Teaching the Teacher

Progress is being made...

2011-09-17T12:03:00.001-04:00

with my running. Since last year, I've run 3 5k's and have another one tomorrow. Having been a person who didn't enjoy running as a kid, I've grown to really enjoy it in my 40's. I'm even feeling. Calm and excited about the run tomorrow. I don't want to call it a race because I'm not trying for a personal best in my time, but I am enjoying the community that I'm becoming part of. My husband will join me, and the boys will be cheering is on with my parents. My sister-in-law also plans to run too. I will also get to run with my former professor and two former students. It's pretty special to be part of something that can tie us all together like that. I wouldn't get an opportunity like this otherwise.

Technology

2011-04-21T22:34:00.001-04:00

I've been a sucker for technology for quite some time now. In fact, my interests and dependence on it is beginning to worry me. Hubby and I have recently purchased one of those smart phones, the ones that allow you to purchase apps that do everything from music, news, health and fitness, to banking. I've become so involved in it, that when it froze this morning while I was out of town, I seriously nearly panicked!! I drove to the nearest cellular office for my carrier and they showed me how to fix it, aside from the hammer suggestion, in which they informed me that using one would void my warranty. Now I feel better now that I can fix that issue on my own should it happen again.

I now have apps that keep track of my checking account, one that allows me to shop on line, and one to even check my heart rate! I've downloaded several different cameras that do different funky things to my pictures, then download them to Facebook. I even have one that allows me to add a new post and manage my blog! It's pretty much self-contained, and I'm loving it!

Aside from my pleasure with my new smart phone, I have recently learned that I'm not as smart as I like to think I am...Hubby and I were trying to figure out why we couldn't hear someone speaking on the other line...we didn't think about the plastic shield that we were keeping on the phones to protect them until the new cases and shields were delivered. Once we removed them we could hear just fine. Man I felt stupid! Gotta laugh at myself!! Can't help but think that I should have known this.

Faith

2011-04-10T10:01:00.000-04:00

One Wednesday morning two weeks ago our principal began a discussion with the faculty that turned into a depressing discussion. The mood stayed with me all day, with me spending the whole day distracted and trying to fight back the emotions that kept bubbling and trying to erupt. I hated how I couldn't even smile at my students, although they knew something wasn't right. It just wasn't me. I'm usually cheerful and goofy and spend the day teasing and joking with my students. I woke up the next morning and prayed for help to get out of this funk. When I left home morning I was cheerful, so much so that it caught my attention as to how cheerful I was feeling. By the time I got to school, I felt so happy that I seriously felt like skipping through the halls!! By lunch time I felt so at peace that I just couldn't explain it. It lasted throughout the day and has stuck with me since then. I couldn't help but feel that my prayers were answered.

I've recently read a book that touched me and might have possibly begun a renewal of my faith. It's called Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back, by Todd Burpo. Todd is a minister, but has been forced to reflect and reevaluate his own faith because of his son, Colby's experience. I have been so touched by Colby's experience that I can't help but feel like I've gained a renewed faith. Toward the end of the book, the Dad talks about a young lady named Akiane, who by the age of 8 painted a beautiful picture of what she believes Jesus looks like.

http://www.artakiane.com/gallery.html

Considering how her mother was atheist, Akaine developed a spiritual awakening that moved her mother to eventually believe in God. Akaine continues to paint beautiful paintings and also write thought-provoking poetry. But what moved me about the painting of Jesus was that Colby confirmed that this is what Jesus looks like. (Noticed that I am referring to him in the present tense and not the past?) Two children who don't know each other, one who before the age of 5 talked about having gone to Heaven, and one who wasn't raised during her early years with the concept of religion, both imagine Jesus looking the same way.

I've always felt that things happen for a reason, and that there is a God. However, what I've struggled with is the involvement of Man and Man making decisions for others in the name of God. I have faith in God, but not so much in Man. If that makes any sense. Perhaps I'm just thinking too much about the whole thing, perhaps I'm going about this all wrong. In the meantime, while I try to sort this all out, I'll focus on the here and now, and how I feel now about my faith, God, and Jesus. I'll live for the moment.

Things weighing my mind....

2011-03-29T20:20:00.000-04:00

Here are just a few things that are weighing on my mind....

the staff cuts that our school board has decided on again...the loss of our middle school counselor...
the possibility that she will be able to "bump" me and I'll lose my job...
the 5K on the 9th that I'm not ready for yet...
the 180 mile bike trek that I'll be doing in June that I'm hoping that I'll be ready for...
the quarter coming to an end and my class finalizing things at the last minute...
the cost of heating....$$$
the master's program that I've been working toward...

Sometimes I just need to vent. I know that my issues are so small compared to what others have to deal with, but these are my stressors.

What about the book?

2011-03-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

I have recently succumbed to the appeal of reading electronic books rather than real books. I've said for a long time that I could never give up holding a book in my hand, smelling the "new book" smell that I enjoy, and feeling the pleasure of turning the pages and seeing how much of the book I've already read.

What changed my mind? Hmmm....possibly the books piling up on my night stand, bookshelf, end table and coffee table, and on the floor and in totes in the basement. I personally didn't have a problem with my growing collection, but it was becoming a little too much for our little house. I began researching the options out there. Barns and Noble Nook, Amazon Kindle, and the readers you can purchase at discount stores all seemed appealing. Finally, a couple of weeks before Christmas, I announced to Hubby that I wanted a Kindle. I ordered one along with a leather case with a built-in reading light, and instantly fell in love when I received it by the end of that week.

I love how I'm able to keep it in my purse and take it out when I'm waiting at appointments. I'm getting spoiled by the convenience of being able to download a book no matter where I am, and at what time of the day, or night, it may be. I also like being able to change which book I'm reading when I'm wanting a change, and not have to deal with lugging more than one book around with me.

What about the smell of a new book? I love the smell of its leather case.... How about seeing how much I've read? There's a bar at the bottom that shows how far along in the book I am, and I can see what page number I'm on too. Whenever I come across words that are new to me, I just have to put the cursor on the word and I get a definition right a way. When I come across phrases that are meaningful to me, I can instantly share them with my friends on Facebook. So many pluses about my ereader that I don't want to ever be without one. As for reading real books??? I still have some, and not all books are available on Kindle, so I haven't given up real books altogether.

Patience and Trust

2011-03-25T18:11:00.000-04:00

I tend to go through life with blinders on, hoping that everything will just work itself out. If I let things get to me, they’ll only get me down and become a distraction. If I stress, I become frustrated. If I leave it in His hands and roll with the punches, everything falls into place. Is it wrong for me to be like this? Everything has always worked out in the past. God may help those who help themselves, but sometimes I have to leave it completely in his hands and trust that He knows best. The hardest parts is being patient and letting go.

Rediscovered my blog

2011-03-23T18:52:00.000-04:00

Yeah, well a lot has taken place since my last post this past fall. I started taking graduate classes last spring towards my masters. Between my classes, correcting and planning for my students, getting a workout in, and just every day life, my blog has slipped away into the hidden crevices of my brain. I've only recently starting getting back into reading and have been mentally preparing myself to begin writing. But that's another blog another day.

These are some of my more memorable moments of this year...

I did the Edgar J. Paradis Tour de la Vallee bike ride this past fall. While Hubby rode 63 miles, I rode 25. I was very proud of myself!
So far I have a 4.0 GPA in the master's program I'm in.
I've signed up to run a 5K on April 9 and I'm not quite ready yet.
I'm doing the Trek Across Maine for the American Heart Association, which consists of 180 miles in 3 days! Yup, I'm crazy!!
I've resigned to purchase an ereader that I just LOVE!! I've become spoiled to buying books instantly and downloading them on my Kindle and reading until the wee hours of the night.
Became a great-aunt to a beautiful baby girl. She was born 7 weeks early, but is such a strong little girl that she was home by the 3rd week. Tomorrow was suppose to be her due date!

This past year hasn't exactly been too eventful, but has been quite busy with life in general. We're almost done the 3rd quarter at school, so I'm looking forward to wrapping up the school year, and welcoming spring. Just wish it would get here!!

Full Freezer and Basement

2010-09-25T20:28:00.000-04:00

We're all set for the winter now. Last Sunday Hubby, my two stepsons, our nephew, and my mother and father-in-law all helped us cut, split, and pile 5 cords of wood. Today, my very good friends helped us slaughter and clean our 10 turkeys. What a job that was, almost as bad the the day we cleaned 25 chickens. The difference is the turkeys were so much larger than the chickens were that we had a hard time to maneuver them in the sink. They were only 3 1/2 months old and the largest bird was 29 pounds (tom) and the smallest was 15 pounds (hen). So glad that's done. Now I'm relaxing after a nice long shower. I'll check back in tomorrow....

D-day has arrived

2010-09-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but lots has gone on. Since my last posting, we had hens, meat birds, turkeys, bunnies, and 3 dogs. We lost our Bandit (our Husky) this summer to old age. It was a sad day. Two weeks ago we decided to find homes for our other two dogs, the hens, and bunnies. We were able to find them great homes all by the end of the week. We've slaughtered and cleaned 60 meat birds (chickens) that we raised from little chicks, and tomorrow we're doing the same with our 3 1/2 month old turkeys.

It's pretty self-explanatory as to why we took care of the meat birds and tomorrow the turkeys, for food. But, why find homes for our hens, dogs, and bunnies? Hubby is allergic to pet dander, and although getting the dogs was his idea, he was the one who was really suffering all this time. The last straw was two weeks ago when he ran out of his inhalant medication and couldn't get it refilled until the following Monday. He went so far as to sleep in the car so he could breathe. It wasn't an easy decision, because I get so attached, sooooo easily, but enough was enough.

As for the meat birds and turkeys...well, it was definitely an experience, one that I'm all set with for a few years. Seriously considering NOT doing this again for quite a while, basically because we were tied down so much. Now that Hubby has graduated from college and is now working, we couldn't go anywhere with the kids on any vacation, not with all of those animals. We have friends who could have helped us out, but we didn't want to burden them all with our animals. We also have 2 horses and 3 cows. I'm hoping the horses don't get sold, but the cows are definitely arranged already.

As weird as it, and will be after tomorrow, not having the the birds, bunnies, and dogs around, it is liberating knowing that I don't have to worry about getting them more feed or trudging over to give them food and water before heading out to work.

Well, signing off for the night. Got a big day cleaning turkeys tomorrow. As one friend stated... gobble! gobble! Ack!! Although Hubby and I have some great friends who will be helping us, it's still going to be a big job.

Student Teacher

2010-04-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

For the past few weeks, I've had a student teacher in my room. It's an new and interesting experience for me, because just 8 years ago (it doesn't seem that long to me) I was the one doing my student teaching. I've always known my student teacher...I remember him when he was just a little boy and would come grocery shopping with his mom. He must have been a couple of years old, because his brother wasn't born yet. Now, he's 21, 6 feet plus, and married. This is one one of those opportunities where he's not the only one who's learning, because I'm getting a lot out of this as well.

This week was the first week he's teaching my full load, and I just observe. I didn't think it would bother me, and it really doesn't, but I'm BORED!! One can only take so much "observing"! We're going on vacation this week and we've got two weeks left of him teaching my classes. Then, it'll be business as usual.

Well, another 30 minutes left and it's vacation time!

New Bike!!

2010-04-16T13:59:00.000-04:00

Years ago, at times it seems like eons ago, I purchased a mountain bike at a local discount store and paid less than $100. There's nothing wrong with that, but the gears never worked right and I was more discouraged about riding my bike than anything else.

Two summers ago, I began riding my bike again. I was preparing to climb Mount Katahdin and decided that aside from hiking several miles through the potato fields behind my home, riding bike would help get me in shape. Well, I was mistaken...although I began to enjoy biking, racking in about 12 miles each trip and 20 miles once, I wasn't as prepared as I had hoped.

Although I was biking quite a bit, every other day as a matter of fact, I didn't like how I had so much trouble switching gears to make it up the one hill I had to face. It got to the point that I just stopped, and last year I didn't ride at all.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been trying to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. I've been running, doing my workouts and strength training on a regular basis. It's been showing, and Hubby declared one day that he wanted to reward me with a new road bike. We've talked in the past about doing a road race to raise money for cancer, but with the mountain bike I had, there was no way I was going to even attempt it. His bike was better than mine, but it wasn't a road bike. We went to the nearest bike shop and checked out what they had. I found a real nice one with neutral colors, nothing flashy...I'm not a flashy kind of gal. I'll admit, they're kind of pricey, and the most expensive item I've purchased that wasn't a major appliance.

Well, this weekend, we're going to go get our bikes!! I'm so excited!!! I'm hoping that I enjoy riding bike so much that I keep it up and can do the road race this fall. I'll keep you posted on how it all goes...here's a picture of what I'm getting.

Long time no see!!

2010-04-14T18:09:00.000-04:00

Hello good folks!! It's been a long time since I've been on, and I apologize for that. Life has been busy and I've made some life changes of my own.

In November I turned 40 and had a wonderful surprise by a friend of mine at work. My wall was plastered with lots of "over the hill" signs. It was a great day and ended up being a day I enjoyed rather than one I dreaded. I decided that week to give myself a special gift, of an active lifestyle. I bought myself a DVD and set up the basement so I have a little spot of my own to do my workouts. I got back on the treadmill and we got a exercise bike too. Now I have a variety to use. The Saturday after my birthday, a friend who was my age passed away suddenly, leaving behind his wife and four children. He was he sole provider of the family. His passing was hard to accept, for my own reasons, and I decided that from this point on I was going to keep myself active and healthy.

Since I've started, I've lost over 10 pounds and signed up for my first 5K ever!

I had never been a runner before, but I became one and have learned to enjoy it. That's me in the middle wearing pink. The ladies on either side are my friends from school who decided to do the run with me. What fun!!

Yes...this is a REAL smile on my face, not a fake one!

My wonderful hubby (on the left) also ran with me, but not with me. I told him to run ahead. I didn't want to hold him back and knew I would. He did his 3.1 miles in about 22 minutes!! Hopefully my time will be posted soon so I know what I did, but I'm figuring about 35-40 minutes! I don't think that's too bad considering it's my first race ever.

Well, I've done enough for now, and I want to get ready to do my run tonight. I'll try to be better at keeping up with my blog.

Chicken pictures as promised....

2009-10-15T13:16:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are a couple of pictures of our chickens. I thought I had more, but these are the best ones. I tried to attach a video, but haven't figured that out yet.

This handsome looking fellow is Rudy, our rooster. Perhaps it will change, but he's a gentle guy, even letting me pet him. I so enjoy hearing him "cock-a-doodle-do" in the mornings and occasionally throughout the day when he feels the mood. I was worried about our neighbors, but they listen out for him. That's comforting.

These are a few of our hens. The lighter ones are Buff Orpingtons while the rest are Rhode Island Reds. I love to hear how they coo when they're calm.

Busy, busy, bee....sort of.

2009-10-15T05:22:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not posting in quite some time, life has been busy, and I've become much more of Facebook fanatic than I had planned. My bad. Other than my addition to social networking, and the farming games that I just can't seem to leave alone, we've added to our family. Chickens! We started with 7 chickens and a rooster that our friends gave us, and eventually added 10 more. Many of them are layers, so we've been collecting eggs gallor! After having "ridding" of 3 and losing one to old age, we're now down to 13 chickens. Our egg sizes have ranged from super jumbo (that poor chicken, she's the one who died) to slightly larger than my thumb. My biggest fears are the neighborhood skunk that seems to be roaming around lately, and the weasels and raccoons that frequent our place. We're hopping Bandit, our Husky, who is perched near the chicken/rabbit house, will keep those varmints at bay.

