Yesterday was a special and somewhat unsettling day; my "baby" turned 30. She had a wonderful day. Her husband and kids spoiled her in all the right ways. But sitting here in Missouri, I felt strangely old. I used to imagine that it would be eons before my children were "thirty-somethings" and now BOTH of them are.
Kate is handling all this with her usual balance and aplomb; I am feeling like an "old shoe". Her dad is just not saying where his head is at, although when I mentioned on Monday evening that the following day his baby would be hitting the big Three-Oh he said, "No, not really?! You're kidding, right?" (Men rarely keep tabs on these sorts of events!)
I am very proud of both of my daughters. They are strong, confident, and accomplished women. They face life full-on and have rock solid principles. Both are well grounded and have married excellent husbands. So what's the big deal about another number on the calendar?
Katrina, here's to you on 30!!! May the next 70 birthdays be just as fun and may you always celebrate every candle on the cake!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Time for Free Coffee?
Ed is turning 55 tomorrow, and he is greeting it with good spirits. Lots of friendly jibes came his way today and he handled them all with grace. The most frequent comment was "now you can get free/cheap ________" (fill in the blank) a. coffee at McDonald's, b. breakfast at Denny's, etc etc.
This raises the obvious question Ed frequently asks, "Why should turning 55 entitle one to free ANYTHING?" I have to laugh because Ed is possibly the least likely person on the planet to go anywhere to get a free item. He is a big believer in "paying his way" wherever he goes... so this will be a new experience, watching him turn down freebies!
This raises the obvious question Ed frequently asks, "Why should turning 55 entitle one to free ANYTHING?" I have to laugh because Ed is possibly the least likely person on the planet to go anywhere to get a free item. He is a big believer in "paying his way" wherever he goes... so this will be a new experience, watching him turn down freebies!
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Day the Modem Died
Ed & I are sitting in the public library and working on our laptops... not by choice (although I think we have one of the nicest libraries in the country!) but by necessity. Went to log on at home this morning and discovered that our modem had kicked the bucket. This is when it became painfully clear just how accustomed we are to being able to connect to the big, outside, electronic universe at a moment's notice. Failing that, the library became our haven for an evening of "getting some things done...".
Lesson learned.... modems are not eternal, (plan your work accordingly) and libraries are wonderful places. May we always have them and gladly pay taxes for them!!
Lesson learned.... modems are not eternal, (plan your work accordingly) and libraries are wonderful places. May we always have them and gladly pay taxes for them!!
Monday, February 09, 2009
A Knitting Grammy's Reward
Here you have it.. and it doesn't get any better than this. My little buddy got his hat that I made him in the mail on Friday. His mom reports that he slept in it for his naptime. Logical thinking on his part; it is cold in Michigan right now. But here's the pay-off - by my book, this is an offical 1 million dollar grin. Makes me want to go right back and knit up a storm!
Friday, February 06, 2009
Huzzah! It's Friday!
Those of you who have been reading this blog for awhile know that there are not many times when I actually "celebrate" Friday. That sort of thing was something I did frequently when I used to teach junior high. In fact, I even had special outfits, usually terribly loud and somewhat outrageous, that I wore on Fridays. But this week, I feel really compelled to say "YAY, it's Friday!"
Some of my reasons are typical, I mean, who DOESN'T enjoy a good Friday?? However, it's been a rather strange week in certain ways. The weather has been all over the place... from lows in the teens to highs in the 60's. It has made my students a bit "loopy", to say the least. They are saying and doing things that make us scratch our heads and wonder, "What are they thinking!?" Our underclassmen have been particularly squirrely lately, even for underclassmen. Some of the shenanigans they have pulled would shock you, and for the sake of discretion, I won't go there, but all in all, I find it pretty unsettling. To top it off, we've had a "winter spirit" week going on with a big dance at school tonight following the basketball games. So we've had some themed dress days happening.... "hippie day" anyone? (actually pretty funny since the kids have no concept of what hippies truly were!) Today we are all in black as it is "Black out our competition" at the basketball game tonight. (Strangely ironic in light of the fact that the high school coming here to play tonight is a predominantly black school from the city..... hmmm... that will look friendly when our kids are all in the stands! See what I mean? It's been an odd week... think I'll go home tonight and knit!
