capitalized: 

I wasn't sure about capitalizing the names of the German cookies with names derived from cities so I Googled what to do, here is the reason  I chose to capitalize them.