We've collected a variety of eggs, from 5 or 6 one day to at many as 14! I can assure you, seeing how I was the one who cleaned the 3 chickens we killed, that those 3 were layers. It was so facinating to see the undeveloped eggs in different stages in the chickens. Gross, I know, sorry. My friend, who taught me how to clean chickens, found two completely formed eggs that the chickens didn't get a chance to lay yet that day. The shells were hard and everything! Really cool! The downside to cleaning chickens, however, is the smell. I'm fine until I start taking out the innards to separate the heart, gizzard, and liver for those who wanted to eat it. One of my friends from work suggested putting Vicks under my nose to "replace" the stink of the chickens once I get to the innards. Perhaps next time I'll give it a try. I'll try to post pictures soon, and if I can figure it out, I've got a couple of videos too that I can add. Until next time...

New Blog

2009-08-23T22:15:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Just a little note to let everybody know that I've begun a new blog called "Reflections in Middle School". I've decided to start it because it's a great idea for me as an educator to reflect on my teaching, what works and what doesn't. However, that's not the only reason. I've read some of those books written by teachers who share their experiences in the classroom and have always wondered if I could do that. Well, I've decided to do that in my new blog and hopefully expand on it if and when the time comes. I invite everyone to check it out and hope you enjoy!

Hunter in Distress

2009-08-23T15:22:00.013-04:00

I may or may not have mentioned in the past that we not only have 3 dogs, or 2 horses, but we also have 2 rabbits. They are of a mix dwarf variety, very cute and cuddly. We had gotten the rabbits the same time we got the goats. Here's the back story. Flash back to 2 years ago....

Hubby and I bought a weekly guide book that has a collection of items for sale or for trade listed, and one of the listings was for rabbits. We decided one day to surprise the boys with rabbits, and brought them to the farm that was selling them. Kenny didn't take long and chose his right away naming it Fluffy. I know, not very original. Kerry, on the other hand, decided that he wanted something a little more exotic, having fallen in love with a couple of young goats. So, after careful deliberation, Hubby and I decided to let Kenny have his rabbit and Kerry could have his goat. The problem was that we couldn't take just one goat, we had to take two because they get lonely. We put the goats in the cage we had in the back of the truck and Kenny held on to the box with his rabbit in it and headed home.

On the way home, Kerry was telling us the names he wanted to call the goats. The girl he decided would be named Kate, which I wasn't surprised about, and the boy Horny. I know! Hubby and I looked at each other and I asked him if he had other possible names for the boy goat. Without a blink of an eye he decided Cutie was an option. Having avoided a struggle with having Kerry accepting a different name for the boy goat, we quickly agreed that Cutie was a great choice. Whew!!!

Kate

Cutie

We arrive home and put the Kate and Cutie in their new home that we prepared for them, and Fluffy in the rabbit hutch we had found for free on the side of the road. Kerry kept wanting to get close to the goats, but they were too skiddish for us, so they kept running away from him. Eventually, Kerry grew tired and frustrated by this and didn't like the goats as much as he had before. Kenny, on the other hand, was holding and cuddling with Fluffy. Kerry decided that he didn't want the goats anymore, but Hubby and I couldn't see not keeping them now, because we had gotten attached to them. So, the next day, we trekked back to the farm we had gone to before and picked up a rabbit for Kerry too.

Kerry's rabbit on the right is named Oreo
and Kenney's on the left, Fluffy.

Now we had a male and female rabbit and a male and female goat. Babies were bound to soon follow.

Back to the present...

Just before lunch today, the family and I went to town to visit family and stopped at a salvage store to browse around in. Hubby and the boys found two tiny harnesses for the rabbits. When we got home, they put the harnesses on and tied the leashes and brought the rabbits outside for a walk in the back yard. Needless to say, Hunter, who has free range of our property and who loves to hunt, went wild. They tied him up, but the energy coming from his excitement was just too much for him to bear, and I didn't want the rabbits to be traumatized by him either. I brought Hunter into the house where he begged me to let him back out.

Poor Hunter.

I seriously think he was trying to speak to me, asking to be let out. I haven't seen him this excited since I brought Shelby home or when she was in heat.

Look at that tongue hanging out! Please???

Hunter continued to pace back and forth, from the bedroom where I was folding clothing to the kitchen door hoping to be let out. Finally, about a half hour later, the boys put the rabbits back in their cages and Hunter was freed from the intrapment of the house.

Mood Swings

2009-08-20T20:26:00.003-04:00

I can't believe how my day started. I woke up this morning and for no specific reason I can pinpoint, I was in a foul mood. I told the boys that I wasn't mad that them, but I couldn't help but feel bad later on in the day for my rotten mood. Nothing made me happy and nothing seemed to go right. Perhaps I'm just stressing because of the week we've had, sports every night and the new school year, or just the bills, bill, bills, but everything seemed to piss me off!

I brought the boys to their mom's before I headed to school, and when I got there she said how I looked spiffy. My legs were still raw from the hay bales the night before and couldn't consider wearing anything other than a light dress. That's the only reason why I looked "spiffy", but her compliment only brought a smile to my face and I told her how I had been in such a rotten mood. Later this evening at Kenny's soccer game, I told her that my day and mood turned around after her compliment this morning. She just cracked her sly smile and said, "I just have that affect on people." She's so funny.

Then, I got home and what did I find in the mail? Four bars of goat's milk soap. I was excited when I saw the box. It nearly felt like Christmas or my birthday. ;o) I could smell the scents through the box and couldn't wait to open it up and check out the bars. Now the dilemma. Which bar of soap should I try first? Until next time....

Razors and little needles!!!

2009-08-20T07:25:00.004-04:00

In my last post I talked about the hay that Hubby and his buddies decided to do on their own and the wonderful, wet experience we went through to put the tarp back on the mountain of hay. Yesterday, Hubby was actually home early enough for supper, which hasn't happened for nearly 2 weeks now. Being home for the first time in a long time, he decides he has work he'd like to do, one thing being removing the hay from the trailer that it's been sitting on and piling it on pallets and covering it again. Never mind the mountain of laundry that was waiting for me to do, I had to go help move the hay.

I finish cleaning up the supper dishes (still love my dishwasher) and went to change into grubby clothes. However, no one (Hubby) thought to suggest that I wear something other than shorts. It didn't take me long to discover my mistake. It took us an hour and a half to move nearly 300 square bales of hay then cover it back. By the time I got home, my forearms and legs were raw as if I'd been carrying bales of needles or razorblades instead.

This is a picture of one of my forearms this morning. This is just a small snapshot of what my legs look like. Sorry, I'm not including a picture here. As someone commented on my last post about learning a lesson with the experience, I certainly did in this one. Wear pants and long-sleeved shirts!!

Hay, hay, hay...

2009-08-18T20:09:00.006-04:00

Hubby and a few friends decided to get together to harvest hay for themselves rather than buying hay from other farmers at a much higher price. They pooled their money together, Hubby bought a square baler and one friend bought a round baler. They got a rake (or already had one...not sure), and another implement that they need after they cut the hay and before they rake it. They ordered the tarps to cover the hay and the rope to tie the bundles and rolls. It took some doing and organization, but they got everything they needed and the plans were made. One problem, though...they needed to work around all of the rain we got this summer.

Finally this past week, the weather took a turn for the better and they could cut the hay, let it dry, then do something else to it (can't remember what it's called), then rake it and bale it. The down side was that Hubby couldn't help like he wanted to because of work. He had been working long hours, late into the evening, and there was no way he could be there. But the great friends that he has, they baled the square bales and loaded a trailer with about 250 to 300 square bales, then they covered the entire pile with the ginormous tarp that he had.

All was well, then sometime during this Sunday evening and yesterday morning, the tarp flew off and all of the hay was exposed to the little rain showers we got. When I found out about it, I couldn't do anything about for a couple of hours, at least not by myself. That pile was huge! When the tarp was covering it, the pile looked like Suffalupagus (I think that's how it's spelled) on Sesame Street. You know, Big Bird's friend from the 70's who looked like a brown, woolly elephant. Anyhow, by the time Hubby could get to the field were the hay was piled, it had started to rain. Not a light rain, noooo, it had to be large, heavy drops accompanied by some thunder and lightening. But, there were were, Hubby and I trying to get the tarp back over the hay and tie it down in the downpour. We managed to get it all covered, but not before the rain got to it. Now Hubby is worried that the hay that was exposed to the rain will mold and won't be good for our horses. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

After all of that activity, I was soaked. Litterly. My shorts and tanktop were sticking to my body, which is not a flattering sight; trust me. My hair was dripping and had lost any style that it previously held, and my sneakers and socks were so soaked that they squeeked and squished when I walked. The only bright side to the whole thing was that it had been hot and humid for a few days, and the rain was so refreshing that I really didn't mind being as soaked as I was.

Now, I sit here in a dry change of clothes while Hubby is hanging out with our friends discussing the hay and the rain. I can hear the rain through the open windows continue to fall, although now, it's more gentle rather than the huge drops that dived-bombed upon us throughout the entire ordeal. This wasn't excitement that I wanted to have tonight. Hopefully, tomorrow will be less exciting.

Ahhh....imagine!

2009-08-15T20:40:00.004-04:00

Today I had a rare moment; I was completely alone! Hubby had already left around 5 a.m. to go to work. The boys are at their mom's for the weekend and come home at noon Sunday. So I had the entire house to myself; just me, the dogs, and bunnies.

Today marks the one of the last two days left of my summer vacation, so I took advantage of being alone. I had 2 close calls with being alone this summer, but Hubby came home early and I didn't quite get the R&R that I longed for. So today I relished the thought of not being a referee, and doing what I wanted to do without considering who'll have to do it with me or who will be left behind.

So, this morning I decided to clean the house, windows, floors, etc. to get it over with. I then laid out in the sun for about an hour while reading a book, then baked a fresh raspberry pie and made some shepherd's pie to freeze for a quick meal later this week. After having sweat through all of that, I then enjoyed a nice, cool shower. The weather finally changed this week and we've finally had temperatures in the 80's. It's been close to 90's yesterday and today, and trust me, I'm not used to this heat. So, as much as I'm enjoying the idea of finally getting a summer and having beautiful, bright sunny days, I'm trying to cope with the heat and humidity.

I wanted to go for a walk today, but with this heat, I decided to wait until later when it cooled down, otherwise, I'd been looking at another cool shower. Although the temperature dropped to the low 70's by the time I went for my walk, the humidity was still there and I couldn't help but make it a shorter walk than usual.

Tomorrow will be my last day of vacation. I'll have until noon to lounge around and do the quiet things I enjoy doing. Then the boys will be home and I won't have the house to myself. As much as I enjoyed the idea of solitude, and enjoyed today, I'm looking forward to having the boys home tomorrow.

The early bird....

2009-08-14T23:19:00.008-04:00

Yesterday morning we had a little excitement. We have a small shed that's attached to our garage where our bunnies, or should I say the boy's bunnies, live. It's not completely closed in at the top, which left room for a bird to make a nest. It's been there for several years now and there's always a robin each year with usually a couple of babies. It's always so cute to see them.

Occasionally, a baby bird will decide to fly out of the nest, but usually into the shed rather than in the other direction, which would take it outside. The boys went to take care of their rabbits yesterday morning and found a baby bird sitting on the window sill. Not wanting it to stay stranded, Kenny decided to try to capture it and bring it out of the shed. He wasn't as successful as he had planned, and it kept getting away from him. When the boys told me about it, I went out to give them a hand.

At one time, during my former life, I had 4 parakeets, 6 cockatiels, 2 lorikeets, and a cherry-head conure, so I knew how to catch a bird without fear of being pecked and without hurting the bird. Kenny, on the other hand, was a little fearful of hurting the baby robin, so it kept getting away from him.

Poor little thing. I caught it and held it to my chest while the boys went to get the ladder in the garage. They set it up and I climbed to the top to put him back in the nest. Of course, things don't always go as planned and he took off again into the shed. The mother and it's sibling were in the nest and flew out right above my head and toward the nearby chokecherrie bushes. Great! Now I had to go get the bird again, but the nest didn't seem like the best option now that his mom and his brother were out. The second baby landed in the grass, not far from Bandit (our huskey), who began licking his chops. I grabbed that one up and placed it on a branch of the same bush that the mom was on. Then I went to get the first baby in the shed, again. All this time, Mom's scolding me and the feathers on her head were so fluffed up, that she looked like she had spiked hair.

Finally, I got the first baby and placed him/her on the same branch as the second one and we left them alone and brought Hunter with us. I could still hear the mom scolding at whomever while we were back in the house. Hunter kept pestering to go out, so I tied him, poor guy...

Eventually, Mom and babies left the bush and headed elsewhere, but when we untied Hunter later on, he must have found him (hence his name...), because I could hear her still scolding away.

2009-08-10T22:31:00.004-04:00

It being within a week of our first days of the new school year, I find myself questioning my devotion to the teaching profession. I guess all teachers go through this at different stages of their careers, during the highs and the lows, and the in-betweens. But, I became concerned about my lack of enthusiasm for the new school year, when in the past I was counting down the days.

At the end of the last school year, we left with the knowledge that there was a possibility that jobs could get cut, and that I could be on that list. I've struggled mentally, emotionally, and in my faith to deal with that possibility. Twice, our budget didn't pass in the town referendum, which now leaves us hanging. To top it all off, our superintendent, who we hired with a 5 year contract, has left for another job closer to home. This time, a permanent super didn't leave because of town politics, but because of personal reasons. But now, at the beginning of a new school year, we have no budget and no super.

Last week, I began going back to school to prepare my room, but found that I was struggling to get on track. Why? In the past, I was there, fully aware of what I wanted to accomplish each time I went. I didn't feel motivated at all. I basically had to make myself go at some point. This worried me a lot.

Why was I lacking my enthusiasm? Could it have been because we didn't have much of a summer with all of the rain? Did I not enjoy the kids anymore? Did some of the negative experiences from the year before ruin my enjoyment of teaching? Why was I struggling like this? It finally made sense to me this week.

I had to go to town before going to school to pick up some last minute school supplies at the store. I ran into a couple of my former students and one who I'll be teaching this year, and I felt that wave and twinge of excitement that I usually get when I see the school supplies come on sale each fall. That feeling of excitement mixed with butterflies that makes me catch my breath and want to skip over to the notebooks and pens to buy some, whether I need a new one or not. It's comparable to the feeling a child gets on Christmas morning, or Easter when they look for the hidden eggs, or their birthday knowing their party will be that night. The child in me comes out a bit and I get that excited feeling that this year will be better; I'll reach all of the kids and accomplish everything I had hoped for.

Once I stopped at the main office at school, the cloud of the school and town politics loomed above. I could feel it when I walked in and that's when it occurred to me; it's not the kids or my job as a teacher that's making it hard for me to be motivated for the new year, it's the politics. I love my students, even the tough ones, and I enjoy seeing them during the summer and breaks. On the first days of school I get a rush of excitement that I'll see my students again, and dread the loss of the 8th graders on the last days of school.

Please don't get me wrong. As an educator, I understand that it's important to be involved and know what's going on around you, in your local communities and your world. However, I also know my limitations and what my stressors are. Politics, to me, is a negative thing, with all of the backstabbing, lying and cheating going on, and it's exhausting. I can't seem to wrap my head around a lot of the jargon and policies that are attached to politics. Politics for me is something that creates more stress than anything else that's tied to the teaching profession. Hearing the rumors and listening to everyone's fears as they talk in a hush in the teacher's room and halls, although I have to admit I had let myself get caught up in it last spring, just makes things worse and becomes too much of a distraction.