Some of my reasons are typical, I mean, who DOESN'T enjoy a good Friday?? However, it's been a rather strange week in certain ways. The weather has been all over the place... from lows in the teens to highs in the 60's. It has made my students a bit "loopy", to say the least. They are saying and doing things that make us scratch our heads and wonder, "What are they thinking!?" Our underclassmen have been particularly squirrely lately, even for underclassmen. Some of the shenanigans they have pulled would shock you, and for the sake of discretion, I won't go there, but all in all, I find it pretty unsettling. To top it off, we've had a "winter spirit" week going on with a big dance at school tonight following the basketball games. So we've had some themed dress days happening.... "hippie day" anyone? (actually pretty funny since the kids have no concept of what hippies truly were!) Today we are all in black as it is "Black out our competition" at the basketball game tonight. (Strangely ironic in light of the fact that the high school coming here to play tonight is a predominantly black school from the city..... hmmm... that will look friendly when our kids are all in the stands! See what I mean? It's been an odd week... think I'll go home tonight and knit!
Monday, February 02, 2009
So Much Depends - a tribute to Williams and warm socks!
so much depends
upon
Poetry and Yarn... a good "go together"!
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.
-william carlos williams
so much depends
upon
a small green-socked
boy
dimpled with cozy-footed
glee
upon the pink wooden
chair.
with tribute to william carlos williams - the poet with 3 first names!
Poetry and Yarn... a good "go together"!
Love you, buddy!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Stuff I Don't "Get"
This is not an all-inclusive list... in fact, if anybody out there is reading, feel free to add to my list via the comments section. Today presented me with several things "I Don't Get...
1. how my students can have 2 days to relax and enjoy snow and come back A) tired and B) with unfinished homework!
2. why one kid needing to use the restroom causes 10 others to need to "go and do likwise".
3. how 10 out of 21 of my AP kids can choose the same prompt out of 22 possible choices on a list and then not imagine that as I slowly go insane grading them it won't make my red pen bleed on them even more!
4. why schools feel they can pile greater responsibility on our students yet turn around and not offer them greater trust/respect/privileges.
5. how my kids can bear up as they SIT for 6 hours per day! I would be DYING!
6. why we don't have more than one snow day built into our school calendar in a state where people are paranoid about driving in 1'' of snow.
7. early risers (as in pre-6am)
8. people who think sports REALLY matter in the long run.
9. why anyone would want to go sky-diving.
10. how it is possible to consider recalling all the peanut butter shipped from Georgia!
1. how my students can have 2 days to relax and enjoy snow and come back A) tired and B) with unfinished homework!
2. why one kid needing to use the restroom causes 10 others to need to "go and do likwise".
3. how 10 out of 21 of my AP kids can choose the same prompt out of 22 possible choices on a list and then not imagine that as I slowly go insane grading them it won't make my red pen bleed on them even more!
4. why schools feel they can pile greater responsibility on our students yet turn around and not offer them greater trust/respect/privileges.
5. how my kids can bear up as they SIT for 6 hours per day! I would be DYING!
6. why we don't have more than one snow day built into our school calendar in a state where people are paranoid about driving in 1'' of snow.
7. early risers (as in pre-6am)
8. people who think sports REALLY matter in the long run.
9. why anyone would want to go sky-diving.
10. how it is possible to consider recalling all the peanut butter shipped from Georgia!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Soup, Snow, & Slimmer
It's been an interesting past 3 days. St. Charles was hit by a reasonably good-sized snowstorm on Monday night that continued into Tuesday and made roads nasty until Wednesday. This resulted in 2 snowdays for Ed & I. Well, only for Ed, actually. I have been attending the Midwest Educational Technology Conference on Monday through Wednesday of this week. It was an awesome educational experience that would have (could have?) cost me three days of teaching time. Thanks to the snow, it only cost me one.
