September Lessons (part 3)

Here's my recent lessons from the Learn Something New Everyday class.  On Day 7, I learned (or relearned) "The best time to take a walk is first thing in the morning.  It's quiet, it's peaceful and it's more likely to happen. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll get to see some bunnies."  Additional lessons learned:
*Gentle reminders and conversations with the kids can work just as well as shouting or demanding, especially when getting them off to school in the morning or inquiring about the new girlfriend.
*Cropping a photo can make a huge difference.
*There is more than one good walk in my neighborhood.
On Day 8, I learned the following lesson:  "You may never know how much a kindness will touch someone's heart."  Here's the backstory - when I was out walking, I saw a friend running.  As we passed, he said hi and reached out to touch my hand.  On my way back, we passed each other again. He stopped and thanked me for the words I had spoken at the memorial for his wife last spring.  He said he thinks of them often and they mean a lot to him. It brought a tear to my eye and made me oh so grateful that I had overcome my fears and blubbered through my memories at the service. I'm glad I was able to touch his heart.
My Day 9 lesson, "I love getting packages in the mail - a box of books from Amazon or a new batch of pictures can really brighten the day! Just one more reason to shop online."
I got three books for the girl:  Alice in Agony; Three Cups of Tea (young reader's version); and Number the Stars.  And three books for the boy:  The Hunger Games; King of the Screwups; and Carter Finally Gets It.  Anyone familiar with any of these?  I was reminded of how much I used to love getting Scholastic Book Orders in school as a kid.
On Day 10, I learned "The kids view the bus as a social experience, not just transportation to or from school.  I'm just looking for a little convenience in my daily routine." Clara plans her schedule around which friends are taking which bus.  Henry takes it home to spend time with his girlfriend.
About a-third of the way through the month! I'm enjoying LSNE pretty well, but am really glad I'm keeping it simple.  I'm sure I'd have trouble keeping up otherwise.