Although I agree that it's important to get involved, it's equally important to separate the politics from the classroom. The kids feel it and I want them to have a positive experience rather than a stressful one. School doesn't need to be stressful, for either the students or the teachers, at least not in the sense of politics getting in the way.

So...I've decided to put on my blinders as of now, walk into my classroom when next Wednesday comes, and focus on the kids and how much I enjoy teaching them. There's a time and place for everything, but the classroom is not the place for this kind of politics.

I never thought...

2009-08-06T22:09:00.005-04:00

When I was a kid, I would get excited about getting things, like new clothes, toys, shoes, jewelry, and so on. Sometimes whatever I got didn't have to fall into any of these categories. I just liked getting stuff. Who doesn't, right? I still get excited about getting things as an adult. However, the things I get now that give me that thrill are nothing like what I ever got as a kid.

I'll never forget during the first few years of my first marriage. My ex and I had gotten his uncle's washer and dryer, which still worked great, but was quite old. About 3 or 4 years later, the washing machine died and we couldn't afford to get a new one for several weeks. I had to trudge to the laundry mat with my many loads in tow to do the laundry. Had there been a decent laundry mat where all of the washers and dryers worked it would have been fine, but in our small little town, there was only one (at the time) with probably half of the machines not working properly. If I was lucky, I had the whole place to myself and I was able to wash all my laundry at the same time, but that didn't always happened. Being able to do all the laundry in such a short time was the only thing I liked about it. I hated the dirty feel of the place, and the one I was at didn't have many light bulbs that were working properly, so the lighting was too dim to see the stains I missed. Needless to say, I pushed my ex to get a new washer quickly.

The day arrived when my new washing machine came home. It was the cheapest one available, minus all of the bells and whistles. Keep in mind that this was in the early 90's, so the bells and whistles were nothing compared to what they have now. It was just the thought of not having to lug all the laundry to the laundry mat, sit for a couple of hours while the loads all washed and dried, then fold the clothes I didn't want to get wrinkled on the grimy counters, and then lug everything back home. I was so excited! I realized a little while later, after the excitement wore off and reality set back in, that I still had to do the laundry. I reflected on how excited I had gotten over my new washer and couldn't believe that I was excited over a household appliance! Had I finally reached adulthood (I was about 21-22 at the time), that I would be so excited about a washing machine? It's not like it was a new car or anything.

I managed to experience that same excitement these past few weeks. Before Hubby and I got together, I had a dishwasher. Although I couldn't imagine life without it, I had truly lost my appreciation for it. Then I moved in with Hubby and had to wash the dishes by hand. There were days when I was gone from home for most of the day, yet the dishes still piled up. Life can get so busy, yet the dishes don't stop coming. During the summer, I would resort to paper plates and plastic disposable cups. However, wanting to be more environmentally friendly, I cringed at the thought of doing that again this summer. Not only that, it also gets expensive, and with Hubby doing his internship before his last semester of college, I wasn't willing to spend our money on that.

For seven years I washed the dishes by hand. I'd occasionally had help when there weren't other things that needed to get done, or homework to be worked on. Hubby pitches in once in a while too, as well as the boys, but it doesn't always work out. One day, Hubby asked me what I wanted. For all the time we were together, he'd get things like a motorcycle, tractors, and more recently, horses, but I'd never ask for anything. So I thought about it for a while. Some time later, when he asked me again I was ready. I wanted a dishwasher.

Now, my family always had one and can't see them willingly living without one. My in-laws did have one at one time, but they were never really impressed with them, so they have since continued washing their dishes by hand. So, mind you, convincing Hubby to get one took some effort and sympathy. Eventually he came around. Two weeks ago I got my dishwasher. Granted, it doesn't have all of the bells and whistles that many dishwashers have out there. But I'm a simple girl and felt that I was fully capable of putting the dishes back in the cupboard myself.

Since then, Hubby and the boys all equally enjoy the dishwasher as I do. They put their dishes in the dishwasher themselves! What's even better is when we're in a rush, or have managed to go through the day without creating more dishes than a few bowls, cups, and plates, it's nice to have a place to put the dishes until they can be washed. Before, my counter would become cluttered and I would hate it when people would drop by and I didn't get a chance to do the dishes. I'll now have more time to do other things, such as laundry, sweeping the floor, and once school starts back, my nightly planning and/or correcting, and get to bed at a decent hour. I guess the kid in me will never leave when it comes to getting stuff, no matter whether it's clothing or a new household appliance.

Waiting to see...

2009-08-05T23:13:00.004-04:00

In my last post, I talked about how we had someone coming to look at our house. He came with his parents in tow checking everything out. Things seem to have gone well. Out of the 5 houses he looked at yesterday, he seemed to like ours along with one other. So...needless to say, we're hopeful. In the meantime, Hubby is still considering our options, and I'm being more receptive to the discussion as well.

In the meantime, life goes on and I've got just over a week left of vacation. I went to my classroom today (This is a picture of the middle school portion of our school. Mine's on the the bottom floor starting from the 3rd window from the left and includes 7 windows.) and didn't spend as long as I had originally wanted to, but I got some things accomplished just the same. When I came home, I continued working and got more rubrics and projects worked out. They're the same as I had the kids use last year, but I revamped things a bit. While it was still fresh in my mind, I made some changes that I felt were necessary, and now I'm making them so I can print them out tomorrow and make enough copies for the year.

I find it's hard to be motivated when it makes twice that our school budget doesn't pass the referendum vote. Our local mill is struggling right now having filed Chapter 15 Bankruptcy (like Chapter 13, but international), so everyone's panicking and worried that the mill won't be able to cover the share of taxes it did in the past. I can't say I'm not worried about the mill either, but does this mean that I will have to purchase my own supplies at some point? Being the only one bringing in income right now, spending money on supplies for school is not an option.

So, today was a mixed bag. We got some good news about the house situation, and I struggled with the situation at school. I'm heading back to school tomorrow, and having had accomplished what I did today, I'm sure I'll feel better about things tomorrow. Only time will tell how things will pan out. Until next time...

Counting My Chickens...

2009-08-04T08:47:00.004-04:00

It makes over a year since Hubby and I put our home for sale. As mentioned in the earlier post, we got our hands on vinyl siding and now our unfinished garage is coming along. Most of it is done, but we need to pick up some of a different color to put in the top part of each side to match the color scheme of the house. Nevertheless, the garage looks a lot better!

Late yesterday afternoon, we got a call from our real estate agent. Someone wants to look at our house this afternoon right after supper. Before, I would go into hyper-mode and attack the house from top to bottom, stressing over the fact that strangers will be coming into my home and it will need to sell itself. I don't know if it's because I've been home all summer and have been able to keep up with the house, but there's not much to do. That's a relief. I will pass the lawn mower today, but there's not much else to do.

Last night, Hubby had trouble getting to sleep. He kept considering our various options if our house sells. There were several lots we looked at, but they're either in another town where the boys would have to go to another school, or the lot doesn't have a home on it and we'd need to buy one. I understand what he's trying to do, have a plan so we'll know what we're doing and where we're going. My problem was that I can't get my head around it. Not knowing if our house will sell this time makes it hard for me to begin planning. I can't help but fear that we'll just be let down again.

This is where my faith comes into the picture. I'm leaving it up to Him, in his hands, as to whether we sell the house or not, and what happens after that. I understand where Hubby is coming from, because it is nerve wracking when you consider that we don't know where we want to move to, but it's hard to plan when your home doesn't sell and the place you wanted does. Patience.

A New Old Garage

2009-07-27T08:53:00.002-04:00

Six years ago, Hubby decided to tear down the old garage that he had and build a new one. The old one was in dire need of being torn down and replaced. Looking at it, one would be surprised that it was still standing. Within a months, we had a nice 3-bay garage; two doors in the front and one in the back for the tractor, four-wheeler, or snowmobile to head toward the trail behind our house. It was given a nice wrap of moisture paper, three bay doors and there it sat, waiting to be finished for 6 years.

Why didn't we put siding on it for all that time? Good question. I guess after a while we just got used to it and didn't think twice about it. But at the beginning, we couldn't decide what kind of siding we wanted to put. Did we want vinyl, cement board, shingle siding, or what? Were we planning on doing the siding on the house now or could we wait? So we decided at one point to just wait until we decided to change the siding on the house. Then life happened and money became short and putting siding on the garage became less and less of a priority. Then the day came that we decided to put our house for sale; that's when the unfinished garage became an issue.

We weren't dumb. We understood that the garage was probably preventing us from selling the house for the price we wanted, but at this point, covering the garage with any kind of siding was not going to happen any time soon. Especially when only one of us was working while the other one was back in school after having been laid off. We resigned to the fact that we weren't going to cover the garage with siding and we probably won't sell the house because of it.

Last week it happened! We were driving down the main road heading to get some ice cream when we came upon a garage sale. We love summer because of garage sales and we never hesitate to stop. Anyhow, we drove up and got out to take a look. There it was. Enough siding to cover our garage, and it was a pretty close match to the color of our house. Guess how much. No really, take a guess. Let's just say that Hubby and I had priced vinyl siding at a local major hardware chain store of about $800, and that was a rough guesstimate, too. We probably didn't consider all the doodads that needed to be included either. Have you ventured a guess yet? The man was selling never-been-used vinyl, including j-channels (whatever they are) and corners for $150! You can imagine that we jumped at the chance. This Saturday and Sunday Hubby, along with his dad, worked to put up the vinyl. What a difference it makes! We still need to pick up a different color to put on the ends to match our house, but it's amazing the difference!

What's the moral to the story? No. It's not to avoid procrastinating or that one needs to plan better before starting a project, although those would be great morals to take from this blog. Rather, that things all fall into place accordingly. Perhaps our house won't sell because of the siding, or perhaps it will, but someone else has a plan for us and if we're willing to do the work, He's willing to give us a helping hand.

Memory Walk

2009-06-29T23:06:00.007-04:00

I seemed to have developed a passion for something other than work and my family. I have become passionate about two causes; cancer and Alzheimer's. Both have affected my family and friends. For those who are not aware, this past May, my grandmother passed away after having had Alzheimer's for several years. Two days before Memere's passing, my cousin passed away from her third bout with cancer. This is why I'm getting involved with these two causes. I've already done the Relay for Life Cancer Walk, mentioned on my post back in May, now I'm focusing on the Memory Walk for Alzheimer's.

On Saturday, October 3, 2009, I will be taking part in a Memory Walk to raise money for Alzheimer's research. For those not aware, Alzheimer's can be hereditary. I may not have the best memory out there, but the memories I do have I don't want to lose. Watching my grandmother eventually forget her husband of 60 years, her children, and grandchildren was heartbreaking. To see a once vibrant woman full of wonder and creativity become a shell of herself is extremely difficult. I don't want my mother, my sister, myself, or anyone else to ever have to go through that.

Reflections

2009-06-27T17:02:00.007-04:00

I was raised a Catholic, but have always felt that He doesn't care what faith I am as long as I have faith in Him. I've always had a hard time giving up something so personal as my faith in God into the hands of man. Especially when I've learned how much man has had an influence in the development and creation of my religious faith, and the corruption that many faiths, including my own, have affected our world throughout our ancient and recent history.

I grew up attending church on a weekly basis, and during Lent, a daily basis. I continued that ritual throughout most of my twenties, too. I've prayed for things to happen, however, the big things that I've prayed for never happened, but yet, the big and little things that I haven't prayed for, but left up to Him did. I know that sometimes He says yes, or no, or not right now, but I end up obsessing over it only to end up making myself sick and sometimes left disappointed.

Last spring, Hubby and I decided to put our home for sale. Just so you know how it's going, it's still for sale. Last summer, I prayed religiously (no pun intended) to St. Joseph, patron saint of money matters, among other issues, and to St. Theresa Martin, my patron saint. One Sunday we went to church and saw several vases of roses near the alter. For those who may not know, if prayers to St. Theresa Martin get answered, the one praying will either see roses, smell roses, or receive roses. So, when I saw all of those roses, I was so excited that I almost fell off the kneeler. I couldn't control my excitement. Days went by, weeks, and now months, and nothing but disappointment and a for sale sign still on my lawn.

When I learned on Wednesday that the community that I work in, in their infinite wisdom and panic over our paper mill filing bankruptcy, voted not to approve our budget, I was depressed. I moped around the house all morning and forced myself to take a shower and head out with the kids for a ride.

What have eventually learned in all of this reflection? No, not that he doesn't listen, but to have faith and patience, and to leave it up to Him instead. He knows what's best for me. Sometimes in life I need to make the decisions, but there are times that it's best to let Him guide me. I've had a philosophy since my divorce that everything happens for a reason and I've had experiences that have proven this to me. The life I've led yesterday helps to create not only my future tomorrow, but the person I am today. The choices I make today don't just impact me, but those I run into every day. I have to remember this. So, now when I pray to Him, I tell him I'm leaving it in His hands and that I have faith that He will take care of me. It's a huge test of my faith to do that, but what was said of that mustard seed?

Addiction

2009-06-26T21:38:00.009-04:00

Often times Hubby and I scold the boys for playing their games so much. I could never understand how they can be so engrossed in something that I have such little patience for. I've played video games before, in fact, I've saved the princess on Mario Bros. a few times back in the day. But after a while, other video games became annoying and I lost patience quickly and eventually lost interest.

In an earlier posting I mentioned how I started a FaceBook account, which is part of the reason I've slacked on my blog. Sorry folks. Some of my friends got me into a farming game. At first I resisted, but then curiosity got the best of me and I just had to check it out. I was sent trees, flowers, and animals as gifts, and I wanted to see what the whole game was about. Little by little I learned how it worked. I harvest crops for other "farmers" to gain coins in order to plow my fields and plant my crops. Then I can hire others to harvest my crops when they are ready and gain coins that way too. I was really getting into this.

As our school year was coming to an end, I was beginning to feel a bit let down. I was saying goodbye to a group of kids that I've known since they've been in the 3rd grade, now moving up to the 9th. Not only that, but my district was stressing over the idea that our school budget had to be cut drastically. The economical situation going on right now with our local paper mill filing bankruptcy has really caused anxiety in the community, too. The threat of layoffs are looming heavily overhead. Heading towards my last days of school, I began spending more time on the game. I had a goal to gain enough coins to purchase a house, then every time I reached a certain level, I was able to purchase different animals, or trees, or seeds, or flowers. I eventually purchased a barn, which jumped me immediately to yet another level. Friends were commenting on how quickly I've moved up having started the game way after them. I felt I was successful, accomplishing the goals I set for myself and continuously moving ahead. It was quite the feeling; so unlike my real life.

This past week, Hubby and I sent the boys to bed. He and I were both playing the game (I got him hooked too) and we were both trying to gain as many coins as we could to accomplish whatever goal we had for that night. I finished harvesting for someone else's crops and went to say goodnight. Hubby was not finished yet, so he took a little longer. One, two, three minutes go by and doesn't Kerry call Hubby to go tuck him in. Hubby told him he'd be right there. One, two, three more minutes pass and Kerry said, "Dad. You guys are getting as bad as me and Kenny on those games." We had no choice but to laugh and agree with him. We hadn't realized just how much we were getting into it. It took an 8-year-old to remind us of our growing addiction to this farming game.

I've since wondered about why I got to this point with the game. Why was I so addicted to it? All it is, is growing crops, gaining coins, buying more seeds to grow more crops, occasionally purchasing more land and making it look nice. But what was the appeal for me? Then it hit me. This past Wednesday, I learned that the school budget didn't pass and that I may not have a job in the fall, and I continously hung out on "the farm", harvesting and planting and buying more stuff. Everything else around me got neglected, but I was beginning to feel that successful, satisfying feeling again. That's when I realized that I was attracted to this game because it filled the void that my life had at the time; success and satisfaction. I began imagining the guys on "Big Bang Theory" constantly involved in their role-playing and video games. TV makes fun of these scenarios, but we can all easily fall into these traps. That's how people get into other means of filling the void, giving them this successful and satisfying feeling that they crave. We're all guilty of it in some form or another. Some ways are harmless, but time-wasters, while others are dangerous and illegal. I'm just glad I chose the time-waster.