Meanwhile, we've been hunkering down and enjoying how pretty everything looks covered in the white stuff. Time to make soup! I made veggie soup on Sunday night. And since I haven't posted a photo of myself lately, I made Ed take a shot of me while I cooked it. So you can see the newer, down-sized version of me while I am doing something I rarely do... cooking! Wish you could smell the soup... it was delicious!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
In Anticipation
Today, I am giving my blog space to my husband. He's not a "blogger" as a rule, but today he wrote this, shared it with me, and gave me permission to post it. We are both very excited for Tuesday, but Ed captured the essence of it so well that I just had to publish it! A little longer than my typical musings but quite meaninful.
In Anticipation - January 18, 2009
It is Sunday, prior to the inauguration of our next president, Barak Obama. I am sitting by the fire listening to the national concert being held in DC today and am somewhat in awe. I am turning 55 next month and although I have voted in every presidential election since I have been able to vote, and have even worked in calling campaigns for presidential candidates prior to this year, I can truly say that even though my choice often was the winner of the election, I have never been this moved with anticipation by an inauguration until this moment.
I began following President Obama after I heard him deliver one of the keynote speeches at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. I remember sitting transfixed, by the speech and the speaker. I had not anticipated even listening to the entire speech as I had never heard of this young would-be senator from Illinois. As he spoke, he drew me in with both his message and delivery. I cannot, today, even remember the exact content, but I do remember saying at the time that his message conveyed the theme of what public service in the U.S. should be as it reflected an attitude of what I would simply characterize as,what I had been taught was America.
In my view, at the time America had become a bit of an international and domestic bully; not just because of the war in Iraq, although that was, for me, the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back, but because of an ongoing and growing projected attitude in a number of areas in which America seemed to be using its power to act in hegemonic, unilateral ways in the international arena to push others to acquiesce to our will. Domestically, American leaders, and many good individuals, appeared more interested in the private, and by extension the collective, good that a growing economy could accomplish. There seemed to be a growing sentiment that if you were not able to, in some way, contribute to economic growth through personal investment, you were so much of a drain on our society. And, in the face of a “growing “ economy we saw cuts to domestic programs which had been designed to assist the less fortunate. There was a growing intolerance of ideas that were not in accordance with this party line and there appeared to be a growing attitude of nationalistic and, to some degree, spiritual fundamentalism. So for the first time, I began to look carefully at decisions made by political leaders. Exactly who was voting for what and under what circumstances. I began listening to political rhetoric from the perspective of one who was choosing to be an active participant rather than one who was simply a political subject of a particular party and party ideology. I also began reading, almost feverishly, books written by our political leaders expressing their views on our constitutional principles and on what it meant to be a U.S. leader and citizen.
One of the people I followed was Mr. Obama. Just after 2004 and well before all of the primary candidates from all of the parties had been rolled out, I had determined that I could not in good conscience vote for a candidate who represented the Grand Old Party. And while I did not agree with all of the stances of the Democratic party, I had come to recognize that the majority of my personal beliefs about government , economics and a good number of social issues lined up much more closely with the agenda of that party. Initially, however, my choice for president was not Barak Obama. I liked much of what he stood for, but I felt that there were others with whom I was more closely in agreement. By the time, the primary came down to Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, though, I had decided to support Sen. Obama. By that time I had read much more from him and about him and I came out a true supporter.
That does not mean I will agree with 100% of his decisions, but I feel that for this unique time under these special circumstances ,American has boldly chosen a true leader, a man who will set a new tone for the United States. I believe that in Barak Obama we have a president who will listen to all sides which are actively seeking to make America a better place, which are intent on improving and protecting the common good, and which are willing to use a spirit of reason and rule of law to accomplish their goals.
Yes, I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday, I believe America is anxiously awaiting, and I believe that the world is anxiously awaiting Tuesday. There is a window of opportunity here because of the conditions of the times, the president, the American people’s excitement and the world’s expectations for great things to be accomplished. These may not be measured in specific deeds right away but first may come an attitude shift and then, who knows?
