September 21, 2009

1. It feels like we have been back in school for about 6 months, but Back to school night is just tomorrow.  I’m really wiped out tired, but I am having fun teaching.  Sociology is still a sticking point, but Ancient Civ and Geography are great, well, Geography is great, AC, pretty good – fun to teach but needs lots of prep to keep it lively.
2. Somehow next weekend I have ended up saturday on altar guild crew, then painting the food pantry, on Sunday,  layreader at the 7:30, , doing the Tanzania presentation at 10:15, vestry greeter after the 11:15.  Holy Moly!  It’s a good thing I love Jesus.
3. Made some inroads on decluttering the upstairs room, my parlor, I think I shall call it.  Finished my bulletin board.  Took me a while to figure out how to hang it, but I bought a stud finder. (Insert joke here.)
4. I’ve been lax on photographing the garden.  It is a weird surreal place now, with sunflowers that are heavy and bent, squash with a dusty blight and tomato plants that are extending their reach out of the box and everywhere!  Tonight I made a tomato mozzarella salad(I do have a picture of that) with tomatoes, basil, oregano, and parsley that I picked from the garden as I left school today.  Very, very delicious.
5. Big exciting news!  Elder Bro and family will be stationed here as of December.  The last time he and I lived in the same town we were in high school!

July 6, 2009

1. I have single handedly destroyed the church.  The “High Dusting” has brought down 30 years of black crap that is currently all over the floor!  Ahhhh!  It better look amazing when this is done, or at least like it used to be!
2. I feel like I have spent alot of time at church lately, which I suppose I have, what with the cleaning, and the July 3rd crew and the July 4th service and regular church on Sunday.  I’m ready for the cleaning to be done and to go to some movies.
3. Oh speaking of movies!  Paul and I did go to Whatever Works today, and it was great!  Though the Post panned it, we both liked it very much.  Nice afternoon.
4. I sat in the window in my attic room, and could see the fireworks just peeking above the treeline.  There was a very good breeze on July 4th, in fact the weather was phenomenal.  Somehow our entire state has been transported to Canada or something.
5. Working out is kind of kicking my behind. I suppose that is good, but it certainly takes more mental energy than I was anticipating.

February 16, 2009

1. Here we are once again on a holiday Monday, and it seems I have just brought my school books for a ride home and not gotten any work done.  I felt a little better when I ran into another teacher and she had put her work off until Monday and then didn’t want to do it, but she at least decided to do it, whereas I have spent most of the afternoon figuring out how to get my blackberry to stop sending me my own messages.
2. On a whim I went to an open house yesterday, and I really ought not to do that.  It was a great place, and of course I wanted to buy it immediately, but the fact that I have no savings is somewhat of an impediment.  It was nice and sunny, with a tiny back patio.
3. I try to talk my self out of these things by thinking that if I would just get rid of stuff, and paint, and redo the kitchen I would feel cheerier about my house, which is really very nice.  New living room furniture too.  Also, Kevin the Cat, who has crisis in the outside world might be terribly disturbed by a move.  I don’t think the new homeowners would like it that a large grumpy cat conveyed.
4. Last weekend was some good theater.  West Side Story at school, then Les Miserables at the Signature Theater in Shirlington.  Both were excellent.  I was so inspired I bought season tickets at the Signature.  I also went with Suzi to a behind the scenes tour of the production.  I wish, along with my coffee shop dream I could open a small performance space for offbeat, and unusually staged productions.
5. Speaking of fine theatrics I am watching Galaxy Quest, which has, among its other great lines, “Constuct a weapon!  Look around you, can you form some sort of rudimentary lathe?”

December 29, 2008

1. I am about to head over to my parents where we are having a party tonight with the Berry’s to celebrate 30 years of knowing one another.
2. I am very glad of this, but reflective about the idea of friendship, and how often I fail at following through on simple things like calls and cards and emails that will maintain friendships.
3. My college roommate, with whom I have been a shamefully poor communicator has given me yet another chance and inspired me by sending me a Christmas card with her new address.  I am quite resolved to do better and indeed have written 7 cards today to family and friends who have continued to write to me, even though I have been silent lo these many years.
4. Kitchen sink is backed up.  It seems to be a contagion, effecting the whole building.  On the one hand this is a plus because if it is effecting the whole building the condo association will pay for the repair.  On the other hand, should blame be able to be assessed, say if a large ball of yarn or cat hair is found to have made the blockage, then bills will no doubt be assessed accordingly.
5. Chris called on Christmas day and is well.  Pictures of the French troops nativity construction competition to follow.