The Sock Tossed Back into the Hamper

2009-05-31T00:08:00.009-04:00

As you have probably noticed, the last entry isn't my usual. Rather it's a creative writing prompt that I typed up some time ago. I can remember what I must have been thinking, because I relived a fight with my ex from several years ago while reading it. The only thing is that it didn't end as wonderfully as the story implies. Analyze it any way you want, but I like to think that I just like happy endings.

This next entry is another creative writing prompt that I've started some time ago and was able to generate ideas from when I looked at it earlier this evening. I hope you like it. I'll be doing more in the future.

The Sock Tossed Back into the Hamper

Wha…what? What’s happening? Silence. Aw man! Why am I back in here again? I already went through this! I don’t get why am I in here again? I thought for sure I was just in the laundry basket, fresh from the dryer smelling spring fresh again. Wait a minute. I’m still warm! Geez! Maybe I can wiggle over to the side to see what’s going on. Umph! Umph! Umph! Nothing but wall. Augh! This is just not my day.

I don’t understand what happened. Let me think back here for a minute. Hmm. I was here earlier today. I was put in here last night after being in those work boots all day. Whew! It was such a relief to be freed from that foot when the time came. I didn’t smell too good either. Ewe! Neither did my partner. We both got to hang out for a while, chit chatting until we were picked up this morning. I remember having an awesome hot bubble bath and hanging out with the other socks and underwear. The little woman’s ankle crew sock was flirting with me again. I think she likes me. Hmmm. Ahem. Yes. Well, back to what’s happening here.

Our soaking lasted for a while, and then the scrubbing began. I’m sure I’ve got bruises where I never had bruises before. Ouch! Then the dryer. I wish I could just lay out in the sun, like my cousin a few streets down, just flapping in the breeze. But noooo, I have to tumble in the hot dryer getting dumped on top of and buried alive by the rest of the undergarments. It’s not as exciting as you might think. Believe me. The best part of the whole dryer thing, though, is when the lady forgets us down here. It doesn’t happen every time, but it’s nice once in a while. After all of the soaking, swashing of the water, the scrubbing, and the tumbling, it’s nice and relaxing to just lay low for a while and get to know the newcomers, if there are any, or catch up on some old friends and what kind of adventures they’ve had. It’s really quite refreshing.

The last thing I remember from my weekly ritual, after the dryer of course, was lying back in the basket wondering who my new partner would be. The guy I had last time was pretty easy to deal with, but the one before that was a real snob and major perfectionist. I couldn’t stand the guy. I was never straight enough for him, and I swear, the foot was doing on purpose too. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried to stay in line, the heal kept twisting and the toes kept bunching up. It was quite a chore trying to be perfect. Sniff.

I was just laying there waiting in the basket, chit chatting with whomever ended up nearby while we waited to be matched with another sock. I couldn’t help but daydream during this pairing-up time. I was imagining getting matched up with the cute girl from two weeks ago. I really felt we hit it off, yet she never called me like she said she would. Eventually, time moved on and no other sock like me was left. I was alone in the basket with a woman’s ankle sock and a boy’s tube sock. No man’s tube sock was left for me to pair up with, at least not in the basket.

I could see the guy from the other week sitting on the edge of the table. He didn’t look too good, for I could see a hole in his toe. Poor sucker. So much for being perfect. I wouldn’t want to be in his place right now. His only options are in the ragbag, which I heard is pure torture, or the trash, which is worse. I actually felt bad about how I had said about him expecting such perfection from me. However, I never found out what happened to him, because I ended up here, back in the hamper along with the woman’s ankle sock and boy’s tube sock. Perhaps next week I’ll get to be paired up. Until then…

Love Story

2009-05-29T06:56:00.004-04:00

They had nothing to say to each other. Everything had already been said. She got up from the chair and walked out of the room. He sat there with his head in his hands trying to figure out what had just happened. How had they gotten to this point? Why had he said what he said and how long had she been feeling that way? Were things really that bad?

She was shaking as she walked out of the room. She didn’t look back, couldn’t look back. Doing so would be a sign of weakness, remorse, and regret. She couldn’t let him think that she was sorry for any of what she had said. She wasn’t. She had meant every word. Enough was enough and now there was no turning back.

He got up from the sofa and walked towards the window with his hands in his pockets and looked out into the street. The street lamps were on now. It had grown dark since it all began. How could the world go on when his was apparently coming to an abrupt halt? The lovebirds in the cage continued to chirp softly to each other and the cat was still curled on the chair in the corner napping soundlessly. Did they understand what was happening?

She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a drink. She sat on the barstool and looked at the uneaten supper on the stove. It’s been sitting there too long, for hours. She’d have to throw it out now. She turned to look out the kitchen window and saw a light go out at one of her neighbors. Could they hear them? Did they have any idea of what had been going on? What was their next step now?

He continued staring out the window and watched as the neighbor’s cat walked across the street. Probably looking for a mouse. He turned away from the window and walked across the room to look at the photos on the shelves. He picked up the one of them at the beach two years ago. Things were so different then. He eyes began to well up. How could things have changed so?
She finished her drink and placed the glass on the counter. Running her hand through her long hair, she gave a long sigh, got up and walked toward the hall. She passed by the living room where he was standing and saw him looking at the photo. She stopped and watched. He didn’t even notice. She continued to watch as he put the photo back on the shelf, his hand slightly shaking and wiped his eyes. Watching him made her heart well up and she gasped.

He heard a noise behind him and quickly turned around. She was standing there watching him. How long had she been there? He stood there frozen then felt compelled to go towards her. She made a move to walk away, but stopped. He walked towards her. Instead of taking off, she began to move towards him too. They met in the middle of the room, near the sofa and chair where it all took place, near the sleeping cat in the corner chair, near the softly chirping lovebirds and held each other.
“I’m sorry.”

Cancer Walk

2009-05-24T18:38:00.003-04:00

Good afternoon folks.

I'm not usually one who likes to solicit things, however this one is very important to me. I'm doing a Relay for Life walk for the American Cancer Society. Our walk is on June 5, beginning in the evening and runs throughout the night into early Saturday morning. I'm doing this because cancer touches everyone, whether it's a family member or a friend.

If you'd like to learn more about the Relay for life, you can click on my link below to find out how you can donate to this important cause. You can even purchase a Luminaria for just $10 to light our path that night in honor of someone who is a survivor, or in memory of someone who fought bravely and lost their battle. Every little bit is appreciated.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TRC/RelayForLife/RFLFY09NE?pg=abook&fr_id=16429

I thank everyone for taking time to read this message and consider it. Please don't hesitate to share this message with friends and family.

Also, I apologize for not staying current on my blog entries. Now that the nice weather is here, outside activities keep me out rather than in.

Forgotten Tooth

2009-05-17T08:22:00.007-04:00

Remember when we were children and we'd loose our baby teeth? We'd put it in a tissue or something that would keep our precious tooth safe so the Tooth Fairy could come retrieve it and hopefully leave some money behind. I used to get anywhere from a quarter to $1.00, but never more than $1.00. How much did you use to get for your baby teeth? When Kenny was younger and began loosing his teeth, he got $5.00!! I couldn't believe it.

Yesterday, Kenny and Keri were rough housing, like we always tell them not to, and lo and behold, Kenny helped Keri loose yet another tooth. This is the third tooth in a row that comes out with Kenny's help. Granted, it was loose for quite a while and did need to come out. Well, Keri and I did the usual thing, we wrapped the tooth in a tissue and placed it under the pillow for the tooth fairy. By the time the boys went to bed, I was too exhausted to stay up until he was asleep, so I left a note for the Tooth Fairy (Hubby of course) to take care of it in the morning. Now, the problem that has arisen from all of this is not that Keri didn't get his money, but that the Tooth Fairy left the tooth behind!

Well, this morning, once the boys and I were all up and Hubby was off to work, Keri announces that the Tooth Fairy came and left him $5.00 and left the tooth behind. Keri plans on reusing his tooth tonight in hopes of getting more money. We'll have to handle this one right or Keri will loose his belief in the Tooth Fairy. We actually still have him believing in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny. Kenny, who just turned 12 and who occasionally questions the validity of these wondrous folks, can still be swayed by the possibility that they still do exist. I'll leave this for another posting.

Techno Geek

2009-05-15T08:40:00.006-04:00

I love being known by our tech department in my district as someone who loves new techno gadgets! I occasionally get offered to try new programs or products throughout the year. In fact, just a little while ago, I was handed, while walking in the hallway, the tiniest little notebook that I have ever seen to try out. It's so small that it could fit in my purse! Granted, I have a pretty good size purse, but it's slightly larger than a book, but smaller than your standard-sized, loose-leaf notebook. It's amazing and so adorable!! I didn't hesitate to begin trying it out.

I'm amazed at how our technology has changed in the past 25 years! Back when I was in middle school, I remember my science teacher having a Tandy computer where programs were on cassettes that you would have to put in a player (or reader) in order to use it. They were the simpliest of games too. All Basic programing. When I was in high school, I remember taking a class on Basic. We made our own little programs and it was pretty cool, at least for the time. The only other computers that I remember us having in school were two Apple computers set up in the library with a barrier around the perimeter so people who weren't using it wouldn't crowd around, and one in the typing lab (yes, with real electric typewriters) with Microsoft Word on it. Back then, our computers were basically wordprocessors, not the advanced multimedia systems we have today. Twenty years ago, it was rare for a family to have one, now it's rare for a family to have only one.

When I started working at my old job as a legal secretary, they had one computer; a Leading Edge computer that only did word processing. I'll never forget when we finally were set up with real computers, I didn't know what to do with it. I had to take a class to learn how to use Windows and how to do the simplest duties, such as cut and paste. Now, there's little that I can't do, when I get a chance to sit down and work on a program or gadget. I guess I'm just a small example of our society. Not only has our technology evolved, but we have as well. We have adapted to our sorroundings well and learned the skills necessary to be successful. If becoming computer literate is a necessary skill, then we learn it.

Student Reflections on Writing

2009-05-14T10:25:00.003-04:00

I'm so pleased with the responses I received from my students! Like I explained in my last blog, I'm having my kiddos write short stories, but I'm allowing them to choose stories they've already started or begin new ones. I've also asked them to talk about their experiences. As a teacher I want the feedback, and as a student, I know it's important to reflect on what I'm doing. I've learned so much from my kids on their thought processes and what they're struggling with. What I think is positive about them doing this reflective activity is that they are given the opportunity to analyze their own writing and their peers get the opportunity to read what everyone else goes through. I've noticed my students reading the comments and have been hearing lots of "I didn't know that" and "I'm the same way".

Part of the activity was for them to discuss the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, peer conferencing, revision, editing, & publishing), what they liked or disliked about it. I was not surprised to learn that most of my students dislike peer conferencing. Considering that they've been practicing this skill since the first grade, I was mistakenly assuming that they had this skill down pact. However, some of their feedback tends to consist of "nothing's wrong", "everything's good", "nothing needs to be added or changed". These responses are not constructive at all! With less than a month left of school, I'll definately be focusing on helping them enhance this skill.

Not only has this reflection activity given my kids an opportunity to reflect on how they work, but it gives me a chance to reflect on my teaching, what I need to focus on, and where the weaknesses are. I guess this is where the "life-long-learner" part of being a teacher comes in. We're not just taking additional classes and workshops to update our skills and techniques, but we're constantly learning when it comes to our students as well.

Looking for Inspiration

2009-05-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

Not only am I working to inspire myself to write, but I’m also trying to encourage my students as well. I've been having them work on short stories and have given them the choice to choose from pieces they've already started or to start something new. I provide them time in class to do this, which allows them the opportunity to peer conference with each other and teacher conference, too. What I also find is important is to create opportunities for them to reflect on their process as a writer, whether or not writing is something they enjoy.

I’ve recently provided them with a blog, in which I have asked two specific questions to help them reflect on their writing. The first was to ask them to explain their experiences while working on their short stories, then for them to talk about the pros and cons that they have regarding the writing process. What interested me most was that, although there are some students who struggle with story ideas, there was an overwhelming amount of students who found it easy to come up with a story. It didn’t matter whether they were writing fiction or nonfiction; the results were basically the same. What they liked least, which I expected, was the editing portion of the writing process. There were several who enjoyed the peer conferences, but I’m sure it was because they received positive and constructive feedback from their peers. There is one student who simply feels that his peers are unable to provide feedback that he can use, but I expected this from him, mainly because he’s announced it freely to me before several times in class.

This student, who so dislikes peer conferences, is the one who feels that no one in class can write better than he can. Perhaps he’s right. The fact that I’m trying to get him to understand is that even the best writers out there need some kind of feedback from their peers. It’s what a writer does with it that determines the kind of writer he or she is. Unfortunately, this young one can’t seem to see farther than his own words and completely shuts everyone out. I’m hoping that the little time I have left with him, he can understand that it’s okay to get feedback from others, and perhaps try some of the suggestions they may give. Not only that, but allowing his peers to constructively criticize his work, helps them to strengthen their skills as critiques as well; a symbiotic relationship, so to speak.

While reflecting on his concern of his peers not providing him with constructive criticism, I’ve come to realize what changes I need to make at the start of next year. Although these students have been taught how to do peer conferences since the first grade, many need the refresher course on how to do it effectively. How to provide feedback that peers can actually consider using is vital. Without proper structure, students will become frustrated and the writing process becomes a negative tool rather than a useable one. It’s obvious that this activity of students reflecting on their process of writing has become as useful for me as it has for them. I guess that's what being a teacher is all about. I'm continuously learning and evolving myself while I'm helping my students do the same.

This week...

2009-05-07T21:47:00.007-04:00

This week has been a short one at school. Monday, however, was aside from the usual. We had a memorial service for my grandmother. Because of our climate we had to put our loved ones in storage until the ground is soft enough to dig so we can bury them. My cousin Tonya (who passed away two days before my grandmother), her dad and her husband and nephew came up along with my aunt from Alaska. I took the day off because I wanted to spend time with them knowing that now that my grandparents are both passed, that I probably wouldn't see them again, at least not for a long time. I can't say I blame them. It's difficult and expensive to make such long trips. My cousin's husband and nephew drove 11 hours just for a 15 minute memorial service, then headed back. We have our own lives and our time is valuable. I know for me, I haven't been past Portland, Maine for over 20 years, when my ex and I drove to Connecticut to visit family on our honeymoon. In fact, the only times that I've been down to the southern part of Maine are for workshops and on my honeymoon with my husband to Bar Harbor, and that's it. I guess you could say my world consists of the Saint John Valley, and I love it! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The city life isn't for me.

It's Over!!!

2009-05-01T23:35:00.006-04:00

Well, tonight my middle school students did their play. It was our only showing, which was probably for the best. The kids did a great job, in spite of the sound issues, some forgotten lines, and a few tears. They took it seriously and wanted so much to do well. In spite of the fact that there were some wrinkles, I'm so proud of them! I just wish that I could see them tomorrow. I won't be seeing them until Tuesday.

Our sound issues, we were suppose to have a couple of doorbell sounds and a gunshot sound. Well, for some reason, the sound system didn't play it over the speakers, although it worked perfectly this morning. So, here's my "Belinda" standing in the wings on the opposite side of the stage and trying to tell us to do her cue, and I'm trying to tell her that it's not working. One girl behind me yells, "ding dong!" and out comes Belinda in all her wonderful, glorious attitude. For a girl who was about to "freak out", as she so eloquently put it, she did a fantastic job. She remembered her lines and even helped others remember theirs, too. Anyhow, when it was time for the other sound effects, my kids were wonderful and jumped right in and made sure there were some. Got to love them!

