LOCAL HISTORY
watched this year from the windows all the little trick or treaters going up and down the street. For the first time in many years we did not take part in the fall ritual. I was not quite sure how to handle it from the inside, my family did not shop for any candy for me to give to the kids, and believe it or not, we have been in quarantine Yes, the virus finally came to the Obendorf Family. I have been feeling the day would come when we would come in contact with the virus. I felt it was inevitable as it continued to spread. Our family has been coming in small groups and they all have masks on. We have been eating outside, but now the weather has gotten cold and sitting on the patio is not much fun. We have given up eating outside. Our dining room is quite large and Steve and Cheri even set up a small table away from the bigger table to be on the safe side. A while back Krista and Jim came on Friday and Krista helped me carry things over to the museum. It was nice to have her help especially since some of the things went upstairs at Aplington House. Bruce and Robin came that evening and we enjoyed carry-out from Pinecricker. The next morning Krista and Jim went for a walk and visited the new bakery. They came back with pecan rolls that were absolutely delicious.
COMMENTARY Betty Obendorf Polo Historical Society
That and some fruit was our breakfast. Soon Steve and Cheri arrived all masked up. Cheri was here long enough to say hi and she headed for Dubuque to spend the day shopping with Lori. I believe a new davenport was in order for Lori and you definitely need a mother’s help. By the time Cheri arrived back in the evening, Krista and Jim were back in Kenosha. Cheri had picked up pizza in town as she arrived back from Iowa and we ate all apart from each other in the dining room. I do not like it when we are not all gathered around the big table. There is something about conversation when you are all gathered around the same table. But the virus has changed some of that. Then they left for Naperville. The next day Cheri felt a cold coming on and by Wednesday afternoon she began to think it was time to get tested. Was this more than just a little cold? One
really does not know. Thursday afternoon late the family was put on alert!! Cheri had a positive testing for Covid. We were told to call granddaughter Amy in the medical field and she would give us instructions. Robin quickly lined Kenneth and I up for a test at KSB. This was to be a drive-thru at the emergency area of the hospital. The hospital called me to explain how this would work. She knew we were old and might feel apprehensive. We were definitely all of that. We were told to simply get in line at the far left door of where the emergency vehicles enter. They offer this service every day of the week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The door opens and in goes a car. The door closes and each car is privately taken care of while occupants are tested. Then you drive out the other said and head for the nearest place to get a treat! The treat part was of course our idea. That day it was to Dairy Queen for a blizzard!! Now we wait for the results and we are still feeling fine. We have been told by our granddaughter, Amy, who is a physician that we are in quarantine until Nov. 7. Thank heaven we voted early!
READING MATTERS
Storytelling can help with reading development T
here’s something magical about stories. Humans have been creating stories for centuries and people of all ages enjoy hearing stories being read or told. Passing stories from one generation to the next also passes on family culture and traditions. Stories and storytelling also play an important role in the reading development of our children and grandchildren. Oral language development provides a vital foundation for learning to read. Children learn to speak by listening to the language around them. Back and forth conversations help children’s vocabulary and language skills grow. They quickly learn about language and communication. Reading aloud to children or telling them stories will also contribute to oral language development in positive ways. Additionally, stories have an important role in reading comprehension. As children hear a variety of stories they learn about the language of stories. They learn about characters, setting, and the problems and solutions that tie them together. Listening to stories being read or told from an early age fills them with the wonderful language of stories such as “once upon a time” and “a wee little baby bear.”
COMMENTARY Mary Gardner Reading Specialist
They carry that knowledge and language with them as they learn to read and discover stories on their own. So, we can, and certainly should, read aloud to our children and grandchildren. We can also tell them stories. We can tell them about things that happened when we grew up. We can tell them stories we heard from our families. They do not have to be long. A memorable or funny event from our family history would be perfect. At this time in 2020 we are all building stories about how we are getting through the pandemic. You might even consider recording some of your family’s stories. It will be important to look back at them in the future. Perhaps you have a funny story about the first family Zoom meeting.
Maybe it is a story of the difficulties you are facing. Creating these stories can help everyone deal with the emotions of these times and build family bonds. We can also find stories in books or on the Internet then learn them and share them. Traditional fairy tales are good choices and there are still many references to them in our culture, so there is value in knowing traditional fairy tales. Myths and legends are also favorites. Children enjoy the Porquoi stories that explain how things in nature came to be. For example, there are stories about why the bear has a stumpy tail and why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears. Trickster tales are also fun to share. It is interesting to locate them from a variety of cultures. I have used the trickster tales from Africa about Anansi the spider on several occasions and have been amazed at how long the children remember them. No matter how you choose to share the magic of stories, remember they can contribute to your child’s reading development. There’s also value in the time spent together and that’s another kind of magic!
• Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times •Tri-County Press • Forreston Journal Only $39 a year for subscribers living in Ogle County. Call 815-732-6166, ext. 2518 to subscribe today!
OGLE COUNTY NEWS Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, November 6, 2020
No trick or treating as COVID makes appearance I
7