So, back to my initial musings as I was listening to the national concert. Usually, when we view huge numbers of people congregating in a national capitol as we see today and expect on Tuesday, it is for some sort of demonstration of protest. Today, as I listen to the concert in DC in anticipation of Barak Obama’s inauguration, there are 100’s of thousands gathering not to protest but to celebrate, and not just to celebrate a man and a party victory but to ,I believe, celebrate a potential, a new beginning, a new opportunity, to celebrate what America at its best can be. What a spectacle to view, especially for the rest of the world. America is not some fading giant but is still a leader and if we follow our new president’s lead, America can be such a leader as the world has never yet seen. Yes, I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday.
In Anticipation - January 18, 2009
It is Sunday, prior to the inauguration of our next president, Barak Obama. I am sitting by the fire listening to the national concert being held in DC today and am somewhat in awe. I am turning 55 next month and although I have voted in every presidential election since I have been able to vote, and have even worked in calling campaigns for presidential candidates prior to this year, I can truly say that even though my choice often was the winner of the election, I have never been this moved with anticipation by an inauguration until this moment.
I began following President Obama after I heard him deliver one of the keynote speeches at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. I remember sitting transfixed, by the speech and the speaker. I had not anticipated even listening to the entire speech as I had never heard of this young would-be senator from Illinois. As he spoke, he drew me in with both his message and delivery. I cannot, today, even remember the exact content, but I do remember saying at the time that his message conveyed the theme of what public service in the U.S. should be as it reflected an attitude of what I would simply characterize as,what I had been taught was America.
In my view, at the time America had become a bit of an international and domestic bully; not just because of the war in Iraq, although that was, for me, the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back, but because of an ongoing and growing projected attitude in a number of areas in which America seemed to be using its power to act in hegemonic, unilateral ways in the international arena to push others to acquiesce to our will. Domestically, American leaders, and many good individuals, appeared more interested in the private, and by extension the collective, good that a growing economy could accomplish. There seemed to be a growing sentiment that if you were not able to, in some way, contribute to economic growth through personal investment, you were so much of a drain on our society. And, in the face of a “growing “ economy we saw cuts to domestic programs which had been designed to assist the less fortunate. There was a growing intolerance of ideas that were not in accordance with this party line and there appeared to be a growing attitude of nationalistic and, to some degree, spiritual fundamentalism. So for the first time, I began to look carefully at decisions made by political leaders. Exactly who was voting for what and under what circumstances. I began listening to political rhetoric from the perspective of one who was choosing to be an active participant rather than one who was simply a political subject of a particular party and party ideology. I also began reading, almost feverishly, books written by our political leaders expressing their views on our constitutional principles and on what it meant to be a U.S. leader and citizen.
One of the people I followed was Mr. Obama. Just after 2004 and well before all of the primary candidates from all of the parties had been rolled out, I had determined that I could not in good conscience vote for a candidate who represented the Grand Old Party. And while I did not agree with all of the stances of the Democratic party, I had come to recognize that the majority of my personal beliefs about government , economics and a good number of social issues lined up much more closely with the agenda of that party. Initially, however, my choice for president was not Barak Obama. I liked much of what he stood for, but I felt that there were others with whom I was more closely in agreement. By the time, the primary came down to Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, though, I had decided to support Sen. Obama. By that time I had read much more from him and about him and I came out a true supporter.
That does not mean I will agree with 100% of his decisions, but I feel that for this unique time under these special circumstances ,American has boldly chosen a true leader, a man who will set a new tone for the United States. I believe that in Barak Obama we have a president who will listen to all sides which are actively seeking to make America a better place, which are intent on improving and protecting the common good, and which are willing to use a spirit of reason and rule of law to accomplish their goals.
Yes, I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday, I believe America is anxiously awaiting, and I believe that the world is anxiously awaiting Tuesday. There is a window of opportunity here because of the conditions of the times, the president, the American people’s excitement and the world’s expectations for great things to be accomplished. These may not be measured in specific deeds right away but first may come an attitude shift and then, who knows?