All week I've been saying to my colleagues how there are 7 1/2 weeks left (yes there are for us), and now that I've had this opportunity to get close to these kids, I'm not so excited about it. I had a couple of eighth graders ask if I could let them still be in our middle school drama next year. I'm going to miss those kids. I'll still have this year's 6th and 7th graders next year, and a new crew coming in, but these 8th graders are special in their own way. When I first started teaching, they were in the 3rd grade and I would go in their classes to help Limited English Proficiency students. When they were in the 5th grade, I was going in their classes to work with a couple of students for English as a Second Language (ESL). Now, they've been in my class for almost the past 2 years for language arts and I've seen many of them grow and mature. Of course there are a few who need to mature further, but there are some gems in there just the same.

I guess my role as a teacher is very much the same as a parent. Our roles are to prepare them to eventually leave us. Something to think about.

Sorry

2009-04-28T20:55:00.002-04:00

Hey folks,

I've been negligent in my duties as a blogger. Sorry about not posting in a while, but life has been so busy! I haven't even touched base on Face Book in a while. I'm an adviser for the drama program in our middle school, and we have a performance at the end of the week. It's been quite a hectic week, and it's only Tuesday! We've been rehearsing on Saturdays all month, and have included last night and tonight. This means that I come home from school, do supper, throw in some laundry, and head back to school for 5:30ish until 8ish (I have about a 12-15 minute drive one way). We have one more rehearsal left, then our performance. I've never been an adviser for drama before, and man have I learned a lot this year! I'm hoping the kids do well during their performance. I'm actually loosing sleep over it!

Change in Weather

2009-04-24T15:47:00.006-04:00

I have done more today alone that I have all week during my vacation. Now when I say done more, I mean outside, walking, and enjoying the sunshine. This week has been more rainy than sunny, and today we actually have hit the 60's! That's a difference of almost 30 degrees in one week! Tomorrow we're suppose to hit the 70's and I'm loving it!

I took Shelby and Hunter for a walk the other day, when it wasn't raining, and she was so cute and Hunter behaved so well. She loved the idea of having Hunter with her. She kept jumping around him putting her front paws on his back and hopping along side him. Normally, Hunter will pull me like there's no tomorrow. He's used to having his freedom, but when we go for walks, he's on a leash. However, this time, he behaved and didn't pull. It was as if he understood that he was her role model and needed to show her how to walk properly. It's amazing what animals understand that can't be verbalized.

The Dog Who Cried Human

2009-04-22T14:35:00.006-04:00

Once upon a time there was this little dog named Shelby. She wanted so much to prove her worth to her family by alerting them to all things concerned. She would bark to let them know that Hunter had roamed out of her reach or off the property. Whenever a bird, chipmunk, or even the human next door would appear in her sight, she would alert her family so they could do something about it. Sometimes they would, like call Hunter back, but other times they wouldn't for some reason or another she could never understand.

One day, Shelby was feeling a little too excited and for some reason felt that she need to test her family's reaction time, so she waited until her mom went down in the basement to do laundry.

"Growl! Bark! Bark! Bark!" exclaimed Shelby. Up the stairs her mom would run to see what was wrong.

"There's nothing out there, Shelby." Her mom said and went back down the stairs.

A few minutes would pass, "Growl! Bark! Bark! Bark! Growl!" exclaimed Shelby again. Back up the stairs ran her mom. Again there was nothing and back down the stairs she would go.

Shelby looked out the living room window again and saw the farmer across the road walking to his barn and began to alert her family. "Growl! Bark! Bark! Bark! Growl! Bark! Bark! Bark!" Nothing. Mom didn't come up the stairs. She decided to try again. "Growl! Bark! Bark! Bark! Growl!" Still no reaction. She began to get frantic. The farmer was moving across the street and her mom wasn't even coming to check it out. What could she do? Shelby was frantic. Finally, her mom came back up the stairs, but didn't come to check why Shelby was barking. Shelby looked back out the window. The farmer was gone!

Shelby learned a valuable lesson that morning. If you want to be believed you can't cry human if there's no human, because when there is one, no one will believe you.

True Story!

Something New...

2009-04-21T12:10:00.001-04:00

I've always been interested in using computers, but have never been comfortable with blogging and networking sites like Facebook and Myspace. Well, one of my friends from work invited me to join Facebook, so I did. By the time the night was done I had found most of my classmates and my husband and I were sitting side by side searching for people we haven't seen in years. It was kind of fun. I've added some family members and friends from school as well as from work. Some who have moved away and lost track with and others who are still around, but lost track of too. Life gets so busy sometimes.

I've experienced something since I've been on Facebook. When I was in school, there was only a small group of my classmates that I hung out with, but never mingled with the rest. So, imagine my surprise when suddenly these classmates who I never hung out with, or ever socialized with, ever, started asking me to add them to my group of friends. It felt weird. As I'm considering each of them, I'm wondering why I'm doing it. Do I expect to develop a friendship that I never got back in school? Am I expecting to finally fit in to the social group that I was never a part of? There are some who I would consider acquaintances back then, but never close friends. Those people were easy to decide. But those who had snubbed me, I seriously considered my decision. But, I confirmed them anyhow and added them to my list. Perhaps friendships will blossom or they'll fizzle. Whatever comes out of it is okay with me.

Just Sharing...

2009-04-17T21:59:00.000-04:00

My colleague sent this link to us www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/happinessproject/. It's called, "How to Be Happier: 10 Tips for Being a More Lighthearted Parent". I took a few minutes to read it when I got the email and thought, you know what, I need to slow down and take some of these things into consideration. Sometimes I find myself grumpy all the time, or if I'm not grumpy, getting there quickly. That's not the person I want to be. Later I'll read it more closely and try to consider how I could apply some of this in class with my students as well. With us in the last quarter, the students are getting spring fever and the last place they are mentally is in the classroom. To be honest, some of us teachers are feeling the same way too. Well, just some food for thought.

When Did I get Here?

2009-04-16T10:01:00.012-04:00

Did you ever stop at some point and ask yourself, "When did I get here?" The first time I experienced this was in the early 90's when my washing machine broke down and I had to use the laundry mat. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with using a laundry mat, in fact, it's quicker if you consider that you can do several loads at the same time, that is if it's not too busy. It's the inconvenience of not having it in your home that gets to me. Anyhow, here I am in my early twenties and excited about a household appliance, when not too long before I was excited about more personal, superficial items such as, clothing, jewelry, shoes, etc. I actually commented about how I couldn't believe that I was so excited about getting a washing machine. Go figure.

Slowly we get older, our expectations for happiness changes, and our priorities shift and what used to bring us happiness pales in comparison to what accomplishes that goal now. Taking care of ourselves changes too. Before I was just concerned about eating my three square meals, and snacks of course, but eventually I became more aware of what I was eating and how much I was moving around. Body consciousness came later for me. I only became concerned about my weight when I began gaining it. But we also have other issues to be concerned about, internal plumbing and such, if you know what I mean. At some point, what I ate became more of a concern for me the older I got.

Now today in class, my students were pulling out their snacks for our break time, and I pulled out what appeared to be a toaster pastry. It had chocolate frosting and chocolate cream inside, and boy did that grab their attention. They wanted to trade with me, but I kept turning them down. What they didn't know was that it was one of those fiber pastries. I'm trying to eat healthier snacks, so I choose something that will benefit me later on while I'm satisfying my chocolate fix now (ahem!). While talking with a colleague later on about it, we both began to laugh. That's when it occurred to me, "When did I get here?" I know I'm in my last months of my 30's, but when did I become my mother? (sorry mom)

Oh Wonderful!!

2009-04-16T07:13:00.005-04:00

It was 5:00 this morning when I stepped outside to call Hunter, when a strange sound echoed through the dawn. Looking towards the bare aspen and birch trees, I stopped and listened quietly. Even Shelby stopped and seemed to listen. Echoing through the still dark sky of morning were the song birds. I couldn't even begin to name them all, although I know that there were robins in the group. The sound was beautiful! Just a diverse collection of music calling through the air, each song different, yet all harmonious together. It was such a pleasure to hear. It was a great way to begin my day.

The Sun!!!

2009-04-15T14:13:00.009-04:00

We've had the sun for two days now and it's awesome!! We've had temperatures in the high 40's (yes, this is a good thing) and it's so motivating.

Yesterday, Hubby and I went out and purchased our seeds to start our garden plants. We bought those little greenhouses with the peat moss packets that swell when you add water, and started our seeds. We took the leaf out of our kitchen table and put a small table near the windows where they'll get the most sunlight. We planted both Roma and beefsteak tomatoes, Honeydew melon and pumpkins, and green and rainbow colored peppers, too. Ever since I learned last fall that I can freeze tomatoes, I've been so excited for this summer's harvest. I had found out after we had lost many of our tomatoes that I just had to wash the tomatoes and freeze them as is. I so enjoyed making soups with the fresh-frozen tomatoes I froze in the fall. They were so yummy! I also love chopping and slicing peppers and freezing them just like that so I can throw in sauces, chili, and on pizza. The only thing I don't know what do to do with is cucumbers. We're not big pickle eaters, so we just have to eat the cucumbers when we have them and share with our family and friends. Unless anyone has any ideas. (hint. hint.)

We're in zone 3, so we can't plant anything until June after the last frost. Last year Hubby and I invested in a greenhouse and we loved it! Our tomatoes and cucumbers grew like crazy! Our regular garden, however, didn't do so well. Our green beans were meager, our carrots were too snug in the dirt that I had to use a pitchfork to pry them out, and our corn didn't do well at all. The goats we had at the time enjoyed eating the tender stalks and they made great decorations. I also love fresh spinach, but last summer it didn't grow at all. In all fairness, though, many people in our area claimed to have meager harvests from their gardens too. Hopefully, things will go better this summer.

Hubby and I have this dream to be as self-sufficient as we possibly can. I feel so much satisfaction having a full freezer of veggies from our garden, fruit that I've picked, and meat that we've hunted. It certainly made things easier having all of that already available rather than having to go to the store and buy our supper, if you know what I mean. With the economy the way that it is, we have to do what we can to take care of ourselves as much as possible.

Costa Rica

2009-04-13T17:23:00.005-04:00

A colleague of mine is going on a special trip from this coming Saturday until May 2nd. She's a biology, human anatomy, and chemistry teacher at my school, and she's been given an opportunity to visit Costa Rica as part of the 2009 Toyota International Teacher Program. She's so excited and we are for her, too. Wither her permission, here's the link to her blog if you're interested in learning more about the program and what she's going through. Good luck, Gisele!! We'll be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

Stuffed Piggy

2009-04-12T20:23:00.004-04:00

I really hate to say this, but I feel just like a stuffed piggy. Seriously!! I've eaten two ham dinners, desserts, and have munched plenty in between. Normally, Easter is the end of Lent, which is suppose to be a period of giving something up, like sweets. However, I can't help but feel that tomorrow should be the beginning of a diet for me. I have probably eaten enough calories and fat to last me 3 days. No kidding!! I'm thinking salad for lunch the whole week.

Hubby and I went to eat lunch with my parents at a restaurant. The special consisted of ham, carrots and turnip mix, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and for dessert, I had raisin pie, heated with whipped topping. mmmmm......good stuff. Then, for supper, Hubby and the boys and I went to his parents' to join the rest of the gang for supper. There we had ham with pineapples and cherries, a special carrot dish, mashed potatoes, potato salad, pickled beets, corn, green beans, cucumbers, and I'm sure there was something else I didn't take (no room in the plate) and then for dessert, my sister-in-law made cheesecake with two homemade toppings of strawberries and blueberries, and a peanutbutter cup dessert with icecream. I, of course, had to taste both. Talk about delicious!! Now I'm stuffed.

After our meal, my mother-in-law had the kids find the hidden eggs all over the house. We had fun giving the kids hints. She usually scolds us when we do that, but it's all in fun. The kids love it too. Then we give them their baskets of candy and goodies. Slowly these traditions will fade away as they get older. Before we know it, the kids will be in high school and won't be so interested in these rituals. That's if we can get them to leave their girlfriends or boyfriends behind and go with us.

So, how was everyone else's Easter, if you celebrate it? I know that not everyone recognizes and/or celebrates Easter, but for those who do, what do you usually eat? Who usually makes the meal? What kind of traditions do you usually have? It's always fun to learn what others do. Sometimes we can consider adding new traditions to our old ones.

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Easter!

What Writers Do?

2009-04-12T09:59:00.005-04:00

I'm on my quest on how to best start writing. As mentioned in my profile, I teach language arts, so I teach my students the writing process, which consists of brainstorming, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, and publishing. What I want to know is, is this what writers do when they are working on their pieces? Do authors actually sit down and brainstorm their ideas? Do they form webs or outlines to organize their ideas? I'm assuming that they follow the rest of the process, but it's the brainstorming that I'm curious about. Any ideas out there?

In an earlier post, I expressed frustration on how difficult it is to just sit and write. I do keep in my purse a small notebook with a pen that I intend on writing notes on, but I don't always take it out. In fact, I often forget it's there. I tend to come up with ideas when I'm in the car. However, it doesn't seem to matter if I'm driving or not, I can't write then because I get carsick easily if I try. So, I tend to forget what I want to jot down. I'll have to come up with other ways on how to keep track of my ideas. Any suggestions?

Writing is hard!

2009-04-10T06:53:00.002-04:00

Writing is hard. I spend the day, periodically of course, thinking about what I could write about, I then sit with my laptop open before me pondering what I could write about again, yet I can’t seem to come up with anything that excites me. When I do get ideas, I’m usually in a situation that I can’t jot it down or begin writing, then when the moment arrives that I can write down a few lines to remind me for later, or when I sit before my laptop to write, my mind goes blank. Is it because my goal is larger than I’m ready for? Are my expectations too high? I can’t seem to figure out what it is that’s holding me back, but still I’m sitting here in the wee hours of the morning venting about it.

GPS With Attitude

2009-04-08T19:51:00.009-04:00

Late Monday afternoon I was on my way back home from Portland. Now, I know how to get back home, but just out of curiosity, I set up the GPS my father-in-law lent me just to see which routes it would suggest. I had already planned to take the exit in Houlton because I'm more familiar with the road and it's less rural than Route 11, which is a truck route that travels through small towns, is very scenic, with lots and lots of woods. There's also more cell phone service throughout most of the route to Houlton, so I felt more comfortable taking that route alone, at night, with a car that has over 100,000 miles on it.

Well, when Tam Tam (as I'll call the GPS) suggested the first route, I passed right by it. Perhaps it was my imagination, but I could have sworn there was a tone when she said, "recalculating". Several miles down the road, Tam Tam suggested a second route. There seemed to be some excitement in her voice when it seemed like I was taking it, at least according to her map, but I also passed that one by. Then I heard that tone again when she said, "recalculating"; I know I did.

Eventually, the time came when Tam Tam made yet another suggestion for a route, and I again chose not to take it. This time I could swear that I heard attitude. Definitly a tone there. I just laughed and kept on going as Tam Tam continued to recalculate.

Finally, I arrived at my Houlton exit. Tam Tam decided to take one more try and suggest this route. I took it. I swear that I heard her say, "Finally!" under her breath as I took the exit and continued on the ramp. No kidding.