December 18, 2008

1. Baking gingersnaps tonight for the staff party tomorrow.  Also testing a cheese straw (or rather disc) recipe, for some savory deliciousness.  (Later note, the cookies were a big hit.  I sent out the recipe to the staff with witty commentary, which perhaps I will post here.)
2. Very good field trip to the national Building Museum yesterday.  The kids built a house and a geodesic dome.  That is such a beautiful building!
3. I’ve been trying to post for days, but I keep falling asleep in my chair.
4. So I had an electrician come to fix a little home improvement project that I should not have attempted on my own.  He did a great job, but unfortunately, since he left after Paul had gone to work, he locked the bottom lock on the door, which we never use, and for which, I for some reason, no longer have a key on my ring.  So I had to have a locksmith come, adding to the total electric repair in a notable fashion, since it was overtime. 
5. All these deferred maintenance projects, though needed, are definitely banging up my bank account.  If only I could dip into maintenance reserve!  If only I HAD a maintenance reserve!

November 16, 2008

1. A little preliminary Christmas shopping last night.  Fun to think about the coming holidays, and thinking about presents a little earlier helps me think of some ideas for people ‘cough’ daddy ‘cough’ who are hard to shop for.
2. I’ve got  ideas about stuff to make, but I neeed to get on that.
3. Helped mommy and daddy with the annual field artillery party last night.  Then we took away all the red and the cannons, and replaced it with little rubber ducks for the baby shower today.
4. I need a plumber.  Leaky sink.
5. This week will be the first five day school week in a while. Three tuesdays ago – sick, two tuesdays ago, the election/teacher workday, last tuesday, veterans day.  next week – wed, thur fri off for Thanksgiving.  So 5 days is a real change!  And it is vestry on Tuesday and School Board on Wednesday! 

October 20, 2008

1. Went to some festivities this weekend, a Bean Suppah (Maine State Society), an open house, and a lobster jam.  All very awesome.  I feel very grateful to have such fun friends.
2. AB came to the Bean Suppah, and we had fun comparing it, in it’s little church basement setting, to the bourbon fueled events of the Kentucky State Society.  It would make a good book I think, to go to State Society events for all 50 states and compare and contrast.  (Such a teacher…compare and contrast and write a 2 page essay.)
3. I began to have a sore throat this morning, and it persisted.  I’ve taken some asprin now and it feels al little better.  I am achy and have some chills, so I left a just in case sub plan on my desk, but I don’t want to activate it.  I am ready to start a new unit, and don’t want to stall with a video.
4. I am now ensconced in my big chair with a comforter and a cup of tea.  I even found a couple of gossip magazines as I was picking up some clothes, (I like a tidy sick room.)  so I am all set for a quiet and recuperative evening.
5. The charger on my computer seems not to be working, so I had a nice little online chat with Deepak, the technician, and he is sending me a new one.  Lovely fellow, very polite. 

August 9, 2008

1. Good trip.  Tough taking that overnight train.  Hard to sleep.  I am still catching up.
2. Went to the County Fair this evening.  It has been a few years since I went.  Lots of action on the midway.  Paul and I met his family there.  Fun going to the fair with two little kids.
3. Saw several students, and one of my teacher friends.
4. I am beginning to have the “back to school anxiety dreams.”  I need to spend some time with my calendars and books and start making my lists.  I put it all out of my mind last week on the trip, but the end of summer, she is near.
5. I’ve got an appointment to look at new blinds tomorrow.  I’m thinking of going for the retro roller shades.  I’ll be the coolest kids in town.  When I told her my mom said, “Oh no!  Not those kind with the crochted ring that hangs down!”  “I’m paying extra for that ring!”  I responded!

July 23, 2008

1. I’m getting close on this organizational thing.  It could really happen this time!
2. The storage area is all cleaned up, several trips to goodwill, and to school have moved out things that don’t need to be here anymore, and I am pressing toward the end.
3. Though I am done for today.  I need a break.
4. Fun lunch with Ali.  Then we took AB to the airport.  Too bad they were both working, else we could have taken off for WVA and Commenced to Gamble.
5. One summer workout left to go!  Hooray.  Though it has been really good.  Today was cardio day.  We had to run.  I do hate running.

July 22, 2008

1. Well, things are looking really good to get the Christmas ornaments put away this week.
2. It always gets worse before it gets better.  I had the my sitting/craft room/command and control center pretty much sorted, but now I have to attack the storage room, so I dragged everything out of there into this room, and now it is three kinds of chaos.  But it will get better.
3. Only six weeks of summer left.
4. I have lots of little chores and appointments that need doing in that time.
5. Coffee time now.
6. I want to write something, but I don’t know what.