So, back to my initial musings as I was listening to the national concert. Usually, when we view huge numbers of people congregating in a national capitol as we see today and expect on Tuesday, it is for some sort of demonstration of protest. Today, as I listen to the concert in DC in anticipation of Barak Obama’s inauguration, there are 100’s of thousands gathering not to protest but to celebrate, and not just to celebrate a man and a party victory but to ,I believe, celebrate a potential, a new beginning, a new opportunity, to celebrate what America at its best can be. What a spectacle to view, especially for the rest of the world. America is not some fading giant but is still a leader and if we follow our new president’s lead, America can be such a leader as the world has never yet seen. Yes, I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Yesterday was a big day for me! I reached a goal that has been four months in coming; I have lost 10% of my body weight! After a long period of frustration with "do-it-myself" diet and exercise, I joined Weight Watchers back in September. It is a sad fact, but if I am paying for something, I am more likely to follow through. A good friend of mine had a lot of success with the WW's programs last year and recommended it highly. I dragged out my decision for almost 6 months, but finally decided that I was tired of being at an unhealthy weight; so I joined.I generally go on Thursday nights. I have to say the meetings (which I expected to be "cheesy") are actually very helpful. You see a whole lot of different folks from a variety of backgrounds and all of us are in the same boat.... we need help with how we relate to food! There is an inspiring fellow (who could be old enough to be my dad) who lost 148 lbs in one year and has kept it off for over 3 years. People helping each other is what the weekly 30 min. gatherings are all about. I get recipes, encouragement, and the knowledge that I will be "checking in" at the scale.
Last night was special. My group leader announced my success and a room full of 50 or so people burst into applause! It felt amazing! I still have a way to go, I want to get to my goal weight by spring... and I can honestly say I believe I can do it now. So here's to all my new friends in Weight Watchers, and to my family members who have been cheering me onward as well! Thanks so much!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Top 10 benefits (!?) of having a Cold....
Yeah, I hab a code... err a cold.... There's been one floating around school since our return from holiday break, and it found me last Wednesday. This weekend was given over totally to trying to get better, and I am not sure I am making progress. SO.. instead of whining about it, I've decided to play "Pollyanna" with it and see if I can find some benefit in cold nursing.... Here goes.
10. You have an excuse to talk less to your students and anyone else you don't want to talk with.
9. You get to sleep in on the weekend.
8. You drink 5x's more juice and tea than you normally would.
7. You don't feel very hungry... makes dieting a LOT easier.
6. You stop caring what your hair looks like... at least while at home.
5. You have a good excuse to have your own PBS marathon, I love PBS!
4. You can knit all you like and nobody expects you to move around much.
3. Clementine oranges now qualify as medicine.
2. Whether it rains or snows outside ceases to matter to you.
1. Your hubby will make you his awesome chicken soup!
So there we are, readers.... some decided benefits of nursing a cold.... which hopefully STAYS just a cold.... if not, I'll be back with added thoughts!
10. You have an excuse to talk less to your students and anyone else you don't want to talk with.
9. You get to sleep in on the weekend.
8. You drink 5x's more juice and tea than you normally would.
7. You don't feel very hungry... makes dieting a LOT easier.
6. You stop caring what your hair looks like... at least while at home.
5. You have a good excuse to have your own PBS marathon, I love PBS!
4. You can knit all you like and nobody expects you to move around much.
3. Clementine oranges now qualify as medicine.
2. Whether it rains or snows outside ceases to matter to you.
1. Your hubby will make you his awesome chicken soup!
So there we are, readers.... some decided benefits of nursing a cold.... which hopefully STAYS just a cold.... if not, I'll be back with added thoughts!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
First things first - Sydney is ONE.