Relaxing Trip

2009-04-05T19:58:00.010-04:00

Well, I'm sitting in a motel room six hours away from home, yet still in the state of Maine. To give you an idea how far north I live, I travel along the Northern Maine and Southern Canadian border every morning to get to work, and of course, back home. During the driest times of the summer, or when the ice on the river is solid enough, you could walk across to Canada. I wouldn't try it, though, that would be considered an illegal entry and you'd get in lots of trouble. Anyhow, in spite of the fact that I live in a beautiful area, we are far from the beaten path, so-to-speak, than if we lived along the I-95.

To get to Portland, which is where I am right now, I have to travel two hours, or 1-1/2 depending which route I take, to get to the Maine portion of the I-95. I then have to drive over 1-1/2 hours to get to Bangor, and another couple of hours to get to Portland. However, considering how long my drive was today, I had a relaxing and enjoyable trip. I left home around 7:30 this morning, which is late by my standards, and arrived in Bangor in time to have lunch with my sister. After an hour there, I headed on down to South Portland, and with the help of my father-in-law's GPS, found my motel the first time around. This is unlike the last time I came to the same motel when I ended up a few miles down the road from where I should have been, on a side road headed to God-knows-where. Only when I stopped and asked a safe-looking man in a parking lot of some industrial area where my motel was, did I eventually end up at the right place.

Anyhow, I found my motel before 3:30 PM and even had time for an hour nap. I've always enjoyed the pleasure of sitting alone in a restaurant reading, and I got to do that today. It was relaxing and exciting at the same time. I don't know how to explain it, but it was freeing being someone no one knows, in a city I've only been in perhaps 3 times before, and eating alone in a restaurant reading by myself, alone. It had a mysterious and romantic feel to it. Kind of like being a lone traveler in a foreign country.

I began reading Dewey by Vickie Myron and am already half way done the book. I love being able to just sit in a comfortable chair (a recliner at that!) and read. I can't remember the last time I stayed in a motel alone and just read. I brought nail polish and all my other nail equipment to give myself a pedicure and manicure, but have decided not to bother. I haven't turned the TV on since I've come back from supper. The only other time I turned it on was when I took a nap. Shopping doesn't even interest me (Perhaps I'm sick!). Instead, I've sat in my pj's, grabbed a soda, turned on the lamp, and read, and read, and read. Of course, now I'm not. I'm taking a little break and writing this post instead. I guess I'm trying to capture the moment of this peace.

Considering yesterday's posting about my now passed-on dog, Sandy, and having watched the movie, Marley & Me, this book is only setting me up for an emotional ending. I just know it. One of my students read the book for a book project for my class, and she loved it. She also, accidentally, told me the ending, too. I won't do that to you. All I'll say is it's a page-turner and heartwarming.

As enjoyable as today was, tomorrow may be different. My reason for this trip is a workshop, which I'm looking forward to. However, the 6-hour long ride home, almost non-stop, will be not as relaxing. My workshop ends around 3 PM, which means that, with minimal stops, I should be getting home around 9 tomorrow night, then getting ready for school on Tuesday. I'm exhausting myself already!

MAN's Best Friend?

2009-04-04T21:35:00.009-04:00

I've written about the antics of my two dogs, Hunter and Shelby before, but I'll have to admit, they weren't my first loves. Sixteen years ago I brought home a beautiful little pup named Sandy. Her breed has always been unclear, but I fell in love with her just the same. I didn't have any children so I babied her like you wouldn't believe. When she was a little pup, she looked just like a miniature Saint Bernard and was so adorable with her mixture of white and brown coloring, that I couldn't help but adore her. Her eyes looked like someone had taken eyeliner and carefully lined her eyes, then continued past the outer corners of her eyes. She was beautiful and had a magnetic personality. She was almost perfect. She was completely housebroken, and I knew that she could be trusted alone for long periods of time without her having an accident. I used to say that she would be perfect if only she didn't shed, but I loved her in spite of all the fur.

She was my companion when I got divorced and when I went to college. I used to bring her to my friend's house while I was in class to hang out with her younger brother, Bandit (on the right). They were close companions, in fact, I would tell Sandy that we were going to Bandit's house and she'd get all excited. All 8 pounds of her would jump into my lap anxious for both the ride and the destination. She was a smart little dog too. I had to spell words like walk, ride, and her favorite treat of all, carrots, but she would occasionally be able to still figure out what I was trying to say.

This past fall, my sister, who's been taking care of her for the past six years, had to put Sandy down. Sandy had been having trouble with her blood sugar for a few years, she had arthritis, and when my sister brought her to the vet this last time, was having heart problems. Sandy had just turned 15 on July 13, 2008. She had lived a great life and was so loved by everyone who met her. The last time I saw her was last February when I stayed over my sister's place because of a workshop I had to attend. Sandy slept with me all that night, and when I got ready to leave the next morning, I had a feeling that it would be the last time I would see her. It was so hard to leave, and the funny thing is, I think she felt the same way too.

Well, tonight I made the mistake of watching the movie Marley & Me, and it reminded me why I prefer watching movies in the privacy of my own home. Don't get me wrong, it was a great movie, but when Marley got old and sick for the last time, I cried so much that I caught myself holding my breath and was on the verge of heaves. Kenny, my oldest stepson, kept watching me. He knows how I get because I cry at everything. I even cried at the end of Meet the Robinsons, so he knew without a doubt that I would be crying at this part for sure. The best thing about it all was that Kenny knew that I was thinking about Sandy. He knows me that well, and he's just that kind of kid. He even asked me if I wanted a hug. What a sweetheart! He's gonna make some lucky woman a great husband some day.

Why am I sharing this with you all? Good question. Perhaps it's a form of healing for me, to talk, or shall I say write about what Sandy meant for me. I cried when my sister told me about Sandy, and had a few moments since then, too, but I suspect that I haven't fully grieved for her. Some people may think that I'm being over dramatic, perhaps I am, but as I explained before, she was like my baby and she gave me nothing but unconditional love for the entire time we were together. I will never forget Sandy.

Afternoon Stress Release

2009-03-31T20:46:00.014-04:00

Today we had an early release at our school and the staff had a Wellness afternoon. We had choices between volleyball, pickle ball, jazzercise, Dance Dance Revolution, and a variety of other options. I, being the sedentary person that I have become, chose jazzercise. Go figure. What was I thinking? I was so tired and that was after the first fifteen minutes! However, I'm proud to say that I lasted throughout the approximately forty-five minute workout. I was so glad that I had supper cooking in my slowcooker, although my Avon order arrived today so I had to sort that out, but I enjoy doing that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say that I didn't enjoy exercising, but it has been a loooonnnngggg time since I've done more than go for a walk. Once the session was done, I felt exhilerated and satisfied knowing that I'll be feeling this tomorrow, at least if I did it right. At the beginning of the day, I considered hiding in my room correcting projects instead, but I decided to give it a try and I don't regret it.

Years ago, and I mean about fifteen years ago, I used to do arobics then walk about three miles aftwards. I did this three times a week and was in pretty good shape. Now that I'm pushing 40 (this year!) I find getting back into a routine such as that is difficult. What makes it hard are the other responsiblities that make scheduling exercise difficult. When I did this, I had no children, just myself and my ex. Now, I have a family and now a job that oftentimes takes up a few hours in my evenings, too, especially at the end of the quarter like now. Also, trying to schedule in time to write is just as difficult. I know prioritizing is important, and trust me, I've tried, but by the time I'm finished all that I wanted to accomplish once I'm home, it's nearly 8:00 PM and it's too late to exercise.

Some day in a perfect world, there will be 36 hours in a day, which will give me more time to do things that I need to and want to do. The thing is, with my luck, someone will add more that we can do during that time to still leave me with less time for myself.

Spring Snow Storm

2009-03-30T19:56:00.011-04:00

Okay, so I so enjoyed Friday, Saturday, and yesterday. The warm temperatures of 40's and 50's really brought out the spring fever in me. Everything was melting, the snowbanks were receding and we were beginning to see some grass, dead and brown, but it was there. However, this morning when I got up at 5:00 AM to let the dogs out, it was snowing! Big, fluffy, and heavy snowflakes dropped down to the ground. By the time I left the house, the road was fully covered with at least 2 to 3 inches and not a snowplow in sight.

By the end of the day, what was supposed to be a light snowfall with little to no accumulation became nearly a foot of white stuff on the roof of my car! The snow was so wet that it stuck to the window screens so we couldn't see outside. I even began humming, "It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas" throughout the day and would spontaneously whistle, "Jingle Bells", which would get me strange looks from my students.

My usually 12 to 15 minute drive home from work at normal speed took me nearly 20 minutes instead. I was in a long line of cars creeping along at 25 to 30 miles per hour. The line was so long that I couldn't see the lead car ahead of me or the tail end of our line. And of course, just to make me feel even more tense driving home, I had to have an oil truck following behind me. I made it home with my precooked chicken and brown and serve buns ready for an easy and early supper. I have no intentions of leaving the house the rest of the night. Spring brings out my desire to get out and move, but snow brings out the hibernator in me, and that's what I intend to do the rest of the night.

Old Barn

2009-03-29T08:01:00.003-04:00

I don’t know how things are in your neck of the woods, especially in rural areas, but here in Northern Maine, we’ve still got some old buildings that have been left abandoned for generations, peppered here and there across the landscape. Their weathered, cedar-shingled walls grayed and browned by the elements, giving the buildings a frayed and fragile appearance. Often times when I drive by these buildings, I wonder how it looked, inside and out, when it was in its prime, what it may have been like to live there growing up. I tend to feel sentimental about those places, almost feeling sorry that the building won’t continue being used as a home, barn, or shed. The words “discarded” and “abandoned” seem to describe the essence of these buildings best. Now, they are often covered by overgrown brush, Mother Nature’s way of taking back what humans had helped themselves to long ago.

Yesterday afternoon, Hubby and I went sightseeing around our area. Perhaps because it was such a warm and beautiful day (we hit the low 50’s!), or because we were bored and wanted a change of pace. After a while of driving, we came across this small barn. As we drove by it, I saw how there’s a special charm to the building. We turned up the road and turned around again, and then Hubby stopped so I could take a couple of pictures. I took it at this angle because I felt it was the building’s best side. I loved its charm, almost like it was left with the intentions of someone coming back later that day to continue working.

The first picture is what it originally looked like, untouched. It would have been nicer had the sun stayed out, but sometimes the best pictures are the ones that are the unexpected ones, the ones that don’t follow any plans. The second photo is altered; I blurred the edges a little and antiqued it. Which one do you like best? I personally like the doctored one. It’s softer and looks aged. I’m curious to learn what others think.

Spring Has Sprung!!

2009-03-26T18:40:00.003-04:00

What a beautiful day, although I only got to enjoy it for a short time after school let out. I didn’t mind, though. I called up my neighbor, a.k.a. walking partner, and we went for a 30-minute walk. That felt really good. I’ve been pretty stationary all winter, mainly because I just don’t like being cold and in the dark so much, especially the wind. It’s gets pretty bad coming down from the potato fields. It seems to pick up speed. Spring always brings out the exercise bug in me.

I had so much energy, having been dealing with a doozy of a cold for a week. Maybe it’s the beautiful weather, or perhaps I’m getting over that cold (finally!), or because I have a workshop tomorrow, giving me a break from the middle schoolers. Who knows? Perhaps it’s a combination of all three. Anyhow, the highlight of my day was supper. Hubby fired up the gas grill and he cooked up a nice slab of moose steak. Man, was that good! There’s nothing like cooking on the grill. I know I’m putting gas in the same category as charcoal, but as far as I’m concerned, at this point, I wasn’t cooking in the house, it was all outside and that makes all the difference in the food. I didn't get a chance to get a picture of our grill still partially buried in snow, so I found this one on line. Food looks really good. Perhaps I'll make chicken with grilled vegetables tomorrow night.

2009-03-25T20:01:00.000-04:00

Today our temperatures hit the 40’s! Yahoo!!! Yippee!! I so loved it. Although I felt crappy and exhausted because of this terrible cold, I couldn’t help but enjoy a few spare moments soaking in the sun. The few minutes I got helped to make me feel a little better.

Once I got home from school I changed into my comfortable clothes, which included a black Maine sweatshirt. I got supper started then went to enjoy a little of the sunshine. I love sitting on the steps of my back porch soaking up the sun. The back of our house gets most of the sun; in the summer, it shines from midmorning until it sets in the evening. It’s a great place for a garden and also where we’ve placed our greenhouse. That’s what I enjoy about our home, the constant sunshine. The front of our house hardly gets any sun, just a few hours in the wee hours of the morning in the summer, and that’s it.

Well, while I’m sitting on the back porch, the boys are in their ski pants, winter jackets, and boots enjoying what we still have for snow and Hubby is chopping the ice that we still have on our bricks. The ice is a little more than an inch thick, but it’s quite slushy because of the warm temperatures. There’s finally no wind, so I don’t even feel chilly sitting outside without a jacket. It felt so refreshing breathing in the fresh air and feeling the warmth soak into my skin. Too bad I couldn’t stay longer. Duty calls, there’s supper to finish, laundry to do, and floors to clean. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll find a little more time to sit outside. It’s suppose to be warmer than today. I do believe that spring has sprung (cliché and I know).

Hurry Spring!

2009-03-23T19:49:00.001-04:00

It’s definitely time for summer to get here. We need to open the windows, do the grand manage (aka spring cleaning), and change the air. I’ve got yet another cold, my second one in two months. Either that, or my allergies are really acting up. Anyhow, a beautifully warm, spring day would be great to open some windows and refresh things.

I’m so tired of being cold. Although it’s been in the mid to low 30’s lately, there is still a cold, brisk breeze that cuts through you and the evenings are still in the high teens and low twenties. I miss sitting in the backyard letting the heat from the sun warm my skin. I know what they say about sun tanning, but there’s nothing like having the sun warm my soul. Yesterday, I was heading over to visit my parents, twenty minutes away, and had the sun hitting on me the entire drive there. It felt so good! It made me anxious for summer even more. It will be nice to walk out of the house to head somewhere without having to put on layers of clothing. Just slip on some flip-flops, grab my purse and keys, and off I go.

We’ve since finished off our wood to heat our home, and are now using oil until fall. There is such a difference in the heat. The cellar is much cooler than before, and I dread going down there to do the laundry. Not one of my favorite places to go. I’ll tell you, though; nothing beats the warmth you get from a fire in the stove. I so loved throwing wood in there and watching the flames lick along the sides of the log, melting away the bark. The heat felt so good, especially when we had double digits below zero a couple of months ago. Those days were brutal, but we made it. Our Husky, Bandit, appreciated coming into the warm cellar during those nights to get away from the cold. He also loved the warm meals we’d give him to warm him up from the inside, too.

We still have plenty of snow out there, but I’ve noticed that the sun has been doing its job. The six-foot high snow banks at the edge of my parent’s driveway were starting to recede. I could actually see any oncoming traffic before the back end of my Focus was in the road. There is hope! Sorry for the cynicism, but by the time the Spring Equinox arrives, spring fever has struck me so hard that I begin to really dread more snow and cold. I’m finished with the winter sports of skiing (which I don’t really enjoy) and snowshoeing. Now, I’m so looking forward to taking long hikes in the potato fields behind my house, riding bike along the lake, and long walks on my road, and of course, lying in the warm sun in something small soaking in the heat.

2009-03-21T22:23:00.004-04:00

For many years, I’ve had the strong desire to write. I’ve always had that romantic image of sitting at some desk in a secluded room near a window overlooking some relaxing view of nature and writing, just writing. I guess it’s similar to the ideal vision in Chevy Chase’s movie, Funny Farm, where he and his wife move to a little town in Vermont so he can work on his writing career. The twist is that his wife ends up writing a book and getting it published while he receives failure after failure. Well, anyhow, that scene, being able to sit in a room like that and be inspired to write something fantastic is what I would love to be able to do. Then I wake up.

I also have another vision, one where I’m sitting on an enclosed porch of some large, old Victorian house surrounded on three sides with trees and overlooking a large body of water. Perhaps the ocean, but preferably a lake, mainly because I’m concerned for hurricanes and don’t want to have to deal with them. Anyhow, a comfortable, warm breeze is blowing through my sitting area and I’m at a table writing away on some fantastic novel, perhaps a new best seller. Wildlife amble by without concern for their safety and I can focus on this fantastic new book I’m writing. Then I wake up.

There’s this last image I have of the perfect place to write, and it’s in a little, one-room cabin nestled in the middle of the forest. My writing desk sits near a window overlooking all things natural, and an old-fashioned, cooking wood stove sits across the room where water is boiling for my hot cocoa, and keeping my cabin toasty and warm. There are bookshelves lining the walls of the cabin with a large, overstuffed chair in the corner with a lamp hanging over it for light. The only way to the cabin in the winter is by snowshoes and the only prints you see around the cabin are of rabbit, deer, and the occasional moose. Birds hang out by the tree right outside the window eating the seeds in the bird feeder, and chase away the squirrels that try to help themselves. It’s a great atmosphere to write that next best novel. Then I wake up, again

Hollywood has created many romanticized images for those who aspire to be a writer. Some are possible and others are far from being realistic. I may never get any of these dreams realized, but it’s something to work for. In the meantime, I’ll have to do with finding a corner in my small, one-story ranch home that I share with my hubby and two stepsons, and find the right times that allow me to write without too many distractions. Someday I’ll get my own little corner of the world.

Snow

2009-03-18T10:49:00.004-04:00

Snow. Tiny, six-sided crystals of water that glisten like diamonds when the sun is shining, sparkling like glitter that have been scattered all over the ground. It can be light and fluffy, blowing easily in the slightest breeze, or wet and heavy, weighing down the trees and their branches. In the beginning of the season, snow has a magical quality that everyone can appreciate, but as the winter drags on, and the more it accumulates, the less it holds its charm. By mid-January we begin to get tired of this white stuff. On warm days, it changes quality and can turn to a dirty, salty, slushy-brown mush that stains your pant legs when you walk, dirties up your shoes, creating a salt mark on leather, and sticks to the bottom half of your car.

There’s a time for snow. From November to January it’s almost necessary to have snow to help create the magical ambiance of Thanksgiving, the miraculous enchantment of Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, and exciting allure of New Year’s Eve. However, after months of bi-weekly snowstorms that close schools and bury cars in the driveways and parking lots, with thirty-mile per hour winds and sub-zero, double-digit temperatures, we’re ready for spring when mid-March comes around.

As a child, I always wanted snow for my birthday, which is in mid-November. If I awoke to the scene of snow on the rooftops and lawns it would make my day. Even to this day it I feel a special little-girl feeling if there’s snow on the ground on my birthday, like Mother Nature giving me a little gift just for me. However, after the holidays have passed the need for the charm is gone. Come mid-March, it’s time for the snow to start disappearing. I’ve seen years when there’s still snow on the ground up until May! I read the blogs that others have written about how they have flowers blooming and the snow has melted and such, and I’m so jealous! But, in spite of the snow season lasting so long, I do love Northern Maine and wouldn’t move anywhere else, willingly of course, for the world.

Life With Dogs

2009-03-17T18:41:00.006-04:00

Isn’t it funny how animals act? Our Brittney Spaniel, Hunter, has been with us for 3 years and he’s proven to be such a smart and loving dog who does a great job guarding our home. Since Hunter has joined our family, he’s developed some shocking behaviors, as well as some unusual ones, too. One shocking behavior is his desire to chew electric cords. That may not seem like such a bad problem, except for the fact that every electric cord he’s chewed has been plugged in! At least 3 of them have been plugged into Hubby’s diesel when the temperature has dropped below freezing, and one has been for the charger for Hubby’s laptop. (Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?) Fortunately, the laptop cord wasn’t chewed through, so we were able to salvage it with plenty of electrical tape. It’s amazing to think that he didn’t get shocked while doing it. Perhaps, he did and enjoyed it. Who knows!

This past November, we gained a new addition to our family, Shelby, our Pomeranian mix (we were told with poodle) joined our family. She’s adorable with her little pointed nose, honey-colored fur, and dark brown eyes, but she’s managed to make her mark as well. She tends to like wood products, specifically paper. Two weeks ago, Hubby came home in the morning to find that Shelby had destroyed an entire phone book. She didn’t just get a few pages here and there. No. She tore every last page into small, itsy, bitsy pieces and shreds. According to Hubby, it was all over the place. What a mess! The phone book hasn’t been her only victim; she’s gotten to one of my books and a newspaper. In fact, today, both Shelby and Hunter apparently got to some bubble gum. The boys told me that Hunter ate a piece. I said that perhaps when he poops or toots he’ll be blowing bubbles. Although they thought that image was hilarious, they seem to think that it will happen in 7 years. I just hope they don't get sick.

Every once in a while Hunter will come up with something new to make us laugh. His latest thing is climbing on a doghouse to see over the snow banks to the neighbors. He’s never done that before, but I caught him today doing just that and couldn’t resist taking a few pictures. He even seemed to pose for me. What a clown and such a character. I’ll tell you one thing, there’s never a dull moment with those two around.

I Believe that I Am...

2009-03-17T14:07:00.003-04:00

I gave this writing prompt to my students as a warm up one day and got some great results. As they wrote theirs, this is what I wrote.

I believe that I am wise and strong, with room for improvement. I am capable of doing much more than I could have ever imagined, but sometimes lack the courage and motivation to discover my limitations. I am lazy and a huge procrastinator, but particular about how things get done. I am wise and strong because of my different experiences. I’ve worked different jobs, known different people, and have experienced different hardships and joys. I’ve learned from some experiences and haven’t from others, sometimes still making the same mistakes as before.

I’m more capable than I believe. If I give myself the chance I can prove to myself what my abilities are; I don’t always give myself enough credit. I’ve gone back to school and discovered how smart I really am, receiving the satisfaction of proving this to others, but most importantly to myself. I’ve learned to not listen to what others think of me; it’s what I think of myself that counts.

Sunday Sleigh Ride

2009-03-15T20:51:00.002-04:00

This afternoon we went riding sleigh with our horses, Jasmine and Golden. They are beautiful Belgians. Actually, Jasmine is a Belgian and Golden is a Belgian mix. Just the same, they are such a sight to see. We loaded them in the trailer and brought them up to the trails we like to use. We did hit one drawback, the sleigh we were going to use was frozen in the ground because of the rain we had since we used it last. It worked out well anyhow because Hubby used his axe to chop the ice away. Once Hubby got the horses harnessed up and hitched to the sleigh, the boys had their sleds already hooked to the back and were ready and waiting. Then we were off!

The boys love sledding behind the sleigh, throwing chunks of snow at each other, throwing themselves off, and dodging the “prizes” that the horses tend to leave behind. It’s so peaceful just sitting behind the horses, listening to their soft “clip clop” in the snow and the crunch of the sleigh rails sliding on the path. Jasmine, who is about 10 years old now, is more experienced with pulling a sleigh, Golden, however, is about 3 years old and is still learning the ropes. I watched as Jasmine’s ears were constantly turned towards us to listen to Hubby’s instructions and praise while Golden’s were more attentive to what was going up ahead of him. He was also skittish today, too. He wanted to change to a gallop and run through the trails and up the hills. Fortunately, Hubby has a commanding voice and knows what to do in these times, so Golden was controlled and we continued to enjoy our ride.

I love to look around at the trees and footprints in the snow. As we began our ride, I saw a large black bird, which I assuming was a crow, flying above us with lichen in his beak. I watched as he landed at the top of a tree. Perhaps he’s sensing that spring is coming and is preparing a nest for his new family. I usually hate crows; their squawking (CAW! CAW!) in the early mornings while I’m trying to sleep, their picking at our garbage left at the side of the road for the weekly pickup, and their boldness when they won’t get out of the road until you’re about to bump them. Yet, I have to admit, they’re pretty intelligent, considering. Watching it fly above with the lichen in his mouth, I felt an appreciation for that crow, no matter how much I dislike its kind.

At the end of our riding, everyone was ready to be done, except for the boys, of course. They could have gone on forever, so it seemed. Even the horses were willing to walk into the trailer without any coaxing. They are so adorable with their green blankets on. The color is a nice contrast to their honey-colored coat and flaxen mane. Jasmine and Golden were ready for a rest, plenty of green hay, and refreshing water. By the time we turned the truck and trailer around to head home, they were already at the barn and eating. They turned to watch us as we drove by. Golden already had a mouthful going. Such a great way to end the weekend.

2009-03-13T10:15:00.003-04:00

Today is Friday the 13th. I was born on the thirteenth of the month, and occasionally my birthday will land on a Friday, like this year. Everyone seems to get all worked up about the day. I understand why, but it doesn’t really bother me. Don’t get me wrong, I do remember what day it is throughout the day, but after all is said and done, it ends up being a relatively normal day. Nothing bad, or good for that matter, out of the ordinary ever happens just because it’s Friday the 13th.

According to the Livescience Staff’s article on Yahoo News today, the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia (I’m not even going to try to pronounce this). Even though many may not admit it, lots of people fear this number. Any place where luck is considered important doesn’t even use the number 13. Hospitals don’t use 13 as a room number, tall buildings don’t have a 13th floor, and airports don’t have a 13th terminal. What I find funny is although buildings, hospitals, and airports may number their floors, rooms, and terminals so they skip the number 13, we all know somewhere in the back of our minds that the 14th floor, the 14th hospital room, and the 14th terminal are really the 13th. We try to trick ourselves, and it seems to give people comfort, but does it really change that fact?

How often do we try to trick ourselves in other aspects of our lives? Haven’t we ever tried to trick ourselves into thinking that something was okay because we called it something else, you know, mind over matter. Anyhow, I look at Friday the 13th as a lucky day, just don’t ask me to walk under any ladders or let any black cats cross my path (fortunately I don’t know of any black cats), and better hope that I don’t drop any mirrors! Have a lucky day everyone!!

Waiting is over...

2009-03-05T07:52:00.005-05:00

This morning, a very special woman passed away. She had a full and eventful life. She raised six children, buried a son in 1970 and her husband in July of 2006. She dealt with Alzheimer's since being diagnosed several years back and slowly lost pieces of herself until the wee hours of this morning when she finally went home. My grandmother, Memere Gagnon, passed away around four this morning. Blandine (Michaud) Gagnon, b. March 31, 1921, d. March 5, 2009. I love you Memere!

"The Rose Beyond the Wall"

2009-03-04T09:03:00.002-05:00

Waiting for someone to die is hard. I know it sounds morbid of me to say it this way, but when someone has been sick and suffering, you know that the best for that person is to die. However, wanting what’s best for that person leaves you with side effects; heart-wrenching feelings of guilt and sadness.

My grandmother has had Alzheimer’s for several years now, having been diagnosed late. She also has a form of geriatric leukemia that tends to complicate things for her when she gets sick. I don’t want her to die; she’s my Mémère. But she’s now a shell of who she used to be and it’s painful seeing her suffer, or just knowing that she’s suffering.

She doesn’t remember or recognize anyone anymore, even my mother who’s been with her everyday for the last few years she’s been in a nursing home. She’s now on oxygen, the highest setting, having just dealt with double pneumonia, and is very weak. She's a lifeless body fighting to breathe. She's been given morphine shots off and on throughout the past few days to make her comfortable It's so painful knowing that she's slipping away.

The last time I saw her was at Christmas. She recognized me as belonging to my mom, which was a good thing at this point. She did her usual facial gesture of raising her eyebrows a couple of times to acknowledge you. This is the memory I want to keep in my mind. She was gaunt, but looked better than I've been told she looks now. She hasn’t recognized anyone since Friday and hasn't tried to communicate either.

I also have a cousin who’s almost a year younger than me. She’s been in a semi-comatose state for a couple of weeks now because she’s losing her third fight with cancer. From what I’ve been told, she’s a shell of who she used to be. I hate knowing that she’s suffering so much, as well as her family watching her deteriorate in this way. I want her to die, bluntly put, I know, because I know she’s suffering so much. My cousin is also my grandmother’s granddaughter, too, so we think that perhaps they’re waiting for each other. Our souls are more aware of what our minds perceive.

The last time I saw my cousin, was at my sister’s wedding, nearly three years ago. She was a picture of health and happiness. She and her husband were on top of the world and seemed so happy together. It breaks my heart that her husband, parents, brother and sister, along with their families, are struggling, helplessly watching her die, and will have to eventually go on without her in their lives.

* * * *

I learned since writing this that my cousin has passed away: Tonya Gagne, b. September 1970, d. March 3, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. She was a special lady and everyone who knew her loved her strength and courage.

One of my favorite poems that has always helped me deal with losing a loved one, especially one who has been suffering for a long time, is called, “The Rose Beyond the Wall”, author unknown. I hope it can give you peace some day when you need it most.

The Rose Beyond The Wall

A rose once grew where all could see,
Sheltered beside a garden wall,
And, as the days passed swiftly by,
It spread its branches, straight and tall.

One day, a beam of light shone through
A crevice that had opened wide-
The rose bent gently toward its warmth
Then passed beyond to the other side.

Now, you who deeply feel its loss,
Be comforted - the rose blooms there-
It's beauty even greater now,
Nurtured by God's own loving care.

...Author Unknown

Watching People

2009-02-28T08:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been in a public place, not focused on anything in particular and found yourself watching people? When I say watching, I mean observing. People can be fascinating to watch, their body language, their mannerisms, and nervous behavior can make for interesting viewing. I enjoy sitting at a corner table in a restaurant, sipping coffee and either reading or writing, or even a combination of both. I don’t mind being alone in a public place, because you become anonymous, sitting in a corner with your back to the wall facing everyone else. It can be relaxing at times, too; sort of like stopping to smell the roses.

Years ago, I had an opportunity to observe an older gentleman and his interesting, yet amusing reaction to a young family sitting in his booth. I had stopped one day at a fast food restaurant for lunch with my friend on our way back from Quebec City several years back. Had I been focused on other things, I probably would have never noticed this simple example of human behavior.

My friend had offered to stay at the counter for our food, so I went to choose a seat. The restaurant was organized similarly to the McDonald’s or Burger King arrangement, with one end of the building for the kitchen and restrooms and the other end for the dining area. In this particular restaurant, there were booths lined along the perimeter of the building with window views of the entrance and exit of the parking lot and the street traffic. Then there were two islands of booths, rows of them on either side of half-walls to provide some privacy. I had chosen one end of an island booth, but facing the rest of the restaurant with my back to the kitchen area.

There were several other people scattered in different directions enjoying their burgers or chicken. Some sat near the wall away from everyone, others placed themselves in the middle of the restaurant, and still others sat near the windows to watch the traffic. It was a beautiful summer day, and the warming sun streamed in through the windows that lined the exit of the parking lot. It was such a warm day that the air conditioner was having trouble keeping the place cool.

While waiting for my friend, I noticed an older man walk into the dining area carrying a tray. From what I could see, he had a small coffee, or tea, and a sandwich and fries. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that looked well worn, a red and white cotton, buttoned-down checkered shirt, and a pair of brown, polyester shorts that went to his knees. He had on sandals and brown socks that were slightly darker than the shorts, and a small gray windbreaker slung over his arm. His hair was shoulder length, peaking out from beneath the rim of his brown hat, and his face looked like he had missed his morning shave for several days.