Happy Birthday to you, Miss Sydney Grace! Saturday was the big day... and Gretchen and Leon pulled out all the stops to make the big #1 a memorable one! There was cake, balloons, funny hats, noisemakers, the works! Sydney woke up from her afternoon nap to find a house full of silly grown-ups all waiting to wish her a happy birthday. She seemed a bit serious at first, just sort of taking it all in, but when it came down to the frosting on her cake, well, the pictures tell it all! Many more happy days, little one! It was fun being there for this special day!
"Let's see, I've got a chair, an ottoman, and this cool hat...what more could a girl need?"
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Resolutions... To BE or?
Spent our New Year's Eve with our best friends, Doug & Carol, and the topic of resolutions came up. Not surprisingly, Doug had used some thoughts about them in his New Year's Eve sermon just a few short hours earlier and he shared them with us. His focus was on "Be" resolutions rather than on "Do" resolutions and as he listed a few like "be faithful", "be in the Word".... I found myself thinking seriously about what I might resolve to "be" in 2009.
I have generally not been a resolver - at least not on Dec. 31/Jan 1. Seems that I have an aversion to making promises just because it seems the "thing to do" on a given night. But there are definitely some things I would like to "be" in the year ahead.... so here goes...make your own list if the idea strikes a chord.
1. Be more in the moment....
2. Be less "busy"
3. Be at peace with myself
4. Be healthier
5. Be wiser
6. Be "greener"
7. Be a light in dark places.
8. Be less burdened by things
9. Be a good friend
10. Be in balance
There... that's my "be list"... I think there's enough there to keep me busy in 2009. Happy New Year to all of you!
I have generally not been a resolver - at least not on Dec. 31/Jan 1. Seems that I have an aversion to making promises just because it seems the "thing to do" on a given night. But there are definitely some things I would like to "be" in the year ahead.... so here goes...make your own list if the idea strikes a chord.
1. Be more in the moment....
2. Be less "busy"
3. Be at peace with myself
4. Be healthier
5. Be wiser
6. Be "greener"
7. Be a light in dark places.
8. Be less burdened by things
9. Be a good friend
10. Be in balance
There... that's my "be list"... I think there's enough there to keep me busy in 2009. Happy New Year to all of you!
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Merriest of Christmases!
Ed & I at Gretchen & Leon's home on Christmas Eve."We wish you a Merry Christmas!
And a Joyous New Year!"
There is nothing quite like sharing your Christmas with little children to help you capture the essence of joy... this Christmas was extra special because we spent it with all FOUR of our grandchildren. First, there was Christmas Eve with Sydney. We shared a service together at 11 a.m and then a dinner in the evening. It was so much fun. Syd wore the dress we got her for the day and looked so cute! It included a hat that didn't stay on much beyond a bit in the morning, but we got a kick out of it!And a Joyous New Year!"
"Yay! It's Christmas!"
"I will model my dress while walking on the sofa!"
"I don't think ANYONE is happier than I am today!"Then came December 25th, and by 2 o'clock Kate, Nate, and the kids arrived from the North. We were SO glad they got here safely even with all the snow up in Michigan and Wisconsin. By 4 pm everyone was at our house and ready to tear some gift wrap!
Rhylah got a hand-knitted hat and mittens from grammy but wondered abit about why we put them on her in the playpen!
The girls played "tag" in the hallway at gramma's house!
Asher models his crown from the Christmas Cracker he got from Uncle Leon!
Rhy even put on her pretty Christmas dress and then sat with it in a "poof"for this really adorable shot!
A sweet holiday shot of Rhylah with big brother Gabriel!
The final gift from under the tree... Gabe and Ash got their Wiifrom Papa, Gramma, Uncle Leon & Aunt Gret.
Could Gabriel look any MORE excited??
Monday, December 22, 2008
A Day with Sydney
Sydney Grace came and spent the day with us today while her mommy and daddy were at work and we had a GREAT time. She played with all her favorite toys; Gramma's piano, the greyhounds on the mantel, Papa's pots on the pot rack, and Chas. She "helped" sort the mail... she loves paper, so we gave her ALL the envelopes after we opened the Christmas cards. And she crawled EVERYWHERE in the house she could go! We had a LOT of fun!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
"Oh Bottle Brush, Oh Bottle Brush" (a corollary post to Kate's "Oh Christmas Tree")
I am an old fogey.... I must admit it. When it comes down to it, I am a veritable Scrooge about the thought of tramping about a tree lot and seeking the "perfect" tree. (Note to all you natural tree lovers out there... the perfect tree does NOT exist! We cut it down back in 1983 and there's never been one since!)