Considering that I’ve never met this man before, I immediately realized that something was wrong. He began walking down the aisle heading for his destination, but then something caught his eye and he hesitated. It was so obvious that you would have had to be blind to not notice. Had I not been already watching him, I would have taken notice. It was that blunt. He continued walking and sat at a booth to my left, almost in the corner of the room, facing me. He kept turning his head, looking to my right. His feet began shuffling nervously and he kept wringing his hands. I followed his gaze and discovered that he was looking at a young couple with their little boy sitting in a high chair.

My friend arrived with our food and I pointed out the old man and whom he was staring at. We contemplated for a few minutes what the problem could be. We discussed several possibilities. The more I observed this man, the more I realized what the problem probably was. That young family was sitting in his seat. With the wringing of his hands, and the constant shuffling of his feet, as well as him nervously looking over their way, it was clear to me that he wasn’t going to be comfortable until he was able to sit in that booth. He hadn’t even started eating or drinking his coffee or tea; he was that uncomfortable.

After a while of this, I noticed the mother cleaning up their little boy, who was probably about a year and a half, and head over to the restrooms while the father cleaned up their area. Seeing that they were getting ready to leave, the old man slowly got up from his booth, keeping a constant eye on the young dad, and slowly picked up his windbreaker and tray and began to walk over. I was in suspense and had to put down my sandwich just to watch. The old man strolled over and began talking to the dad. I couldn’t hear what they were saying because they weren’t speaking loudly, but the old man began to sit down where the mother had been sitting and placed his tray on the table. Minutes later, the mother arrived with her son, and the couple proceeded to gather their things and left.

When people are out of their routine, their comfort zone, they behave in strange ways. They tend to show their awkwardness in ways that they don’t realize. Body language can sometimes speak louder than words. What I found humorous about this situation was not necessarily how uncomfortable this man behaved when he wasn’t able to sit in his booth, but how normal and nonchalant he became the minute he could. His feet stopped moving. He calmly looked around the restaurant and out the window at the traffic, and began to enjoy his coffee and meal.

This situation made me think about how I behave when I’m placed outside my comfort zone, or when my routine is disrupted. When this happens, I become frustrated and antsy, and very impatient. I wring my hands, bounce my leg up and down on my toes, or start fussing with my hair. I’m sure there are other outward signs I show that I don’t even realize. How do you behave when you’re in that situation? Something to think about.

Time

2009-02-27T11:23:00.001-05:00

“It’s time to get ready for bed,” Hubby calls to his youngest.

“But Dad!” he declares, emphasizing the "b" and "d" sounds as he walks down the hall to look at the clock on the DVR. He tilts his head to one side and says, “it’s only 6:27.” As if we didn't know.

“Yeah,” Hubby responds, “your bedtime is in three minutes. Go brush your teeth.” Kerry stomps back down the hall and into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He makes it obvious that he’s not happy about having to get ready now.

Why are kids so precise when it comes to time? It’s the funniest thing. They have no concept of averaging or estimating time; everything needs to be right at that minute. One example of this is the clock in my car. It’s about seven minutes ahead, not that I really planned it that way, it just happened. I don’t mind because sometimes I forget that it’s ahead and I end up with seven minutes to spare if I’m running late. Kenny and Kerry, however, always begin a discussion about time when they get into my car. Kerry, who loves to play with numbers, likes to point out how many minutes are left in the hour, while Kenny likes to talk about what time it really is. This discussion can go in several directions. Sometimes it ends with each of them happy about their interpretation of the time, or it can become an argument about what time it really is. “Who cares?” tends to be Kenny’s latest phrase, which seems to settle things. So middle school!

Aside from being so precise, they don’t seem to believe it’s necessary to do things ahead of time to lessen their workload. Kenny has grasped this concept, and in fact embraces it at times; thankfully! However, Kerry, who’s in second grade, gets a whole packet for his spelling words, one page a night, and refuses to do more than what he has to. Well, when it was basketball season, Kenny would have basketball games after school later on in the week, so we’d try to get Kerry to do an extra page earlier on so he didn’t have to worry about it after we would get home after the game. Sometimes it’s nearly 6:00 by the time we would get home, which means that leaves us little time to make supper, eat and have him get ready for bed, never mind have him do his homework. Talk about tears! He just couldn’t understand why we wanted him to do this extra work on a Monday when he had all week to do it. Poor kid, it felt like we were punishing, or even torturing him. Perhaps we’ve scarred him for life when we’re just trying to be practical.

January Sunrise

2009-02-26T05:52:00.001-05:00

January Sunrise

“The early bird gets the worm,”
they say, but I,
I got the sunrise!
How lucky am I?
Breathtaking!
Glowing red, crimson,
purple, orange, and yellow.
The sun is waking
with beautiful glory.
Heavy, gray clouds
glow with morning.
My headlights
illuminate the snow
and reflect off
the stop sign.
The lone tree
stands like a
sentinel, keeping watch
over the roadways.
Too early to leave
for work? Never!
What a beautiful way
to start my workday.
Makes every waking
moment worth while.
Thank you,
January sunrise!

There's a First Time for Everything.

2009-02-25T12:46:00.001-05:00

They say there’s a first time for everything, but I’ve been very fortunate so far in life. I know I should probably knock on wood here, but I have never broken any bones (or have I?), required surgery, or been stung by any bees, hornets, or wasps. However, my youngest stepson, Kerry, has had a couple of these experiences. He’s broken his leg sliding off a snow bank, and then chipped a bone in his wrist. He’s been stung by a bee on his ear, which had been hiding in the engine of a farm tractor we used to have, and in the leg by three hornets that were buried in the ground. In spite of all of that, he's a tough cookie, or perhaps it's part of what made him tough.

Even my sister, Gina, has had her share of bad luck. She broke her collarbone falling off the second step from the bottom at our house, and then broke her arm when she tripped on a motel rug while on vacation. She’s even had severe food poisoning. I have been truly fortunate; however, that changed slightly recently.

This past summer, Hubby was opening up our popup camper while I was standing just outside of it. It had been sitting on the back lawn, unopened and undisturbed for most of the summer. As Hubby was nearly finished cranking the camper up, I notice something come towards me; my face! I swatted at it furiously. All at once, I felt a sharp pain, like a needle stabbing my upper lip. I screamed and started freaking out, smacking my face where I felt the most pain. My husband just stood there with the crank in his hand wondering what the heck was going on. “I just got stung!” I screamed.

Angry, partially because I’m in pain, insulted because Hubby was laughing at my antics, which I’m sure was funny to watch, and worried because I’ve never been stung before, so I didn’t know how I’d react, I ran frantically into the house. I grabbed the Epi Pen we have in the cupboard, just in case, and then grabbed the ice pack in the freezer because it started to swell. Hubby came in, “You need to put mud on it,” he declares calmly.

Remembering how it helped subside the pain for Kerry the times he got stung, I head for the only place where there’s exposed dirt, our garden. I began to take the muddy soil and place it on my lip, all the while remembering how we had put cow manure in the garden the year before. Yuck! Cow poop on my mouth! Gross!! As I'm dealing with the idea of having manure on my lip, I began to realize how the pain seems to be subsiding. Hmmm, I guess there’s something here. Then my wonderful husband walks up to see me and starts to laugh. My upper lip has swollen to twice its size. The boys come to see and also recognize the humor in my new appearance. How wonderful it is to be laughed at, I so appreciate it.

On to my next adventures....

We heat our home with wood during the winter. I just love the heat that we get from the wood, especially when we’ve had our subzero temperatures this past winter. It feels so cozy. I also get a satisfaction knowing that we've worked to provide for ourselves to stay warm. There’s something about being self-sufficient that makes you feel good. Well, last winter, my husband taught me how to use a hatchet to split some small, dry logs for starter wood. I had done some pieces earlier and my confidence began to build. I tried to continue being cautious, but my confidence grew, and I began to get a little cocky, because I knew what I was doing. Let's see about that!

One evening, Hubby was in the kitchen upstairs and I decided to go split some wood, the woman who is also able to provide. Ahem. Well, I started splitting some small pieces, making sure that I moved my left hand as the hatchet came down on the top of the log. Crack! There’s one piece. Again. Crack! Another one chopped. I kept going and going, feeling very confident in my abilities now. I did a few more small logs, which kept on for about ten to fifteen minutes. Crack! Crack! Crack! Suddenly, Crack! Aaahhh! D**n! Hubby comes running down the stairs, knowing full well what just probably happened. I had not taken my hand out of the way in time and had sliced my left thumb. Fortunately, the hatchet wasn’t as sharp as it could have been; I could have really done some damage. Instead, I sliced a nice chunk off the side of my thumb. Not enough to require emergency services (thankfully!), but enough that I left the hatchet exactly where it fell and never touched it again. Splitting small logs is now the sole task of my husband; that is understood. Some things are just not meant for me to tackle.

I still continue to exercise my ability to warm our home. Usually, I wear good slippers to go down to the basement to throw some wood in the furnace, something solid. However, this past Monday, I had a pair of crochet slippers on instead. I did think twice about it, but was too lazy to walk across the living room and put the better slippers on instead. I grabbed a couple of small logs and managed to accidentally knock one off the pile. It didn’t look very big as it headed right for my foot. What amazes me most is how I just stood there and watched this piece of wood fall, aimed for my foot and land squarely on my big toe. I hadn’t done anything to stop it from happening! I just stood there and watched it fall and land on its target.

The pain!!! I was grateful I was alone in the basement, because let’s just say, I remembered all the bad words I learned as a kid, French and English, and then some. I think I broke my toe, although it doesn’t appear broken. There’s no swelling or bruising, just pain, lots of pain. I guess I’ll have to wear my husband’s steel-toe boots whenever I go to put wood in the furnace.

What lessons have I learned from my experiences?

1) Do not stand in front of a popup camper that has been sitting idle for part of the summer. I’ll end up being the first target any bee, hornet, or wasp will see. It just takes one to create a lot of pain.

2) Leave all chopping or splitting of wood to the expert, my husband. He’s stronger and more experienced in such matters.

3) Wear appropriate shoes when working with wood. Who needs broken toes?

4) Last but not least, don’t get too cocky about my luck. Things can happen in a blink of an eye.

Brotherly Love

2009-02-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

It’s amazing some times how children can be when they’re being scolded. Yesterday, my two stepsons, Kenny and Kerry, were having one of their many wonderful and enjoyable spats (sarcasm here). Kerry, the youngest (7 going on 17), was asking his brother to get off his bed because he had spent a lot of time to make it and worked hard to make it nice. Well, his brother, Kenny, moves at his own pace sometimes (middle schooler here) and wasn’t fast enough for Kerry. Well, the next thing I hear is Kenny telling him that he’s getting off and that he didn’t have to pinch him. I called Kerry over to scold him about pinching his brother.

Kerry sat down in time out for a while, and then we talked about what he did wrong and how things could have been done differently. You know, the usual parent/child discussion. Thinking he understood what he did wrong, I sent him to apologize to Kenny. Listening down the hall to make sure that he’s being nice about it, I overheard Kerry telling his brother that he was sorry for pinching him. Then, he proceeded to tell Kenny that he needs to respond faster next time. Whoa! “Kerry, get your little butt over here!” I called.

The funny thing is that Kerry honestly believed that Kenny was at fault for the whole thing. He takes matters into his own hands, but then on the other hand, his brother sort of deserves it if you think about it. He’s the one who showed Kerry how to be mean to his brother. At least that’s what I tell Kenny when Kerry’s not listening. Anyhow, after yet another heart-felt discussion with Kerry, he came to understand how he needed to make the right choice and NOT pinch his brother. Such brotherly love. I can feel the warmth emanating from their rooms now. Parenthood is so great!

Saving "Baron"

2009-02-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday, Hubby and I decided to take a little trip with the kids around the valley were we live. We packed up the boys and headed out. The boys and I had been on our school vacation, so we enjoyed a day out of the house, different from what we’ve been doing all week. We didn’t realize what kind of interesting twist our trip would take as we started off.

We turned from the side road we’d been traveling on and onto the main road when we saw a husky walking along the shoulder with a broken chain. He looked very much like the dogs we used to have a few years back. We used to have several huskies, a white female named Kate, a couple of black and white ones, and one who was white and red named Baron. We had to find homes for them because we didn’t have the time to give to them any more, plus Hubby changed jobs and the bulk of the responsibility was left on me. Especially later on when Kate had a litter of 8 puppies. Well, this dog we saw on the side of the road looked very much like he (or she) could have been one of Kate’s pups.

Hubby, always the good Samaritan, and lover of animals, decided to pick up the dog so it wouldn’t get bumped, and try to find out where he lives. He backed up his truck to the intersection where we had just turned out from to meet up with the dog. He jumped out and grabbed the dog’s leash, calling him Baron. The dog was friendly and really sweet. He jumped in the truck without hesitation and tried to get in the front with us, but I held his collar and kept him on the floor between the boy’s feet. My hand and sleeve of my leather jacket was beginning to get all wet from the snow and ice on him. We drove about a quarter mile down the road where the dog was coming from and Hubby went in to ask if they knew who owned the dog.

While he was in the store, “Baron” continued to sniff out his new surroundings. His fir was clumped together all over his back with crusty, icy snow. Because of the warmth of the truck, the ice was melting off and creating a muddy, wet mess all over the truck. He had a kind of wet-dog-smell, but it wasn’t a stink, rather it smelled more like he had been to the dog groomers recently, so the smell had a hint of shampoo to it.

Hubby came back into the truck laughing. I asked him if they knew where the dog lived. He told me that where we had picked him up was right across the street from where he lived. He was on his way home. Apparently “Baron” makes a habit of taking a walk every once in a while to visit those who live in his domain, and then heads back home when he’s finished. We kind of laughed the rest of the morning about it. Here we were, trying to do the right thing and help out a dog and his family, only to “kidnap” him just as he was only a few steps from his home.

Will we do things differently next time? Probably, by checking the homes around where we find him might be a good step. The funny thing is that we never even thought about the trailer across the street. In fact, we had forgotten that it was even there! At least the end result was that “Baron” ended up home, safe and sound and we had something to laugh about and a story to tell our families.

Welcome All

2009-02-22T18:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my first blog. I teach middle school language arts and am currently working on perfecting my own writing craft. I’ve written before, but only lately have I become more serious about writing. In fact, I’ve developed a philosophy that in order for me to teach writing well, I need to practice the art. It’s like attempting to teach others how to become a gourmet chef without ever having stepped into the kitchen, or having never eaten anything other than fast food. In other words, practice what I preach.

I’ve recently learned that in order to be a great writer, I need to be a great reader. I’ve always believed that the more one reads, the better a communicator they become, whether it is through speaking or writing. Your vocabulary increases, and you develop a larger sense of style when it comes to your writing. I’ve been reading lots of blogs, instructional books on writing, and autobiographies lately and have found myself thinking and writing drafts along those lines. I will eventually provide a list of the reading material that I’ve read, along with links to blogs that I have found helpful.

In one of the blogs I’ve been reading, the author states how blogging is a way for writers to practice their craft. If you take it seriously, blogging can be a way for us to stay disciplined and make sure we write on a daily basis. It could be about a number of things. I plan on using this blog to write about a variety of things that go on in my life. I won’t limit myself to only one topic, style, or genre, because writing encompasses a variety and practicing the variety only makes me a stronger writer. I may feel like writing about something funny or frustrated from the day, or I may want to describe a scene or situation I’ve experienced. Perhaps I’ll want to write it in the form of a poem, or short essay, or even as a journal entry. The point is having the freedom to write.

Whichever the case may be, blogging is a way for me to practice my craft, and perhaps meet a few people who feel the way I do along the way. Sit back, enjoy, and please feel free to comment.

~ Theresa