Tree shot with flash... yes, it really TOUCHES the ceiling!
Tree shot with ambient light... pretty, huh?
This year, we've sunk to new levels of "fogey-ness" - we purchased a 9 ft. PRE-LIGHTED tree! Yup! Eddie no longer has to play round and round the May-pole, tediously untangling strands of half-lit holiday bulbs! Our tree goes up in 3 sections, and down in the same; two plugs connect and voila, we have a tree! Considering that, after that point, it generally takes us three nights to get all the ornaments onto it, I'd say it's an excellent choice for us! No mess, no fuss, and with the right potpourri even the smell can be simulated!
Years ago, my father mockingly called these "bottle brushes" - but even he, in his later years, succumbed to the allure of "easy trees". Even the hardened naturalists among us will admit the look of these babies has changed substantially since the 1980's. So look at the cutting fun my kids in Michigan had last weekend and then picture me, cocoa in hand, sitting cozily by the fire with a little Bing playing softly on the stereo...
Tree shot with flash... yes, it really TOUCHES the ceiling!
Tree shot with ambient light... pretty, huh?Years ago, my father mockingly called these "bottle brushes" - but even he, in his later years, succumbed to the allure of "easy trees". Even the hardened naturalists among us will admit the look of these babies has changed substantially since the 1980's. So look at the cutting fun my kids in Michigan had last weekend and then picture me, cocoa in hand, sitting cozily by the fire with a little Bing playing softly on the stereo...
Merry Christmas to all,
bottle brushes or real,
It's not in the tree,
'Tis how it makes you feel!
Part of the Snowman collection!
All of the snowmen, having a committee meeting to discuss
the new tree. Even theirs is artificial!
We have tree! Huzzah! Ed goes happily back to reading in
his cozy chair!
bottle brushes or real,
It's not in the tree,
'Tis how it makes you feel!
Part of the Snowman collection!
All of the snowmen, having a committee meeting to discussthe new tree. Even theirs is artificial!
We have tree! Huzzah! Ed goes happily back to reading in his cozy chair!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Zap those Jedi Clones or whatever they are!
I have a fun story to tell... but I can't reveal too much since it could give away Christmas secrets! Today I used a "personal shopper" for the first time in my life. And the hilarious thing is my shopper turned out to be an 18 yr. old boy. Now before you blanch and wonder if I've lost my mind, hear the whole tale.
It began on Sunday with a call from Kate, asking me to be on the lookout for a particular toy for a particular grandson. Apparently, this toy has been unavailable in Michigan and Kate asked me to look for it here. I agreed to keep my eye out for it... no problem. Well, a small problem, I haven't done too much shopping myself yet, and I was not sure how soon I'd get to looking for the much sought item. From the title of the blog entry you can guess what movie it's associated with... and I'll only need to add one more word... Legos
8am today - So today as I greeted my students, it suddenly dawned on my that I had daily access to 105 kids who LIVE to shop! They love it and do it constantly. So I put out an "all points bulletin" - I said there was a $10 "finders fee" for the person who found this toy, called me to confirm I still needed it, and grabbed it before it got away. Several kids wrote down the item, and I went on with my day thinking I had a slightly better shot at locating the item than before.
3 pm: the day ended and in walked my personal shopper...an 18 yr. old guy from one of my early a.m. classes. And he HAD THE GOODS! Turns out, this guy has "early dismissal" so he gets out of school before I do each day. He hopped in his car, scooted over to Toys R. Us near our local mall, and was back with the much sought toy before my day ended! I happily wrote him a check for the purchase plus his fee and felt pretty proud of myself! Mission accomplished!
So here's the idea... teenagers out there, tune in! You could become "personal shoppers" too! Find out what people need and go get it for a fee! What a gig! Combine your love of shopping with my lack of time to do it - it's a win-win situation all the way around!
Hmmmmm.... now I wonder if I could find a "personal Wrapper"?
It began on Sunday with a call from Kate, asking me to be on the lookout for a particular toy for a particular grandson. Apparently, this toy has been unavailable in Michigan and Kate asked me to look for it here. I agreed to keep my eye out for it... no problem. Well, a small problem, I haven't done too much shopping myself yet, and I was not sure how soon I'd get to looking for the much sought item. From the title of the blog entry you can guess what movie it's associated with... and I'll only need to add one more word... Legos
8am today - So today as I greeted my students, it suddenly dawned on my that I had daily access to 105 kids who LIVE to shop! They love it and do it constantly. So I put out an "all points bulletin" - I said there was a $10 "finders fee" for the person who found this toy, called me to confirm I still needed it, and grabbed it before it got away. Several kids wrote down the item, and I went on with my day thinking I had a slightly better shot at locating the item than before.
3 pm: the day ended and in walked my personal shopper...an 18 yr. old guy from one of my early a.m. classes. And he HAD THE GOODS! Turns out, this guy has "early dismissal" so he gets out of school before I do each day. He hopped in his car, scooted over to Toys R. Us near our local mall, and was back with the much sought toy before my day ended! I happily wrote him a check for the purchase plus his fee and felt pretty proud of myself! Mission accomplished!
So here's the idea... teenagers out there, tune in! You could become "personal shoppers" too! Find out what people need and go get it for a fee! What a gig! Combine your love of shopping with my lack of time to do it - it's a win-win situation all the way around!
Hmmmmm.... now I wonder if I could find a "personal Wrapper"?
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Turkey for me, Turkey for you!
Ahh... Thanksgiving! My favorite early winter holiday! And this year was no exception.Early morning was spent watching the St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade downtown. The weather was perfect and it seemed that everyone along Market St. was in high spirits. The funniest thing was when Ash saw his first giant balloon. He backed up about a foot and hid a bit behind his mom. Once reassured that it was just a balloon, he quickly recovered by saying, "Can we get one?"
Next, we spent a wonderful afternoon with family and friends. We all gathered at Gretchen and Leon's around noon and took our time finishing the meal preparations. Dinner was a little after 3... Doug, Carol, and Jesse Gaunt were there, and all the Harrmanns! So altogether there were 13 of us. The menu was huge and stunningly delicious... Turkey, Lamb, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cheesy brussel sprouts, gravy, herb-cheddar biscuits, cranberry salad, regular rolls, pumpkin pie, and chocolate pecan pie. WOW! Every cook involved brought out their finest skills! It was great!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Fireside Chats
This isn't exactly what Carol's stove looks like, but the hearth area issimilar. (sans the bear rug on the floor! yikes!) Next time I go, I'll take a camera!
Tonight, as we sat there talking and toasting, we laughed about all the things we each have on our personal "to-do" lists that seem to only get longer with each passing season. But just for tonight, we enjoyed the fact that Carol & Doug have checked the one called "get fireplace working" off their list! It is a great place to sit and I plan to do it repeatedly this winter! So here's to friends with cozy hearths! May the logs burn bright and conversation never run out!
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Time of Greyness Begins
My husband and I are not great fans of the return to "non-daylight savings" time. It seems that we get up in darkness and return home in darkness at a time of year that one can barely tolerate being in darkness... the weeks just preceding the Winter Solstice. Then you add rain and cold damp weather....
What you see here is the view outside my classroom window. Wet, grey, chilly... miserable. I am not excited for the arrival of the wet times.
On the other hand, I love winter. Pure, crisp, cold winter. It seems like it's the genuine article. No fooling-around-flat-out cold! I say let's skip the grey, wet, murky days of late fall and jump right into winter. Oh wait! I live in Missouri! There's SNOW in the forecast for tomorrow! Huzzah!
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